I would just like to speak out on boxer briefs – the happy compromise between (a) the non-nonsense support of bikini briefs (which are great in keeping the boys in check during strenuous gym-related activities, i.e. runnng, squats) and (b) the let-it-all-hang-loose mentality of boxer shorts (well-ventilated, no chafing, less stress and tension 24/7).

Unlike regular boxers, they’re very versatile for my office-to-gym-to-gimmick lifestyle. Boxers are pretty much good for just two sorts of pants – denim jeans, and my gusgusin military weekend cargo pants. If I do wear them to work, I still need to pack an extra pair of normal briefs if I plan on hitting the gym. It’s not very mentally restful to think of lying flat on my back with my legs spread during crunches and bench presses, and having people see all the way up my shorts. The boys don’t like being put on display, after all.

And unlike regular briefs, they tend not to leave VBL’s (visible brief lines), which makes them great for linen pants, sleek evening slacks, and anything else made of clingy fabric or loose weaves. They also do a fairly decent job of keeping the boys in one safe, warm, snug grip

And finally, underwear innerwear manufacturers seem to come up with the artsiest designs for these bad boys. I’ve talked recently about my recent great acquisitions – a paisley turquoise pair, a neon orange pair with hot purple piping (how Phoenix-esque!), and the infinitely seductive black ones with crowns printed all over. Now I’ve got my eye on this other pair I saw at Zara a couple of weeks back, which is a lovely burnt tangerine shade with chocolate brown trim. Of course it’s painful having to think of shelling out seven hundred bucks for a very private piece of fashion, but I do try to think of it as “wearable art” more than anything else.

Boxer briefs are great. Versatility, comfort, and high fashion. I sincerely believe more men need to make this move and permanently retire their collections of Hanes Y-front tighty-whities. Bench Body is a great place to start for a relatively inexpensive sampler, before moving on to mid-priced Euro-chic like Topman/Zara, before rising all the way to luxe decadence of Paul Smith and Calvin Klein.

Keep it snug, keep it brief, in the underwear world, boxer briefs are chief!

So I was talking to April the other day, and we realized exactly why we get along quite well. For most Filipinos there are only two seasons – tag-init and tag-ulan. We disagree. There are two seasons, but they are in fact Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter.

Jonathan Larson had it all wrong. We don’t measure life in seasons of love. We measure it in haute couture collections and whatever happens to be the new black.