ELEMENTS OF STYLE!

Uber-Undies
Jock itch is not an ailment for which you are likely to get much sympathy. Ridicule? Yes. Lots! Your sweaty, itchy groin is a prime target for jokes —but if you’ve ever suffered from The Itch, you know it’s no laughing matter. Naturally there is no suggestion here that you settle for black boxers with smiley faces. Or nightmare-inspiring underthings with not-at-all funny saying on them. But man, there are some great-looking undies out there. Try them. You’ll probably like the feeling of the air circulating in that usually claustrophobic, dark, dank world that is your groin.Yes, there are John Smedley and Zimmerli, both of which are top makers of gentlemen's undergarments, and many men swear by them. But true connoisseurs of crotch swaddling tend to dismiss Smedley as too heavy (its briefs are made of the same fabric as its polo shirts) and Zimmerli as too light. For such critically minded men, the napies of choice are Sunspel. As one enthusiast puts it with unarguably finality, "To wear anything else just wouldn't be civilized." Indeed, though that's only one reason to own them. Sunspel undertogs, which originated in Nottingham, England, in 1936 (Established in 1850 under a different name, it wasn’t until 1936 that the company chose the name Sunspel)are a favourite of the finicky haberdashers that cater to Slaone Rangers and Robertson Boulevard habitues and those certain secretive men from the Far East. The fabric draws them in first. Sunspels are made from extra-long-staple cotton, which can be spun into a yarn so fine it yields a feel that approximates silk. Then, the finishing is also first-rate: interior seams are flat; waistbands are of natural, nonbinding rubber; and there aren't loose threads sprouting from the label like crabgrass. And lest you think these fancy underpants are strictly from Oscar Wilde types, keep in mind that Sunspel is standard issue for Royal Navy and British army officers, who might not admit to a fondness for Sunspel's pleasant feel but who do like the famous fit. And now you know why the Privates weren't found scratching on screeen during the Iraqi raids. Devotees claim that the extra pleat sewn into the crotch of a Sunspel brief provides superior support. Unfortunately, that anatomical correctness won't stop your significant other from wanting to try on their silky softness for herself. You may even have to wrestle them off her. It's understandable; just be civilized.