NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new survey released today that polled men about their underwear habits revealed that close to 10 percent keep a pair of underwear over 10 years – longer than the length of the average first marriage! And that same 10 percent are more likely to change jobs before tossing out their underwear for a new pair!
The survey, conducted by premium underwear brand Tommy John, revealed that while men on average hold onto underwear much longer than women, they still have an eye for comfort and fashion. More than 40 percent say they have a “special pair” they put on for special occasions (like Valentine’s Day). While another 40 percent of men claim to wear a special pair for “luck” (which could be date night).
When it comes to comfort, a whopping 100 percent of men surveyed admitted to making adjustments to their underwear at least once a day, citing bunching, wedgies and lack of support as major problems.
“As a company that is obsessed with comfort, we wanted to understand what’s top of mind for men in the love/hate relationship they have with their underwear,” said Tommy John founder, Tom Patterson.
The company even produced a humorous video about the discomfort men face, making it clear that we all bear witness and suffer through their creative attempts to adjust an ill-fitting undergarment.
“Men have upgraded everything else in their life except their underwear and this survey further supports our view that many men are still in the dark ages” said Patterson. “We are on a mission to change that. All of our products contain proprietary fabrics, innovative fit and functionality that eliminates unnecessary adjustments and provide a new standard of comfort for men today.”
Survey highlights include:
Who, Where and Why Men Adjust:
- 100 percent of men surveyed admit to making adjustments to their underwear at least once throughout the course of the day
- Of those caught in the “adjustment” act, 40 percent say the most embarrassing time was in front of their boss, close to 25 percent say in front of their friends, 18 percent at a fancy restaurant and 11 percent in front of their parents.
- When asked why they adjust, bunching topped the list at close to 30 percent, with sweating and ease of access coming in 2nd and 3rd at 16 percent and 14 percent respectively. Wedgies, sagging, and lack of support rounded out the list with around 10 percent each.
Who is doing the buying?
- Despite industry statistics that say women buy the lion’s share of men’s underwear, 77 percent of those polled say they purchase their own.
- 14 percent say their partner does the buying
- 10 percent still count on their mom or mother-in-law for their undergarments
Men, Stop Letting Your Mom (or Mother-in-Law) Buy Your Underwear!
- 33 percent of males whose mom buys their underwear adjust themselves almost 10 times a day.
- 15 percent of men who claim to adjust themselves a million times a day, let their mothers buy their underwear!
- Even worse, out of men who let their mother-in-law buy their underwear, 44 percent describe most of the underwear in their drawer as tighty-whities, and 33 percent claim superhero themed pants.
- And 45 percent of men whose mother in law buys their underwear claim to adjust themselves "a million times a day!"
Do Millennials Update Their Underwear More?
- According to the survey, only 33 percent of men ages 18-29 wait until their underwear starts sagging to replace, compared to nearly 45 percent of males ages 45-59 years old.
- Time to ditch the tighty-whities, guys! Today, 20 percent of males 45-59 years old still prefer tighty-whities over boxer briefs or boxer shorts. Compared to 5 percent of men ages 18-29 year olds who prefer them.
Boxers or Briefs?
- More than 80 percent say boxers – with a third of this group opting for the loose variety.
- And 6 percent of men prefer going commando – wearing nothing at all!
- Surprisingly, out of the men who let their mothers-in-law buy their underwear, 44 percent describe most of the underwear in their drawer as tighty-whities, and 33 percent claim superhero themed pants.
About Tommy John
Founder, Tom Patterson, is a former medical salesman. In 2008, with no prior experience in the fashion industry, he decided to find solutions for himself with his undergarments and Tommy John was born. Tommy John is the company committed to addressing the real problems men have with their undergarments. The first successful product launched by Tommy John was a patented undershirt that stays tucked in, while eliminating excess fabric. Over time the company added underwear, socks, T-shirts and loungewear to its offerings. Each product contains proprietary fabrics, innovative fit and functionality that eliminates unnecessary adjustments, discomfort, untucking and bunching. All Tommy John products can be found at Nordstrom, Dillard's, Bloomingdales, and over 100 premium men’s stores, and online at https://www.tommyjohn.com/
