$$: No-Spend

No money spent though I have spent a good deal of time "window" shopping (or should I call it "tab" shopping since I prefer to open multiple tabs within one browser window).  Either way, you get the point -- I did a lot of looking online for men's cotton boxer shorts.

The Son has decided that he definitely wants to make the switch to boxers.  In fact, for all intents and purposes, I think he has made the switch which means I need to get my hands on some more boxers, in a hurry.  Four pair of boxers is not going to get him very far and I see laundry issues and potential meltdowns in our future if I don't get this taken care of right away.

Boxer shorts, thankfully, are very popular these days so there really isn't a shortage of sources.  On the other hand, if you've seen popular styles these days, you'll know that among the 2-35 set, boxer shorts are more of a fashion accessory than an undergarment.  The Son has no interest in boxer-shorts-as-fashion-accessory.  At the very minimum, The Son wants shorts is subtle stripes and plaids; he'd clearly prefer solid colors.

And so, a fairly wide field quickly becomes decidedly more narrow.

Not only that but there seems to be three distinct style subsets within the men's boxer shorts category:  back center seam (i.e. the Joseph Abboud boxers I bought), the "3-panel" back (i.e. the TH shorts), and the seamless back (haven't sampled these yet).

The Son liked the JA shorts well enough but he liked the TH shorts even better.  Apparently they were more comfortable though he was at a loss as far as articulating the reason why.  [Of course, that's no big surprise to me as The Son, unlike the stereotypical Aspie, is pretty non-verbal.]  My guess is that the TH boxers were comfortable because of the 3-panel back and overall "fuller" cut.

So now at least I know what I'm not looking for:

• nothing in a blend; they must be 100% cotton (this is my requirement but it's firm; cotton is breathable and much healthier overall for the skin especially in so delicate and intimate an area)
• nothing in a wild or colorful pattern; plain colors would be most preferable
• no center back seams; I'd like to get my hands on a pair of no-seam boxers to give those a try as it appears that several brands/designers make this style (Nautica, for example)

The one style/design difference that The Son hasn't expressed no opinion on is the waistband -- he didn't seem to have a preference between the JA soft elastic waistband over the TH fabric wrapped waistband.  Thank goodness for minor miracles.

So, despite the rather large number of boxer shorts available, I'm having a tough time finding a source that I think he might be able to live with, much less find perfect.  Outlined below is what I've discovered through my online research.  The next step is to head out in the car and do a "little" real-life research.

--  Gap, Old Navy, Aeropostale, and American Eagle Outfitters all carry cotton boxers but none of them carry plain boxers.  Gap comes the closest with fairly subtle stripes and plaids.  I plan pop into the local Gap Outlet store but don't expect to find what I'm looking for; I've shopped there for boxers for The Nephew and know from experience that patterns, the wilder the better, rule the day.

-- Eddie Bauer carries cotton boxer shorts, mostly in stripes and plaids, but they are sold only online and through the catalog.  I'm assuming that means I will not find any in the Eddie Bauer Outlet store.  At this point, I'm still very much in the "sampling" stage; ordering online and paying shipping is out of the question.

-- Target.com shows that their Merona brand boxers come in all-cotton but no details are given regarding style particulars -- trim fit?  full-cut?  back seam?  3-panel back?  I'll stop and check them out but I'm not going to hold my breath.  In my experience, nothing Target makes is very generously cut -- great for some things, not so much for others.

-- Jockey seems to have eliminated their classic full cut boxers in all-cotton.  The only Jockey full cut boxers I could find on their website were their blends.  Why they would do that is a total mystery to me and honestly, it strikes fear in my heart.  The Husband wears Jockey full cut boxers in 100% cotton; he has quite a supply but some of them are getting close to being just a little too air-conditioned and will have to be trashed before too long.  As much as I don't hate shopping and do enjoy a challenge, I really don't want to spend all of '10 looking for boxer shorts for the men in my life.

-- And what is it about department stores?  Have all mid-level department stores banded together and decided that they will carry  nothing but cheaply made polyester blend clothing?  For goodness sake, even Target carries 100% cotton boxers!  And why in the world would a guy choose to carry his package day in and day out in polyester?  Makes as much sense to me as perfumed tampons.

Okay, rant over.  My challenge tomorrow: hit the stores in hopes of finding an affordable and dependable source of cotton boxer shorts in solid colors (or subtle stripes/plaids) in a full-cut style with 3-panel back.  I'm going into this with a positive attitude -- I will find what I'm looking for.

In conclusion, today was a no-spend day.  Tomorrow will not.

Related posts:

1. Day 27
2. Day 188: Tide, Tampax, & Cargo Shorts
3. $$: Bonehead
4. Day 50
5. Day 189: Shopping Frenzy