The London Lounge

A long time ago Happy Stroller announced that he'd found a supplier of Egyptian cotton boxer shorts, which made him happy. Can he tell us who that supplier is?

I wonder if there's any consensus between us Loungers as to who makes the world's finest boxer shorts - although I'll astonished if there is?

For what it's worth Bel y Cia in Barcelona gets my vote.

French-backed (that is, fastened in the back, at the top, by an arrangement of buttons and straps) or elastic-banded boxer shorts? I definitely favor the former but am now looking for a good maker myself.

Just make sure that you go balloon-seated to avoid what our children rather charmlessly (but evocatively) call a 'wedgie'.

Sir, the supplier of Egyptian cotton boxer shorts is USAMARA, a seller on eBay. The wonderful difference between its design and others is that there is pouch in the middle so that your bespoke tailor will be wondering which side you are; the corollary is that the legs of your pants will be shorter if no side is chosen.

A year after my first order, I put in a second order for another six XXXL successfully.

They also take orders for customised 100% Egyptian cotton shirts. Though not bespoked, you can ask for special features, such as long tails (I asked for mine to reach the back of my knees) and Oxford cloth if you desire your button-downs to use such cloth. As you can see, customised is more than neck and sleeve length. You can specify the type of collar point, cuffs and pockets.

Manself wrote:A long time ago Happy Stroller announced that he'd found a supplier of Egyptian cotton boxer shorts, which made him happy. Can he tell us who that supplier is?

I wonder if there's any consensus between us Loungers as to who makes the world's finest boxer shorts - although I'll astonished if there is?

For what it's worth Bel y Cia in Barcelona gets my vote.

Elastic band, Sir.

RWS wrote:French-backed (that is, fastened in the back, at the top, by an arrangement of buttons and straps) or elastic-banded boxer shorts? I definitely favor the former but am now looking for a good maker myself.

Couldn't find "usamara" on e-bay, but there is a "Samarusa/Fine Egyptian Products".

I can find nothing close to Usamara on ebay or the internet. Am I spelling it wrong? Perhaps you could provide a link.

thanks

Mansel

My shirtmaker makes them with a triangular overlapping fly (extra button on the diagonal optional), flat front waistband with 2 buttons and elastic in the back. Side vents on the legs and two pleats for comfort, double seat for long life. Double stitching wherever edges need to be folded in, just as on a shirt. She also cuts a style with a one-piece back (no seam), which I don't find noticeably more comfortable and is definitely less flattering.
From the point of view of comfort, I find having boxers made to individual specifications just as important as for shirts or trousers. The ideal tension in the waistband so the boxers are not tight nor tend to slip down, the perfect waist level in relation to the trousers' cut and individual silhouette so the waistband doesn't roll over, how wide the legs need to be for comfort, how long the legs should be so the cloth doesn't bunch up - an experienced craftsman needs to consider at least these issues when designing a good pair of boxers for an individual client.

Therefore, if there is to be any consensus, the answer to your question

Manself wrote:I wonder if there's any consensus between us Loungers as to who makes the world's finest boxer shorts - although I'll astonished if there is?

may well be "your own shirtmaker".

Both of you are right, I quoted the name from memory; unfortunately, my unreliable memory made a spelling mistake. My apologies, Sirs.

Yes, the seller uses the name "usasamara" and has the eBay store "Samarausa/Fine Egyptian Products". The link to the store is http://stores.ebay.com/Samarausa-Fine-Egyptian-Products I've just checked the store and the boxer shorts (not the Tommy Hilfiger ones) item does not seem to be available at the moment. But they do respond pretty well to enquiries. For example, when they listed round-neck T-shirts, I wrote to them about V-necked ones and they replied back positively.

However, there should be other similar sources if you check with the eBay search facility for Egyptian cotton items now. Before, they were the only one.

2025899 wrote:Couldn't find "usamara" on e-bay, but there is a "Samarusa/Fine Egyptian Products".

Manself wrote:I can find nothing close to Usamara on ebay or the internet. Am I spelling it wrong? Perhaps you could provide a link.

thanks

Mansel

Try looking for eBay item no. 220082826342 using the eBay search box.

Manself wrote:I can find nothing close to Usamara on ebay or the internet. Am I spelling it wrong? Perhaps you could provide a link.

thanks

Mansel

Have your shirtmaker sew a few Boxers. Here is an easy model to copy.



You get to pick the cotton used and they will wind up less expensive than brands in the stores.

Good luck

Michael

That cut's very similar to my last commission (from a source no longer available), with addition of a fourth button (midway down a longer fly) and a "modesty panel" (doubled fabric) on each side of the fly, and with two cloth straps (each with two buttonholes and overlapping onto a row of three buttons) in back which allow occasional slight adjustments -- for holiday feasting and the like, I find.

Would you be so kind as to show us the back of the boxers, Michael? And, perhaps, to tell us what you think of using linen in place of cotton?

Before Mr. Alden has time to respond, in my experience linen makes for excellent summer boxers, provided the linen is fine enough not to scratch and the boxers are properly ironed! They are cool on the skin, breezy and dry - especially if worn under linen trousers.

Thanks, Costi. I'd hoped linen would be feasible -- if fine and pressed!

Costi, you mentioned that your shirtmaker cuts boxers with a "double seat for long life." I'm not imagining this clearly, though (having worn out numerous pairs of cotton French-backs) I can certainly understand the benefits! Is the cloth simply doubled but sewn doubled as well, or are two separate backs sewn, then placed one within the other and sewn together (or not)?

I'm grateful for whatever you can tell (or show, or both show and tell) us.