This brief was purchased for review.
Overall Rating: 7.8/10
- Daily Fit: 7/10
- Sizing: 7/10
- Construction: 8/10
- Styling: 10/10
- Daily Performance: 7/10
Pros:
- Soft cotton fabric
- Sexy cutout panels
- Full back
Cons:
- Black and charcoal grey is the only color choices
- Cutout panels gape
Osgon’s Recommendation: Pass.
Andrew Christian’s Affair brief has several good attributes. Nevertheless, the brief’s execution failed to live up to the promise of its design.
First, the good: The 95% cotton, 5% spandex blend is very comfortable against the skin and breathes all day. The full-back provides complete coverage for the athletic American backside. The colorful waistband stays flat against the hips without rolling or binding. The bikini design – featuring cutout panels and a profile pouch – screams masculine sex appeal.
Next, the bad: The leg bands were tighter than normal. (This has been a problem for some Andrew Christian products after he changed manufacturing plants. Some products, such as the recently reviewed Massive Icon brief, have leg bands that are completely comfortable. The Affair brief’s leg bands were not.) The cutout panels bunched and gaped later in the day rather than remaining flat against the skin. The pouch, while comfortable, also tended to gape open. This means the brief wouldn’t be appropriate for anything except the most sedentary of activities.
In sum, the flaws in design execution mean I cannot recommend this brief. I won’t throw it away, but I won’t be excited to slip it on when it rises to the top of my underwear rotation.
If you’re in the market for Andrew Christian underwear, a better choice is the Flash City brief from AC’s Massive collection. The Massive collection’s products are better made, they feature the same “almost naked” pouch, and the Massive collection’s polyamide-spandex blend fabric combines a luxurious feel with four-way stretch to provide all day (and all activity) comfort.
The Affair brief retails for $18 on Andrew Christian’s website.
