Underwear Guy Review: AussieBum Breathe Bikini Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: AussieBum
Website: www.aussiebum.com
Price: $24.50 AUD (international orders will include additional duty and currency fees)

I've had my eye on these Breathe Bikini Briefs for some time ever since they were introduced several years ago by AussieBum-back when they were just starting to diversify their product line. The styling was distinct and clearly inspired by their swimwear line. With bold color blocks on the sides and a drawstring this underwear item could easily be confused as swimwear but instead of nylon or spandex like in a swim brief you are treated to a comfortable 90% cotton and 10% elastine blend. The two side panels (same design on both sides) are 100% nylon which create a nice design element to tie-in the swim influence. The nylon material on the side panels is one-way stretch that expands along the horizontal direction of the brief. The nylon material is very thin and shiny which is almost (but not quite) see-through. The cotton blend-which comprises the majority of this brief-is is not as stretchable as you might expect, but it is comfortable and a nice medium-weight to help give a sense of quality and durability to the item. As I mentioned earlier, the design direction is very much taken from swimwear styling so I am categorizing this cut as a bikini although it might also qualify as a low-rise brief depending on your standards. The waistband includes a nylon drawstring cord that can be tied but that element is mostly decorative as there is a fully-covered 1" waistband that does most of the lifting required to keep the waist in place. Sizing was standard with the mediums working well for the usual 32-33" range. The wash/care and fabric content information is printed on the interior back of the waistband which is a welcome production decision since it's pretty rare you need to retain that information beyond the initial read-through. The upside to the printed text is that you don't have to worry about any tags or labels scratching or irritating you in the back. To help keep the branding alive in the design there is a small red AussieBum logo tag sewn into the right side nylon panel which adds a nice touch of design and color without being too loud with the corporate logos. The front of the bikini is dual-layer material which is good for coverage but unfortunately there's not much of a pouch design. The center seam that runs down the front only adds a very slight curvature so you are otherwise going to feel fairly "flattened" up front. I wouldn't say these are uncomfortable as a result of the design but if you prefer more room you should definitely consider other options.

The Grades:

Fit:	B-	I think the design could have really benefited from either a more stretchable material or a more aggressive approach to the pouch shape which would help increase the room up front.
Design:	A+	Although not a fan of the fit, I really liked the approach to the overall design. For anyone who likes the sporty look of swimwear combined with a traditional underwear fabric this is the pick for you.
Material:	B	The cotton blend seems like it could have been softer and/or more flexible so I'm going with a lower score than as a result.
Construction:	B	AussieBum is typically very good on the construction marks but there were definitely some crooked stitches and seams that I could see fairly easily without requiring close inspection so I'm lowering down to a reasonable but not stellar "B" for the construction category.
Overall Grade:	B	The design is what really keeps this brief fighting for a good score as I can't help but be won over by the concept. Otherwise I'm not sure I'd be quite so generous and in fact this might have gone closer to a C+/B- range.
Would I buy another pair? There's only one other color in the Breathe line now and I might consider purchasing it but these probably won't make it into my frequent "wear" rotation beyond that.

Wear Recommendations:

All-day Wear	Loungewear	Athletic	Sleepwear	Office Wear	Special Occasion	Bedroom Wear

Where To Buy:

There are only a limited number of places where you can buy AussieBum underwear including direct from AussieBum at AussieBum.com: Product Page, and UnderU4Men via phone orders.