Underwear Guy Review: Jameswinston Co. Petit Bikini Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Jameswinston Co.
Website: www.jameswinston.uk.com
Price: $25.00 (approximate cost based on exchange rate)

There has been a lot of underwear blog coverage of Jameswinston Co. underwear lately due in no small part to a clever and effective marketing campaign. Fun advertising imagery and sexy new cuts have been added to the previously released boxer brief and trunk styles and I thought it would be interesting to try out the new products. For a little background, Jameswinston Co. is a fairly recent newcomer to the men's underwear market with their first product introduction in late 2006. The first Jameswinston products were trunk-style hipsters which I liked at the time but wasn't motivated to purchase. The following product release that got my attention was the Neon range (look for a review soon) which was a briefer trunk in bright colors with a form-fitting design and some nice accent details. Fast-forward to the last few weeks and we've seen the introduction of the new Petit Brief (bikini brief) and S-Brief (squarecut style brief) which bring some nice variety to the Jameswinston Co. lineup beyond the hipster styles. I ordered the new Petit brief direct from the Jameswinston Co. online store shortly after they were launched. For those of you wondering about the timeframe when ordering from the UK, I was surprised that my order was delivered within 7 days so you should find that it won't take much longer to order internationally than a US-based store.

other colors available

There are actually two material variants for the Petit brief including a soft and stretchy 94% cotton and 6% elastane blend and a ribbed version which is 92% cotton and 8% elastane. Both cuts are the same although your color options are different depending on the material choice. The palette of colors are currently a very nice range of dark, saturated natural tones including the "Caspian" blue-green and "Tzar" dark red (ribbed) featured here. I like both fabric blends as they are equally breathable and nicely flexible but I think I give a slight edge to the non-rib material for its slightly softer-touch finish. I found the fit of these bikini briefs to be true-to-size with the mediums working out well (in both blends) for myself.

The fabric content and wash/care tag is nicely small and unobtrusive at 3/4" wide by 1" tall and is made from a smooth synthetic fabric that doesn't scratch or irritate. Since this is a bikini brief cut, the waistband is logically minimal with a covered elastic band that measures about 1/4" tall. You'll note in the detail photos the contrast color stitching which is a nice subtle design touch. It can be tricky to add design elements to a bikini brief that is meant to be a classic, modern style but I think the small woven patches added to the front and back were an excellent addition that provides a little visual element without over-riding the modern simplicity. On the back you'll find a small Jameswinston Co. text badge that measures just shy of 2" wide and 3/8" tall and on the front you'll find a small 5/8" round, rugged "J" logo badge.

Something I think is a nice design for men's underwear is a slight v-shape to the front and for some reason this isn't incorporated into very many designs. Thankfully the Petit brief has a v-shape angle that is not too extreme but helps the front to be low-rise while allowing the sides to rise to a comfortable angle and rest more naturally on your hips. The sides of the brief narrow to 1 1/4" which provides freedom of movement while still providing good tension to keep the full-coverage back and front pouch properly fitted to your body. The front pouch on these bikinis is very nicely designed with a good combination of lift and shaping that provides an enhanced outline while still being very comfortable for all-day wear. The front is dual-layer material which keeps things from becoming overly revealing and you can optionally position your member more up-front within the pouch which is called the "ProFIL Panel PLUS™". (Updated info thanks to Brian James who clarified that the front is not a pocket design although you can theoretically do so if interested).

The Grades:

Fit:	A	Bikinis are frequently a style offered by cheaper department store brands with little though put into fit or function. This is not the case with these Jameswinston Petit briefs where all the possible areas of fit have been nicely thought-out with the full-coverage back combined with the comfortable and effective pouch lead to a very versatile and wearable undergarment.	Pouch Fit
Design:	A+	I'm really pleased with the product design features which include the nice array of masculine colors, contrast stitching, subtle yet eye-catching logo badges, dual-layer front and v-shape waist.
Material:	A	As stated in the review there are two different fabric blends available with a slight edge given to the non-rib version but both are comfortable with plenty of stretch and a nice soft finish.
Construction:	A	The construction quality on my briefs was good with clean seams and even cuts on the pattern shapes.
Overall Grade:	A	At this higher price point I expect some excellent product innovation, design and fit and luckily these bikini briefs delivered very nicely on all points.
Would I buy another pair? Yes, I would definitely consider the other colors in the line given the wearability of the cut.

Wear Recommendations:

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

Where To Buy:

Right now the Petit briefs are available exclusively through the Jameswinston Co. website at: Jameswinston.uk.com: Product Page.

Photos: