When it comes to clothing and appearances, women talk. We exchange ideas and there are advertisements and help videos everywhere that tell us how to wear things. How to hide panty lines, how to hide bra straps, prevent unsightly bulges, etc. Almost every where we look, someone or something is giving us advice, whether we want it or not.
Men, on the other hand, just don’t talk as much about these things. The odds of men having a conversation about wearing spandex and makeup is slim (unless they are cosplayers). Which is why this is a series of articles geared towards men and cosplay.
Hopefully we can expand this series further as we move on.
Spandex is a wonderful material, but it is also an unforgiving material that does not hide anything. Spandex will make anything stand out, which is great for your musculature, but not so great for anything else. It will show the world every bulge and love handle you have. If you don’t do things right, then Spandex will show the world exactly what you are (or are not) wearing underneath it.
Underwear is what you typically (not everyone) wear under your clothes. Whether you are into briefs, boxers, bikinis or lacy panties, it’s not something anyone knows or cares about. Until we can (or can’t) see them.
When Spandex and your underwear collide, there is a problem.
WARNING!!!
From this point on this article is NSFW.
You have been Warned!
Do NOT go without something between you and spandex.
When there is nothing between you and the Spandex, then the world knows your religion, size, and sometimes we get a pretty good idea of color. Conventions (and charity events) are not dating sites, and even if they were, most women do not want to see your junk.
There are a lot of suggestions out there for how to keep the boys restrained and out of sight.
Dance Belt
Not always the most comfortable or cost effective solution, but the most effective. A fantastic resource for information on dance belts can be found at http://www.dancebelt.info.
“Skintight spandex superhero costumes look lumpy with normal underwear and even worse with nothing beneath. There’s a lot of suspect information online about what you should wear under a spandex costume. Trust me, a sports cup isn’t the best call!
Dance belts set the Gold Standard. Unlike any alternative, they were designed to be worn under tights. Wearing anything else is a compromise.”
I suggest you read his Complete Guide to Dance Belts. He even goes through the delicate details of telling you how it should be worn and how it fits.
To completely avoid ‘panty lines’ it is suggested you go with a traditional thong style, but if you aren’t comfortable with a ‘string up your butt’ then there is the full coverage version as well.
Dance Belt Info also does a fantastic job going through several of the different brands and talking about pros, cons and their fit, and most importantly how to wear them. He gives you links to sites that sell them directly, so you don’t need to do a search and come up with results that are little more ‘interesting’ than you wanted.
An Ode to Dance Belts
Jock Strap / Cup / Athletic Supporter
This is another option to provide a smoother look, but not all athletic supporters are created the same. Many of them have seams down the front. Not a bad thing under shorts or athletic wear, but rather noticeable and a little awkward looking under spandex. They do the job of keeping everything in place, but they don’t always look the best.
Multiple Underwear
There are some out there that go with what they have on hand. For some, this is the cost effective method, for others it’s the “OMG! I forgot it at home!” emergency quick fix.
The multiple underwear method typically starts with a speedo or bikini and then two to three pairs of small, tight underwear. The point is to hold everything in place, and keep them undercover. It will frequently leave an odd looking package.
Many will ‘smooth’ the profile using shoulder pads (see below).
Keep in mind that some underwear such as ‘Tighty Whities,’ have seams.
Seams will show under spandex, how much they show will depend on the spandex itself and the color.
In this case, the seams are visible, but only if you look closely. In my opinion, seams (or ‘panty lines’) are perfectly fine and are up to the individual.
Shoulder Pads
According to some, this is the way to go. Shoulder pads are an inexpensive solution that many choose and there are a few ways to handle this. The most common is to place the shoulder pad between two pairs of underwear.
However, I have seen this go hideously wrong. The shoulder pad can shift, especially if you are in a costume, such as Spider-Man where you do a lot of stretching and twisting to pose for photos. Another issue is that not all shoulder pads are nice smooth cups, many have seams that can look a little odd under the spandex.
To keep the pads in place, many will sew the pad to the inside of the underwear. This will definitely help avoid the slipping.
Compression Shorts/ Swim Jammers
Don’t wear compression shorts or swim jammers on their own, you still need something else under them. They push everything together and hold them in a nice neat package, and help smooth out any residual ‘panty lines’. Unless you want to have additional “panty lines” go for at least the knee length.
Compression shorts also have the advantage of firming everything up, and slimming you down a little.
Sanitary Pads
If you have ever had a woman in your life, you should know what these are. These are a great fix. They are designed to stay in place, are disposable, and they have the added benefit of absorbing sweat. Simply remove the tape, and stick it to your underwear in the appropriate place. Some people chose to use more than one to keep a nice smooth even look. Just make sure you are not using panty liners as those are too thin to provide the required coverage. You also want to avoid the ‘winged’ variety as the wings are designed to wrap around the narrow portion of the leg holes and you will not be using the product as intended.
I’m not saying that these are the ONLY ways to cover keep the meat and veg out of sight, but these are the most commonly effective methods. If you have other methods that work, let’s hear them.
And remember:
To see what Cosplay Conventions are coming to your area,
be sure to check out our Cosplay Convention List!
