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How to reduce creasing on classic boxer shorts?

I do not mean ironing tips, but how to avoid creases after wearing them for a day. Especially when wearing them under some thin cloth (like suits), they look ugly when completely creased after a day of wearing and standing up and sitting down.

People tell me to wear something else like boxer briefs or briefs, but this is not what I want.

Can you iron them with some product to make them crease less? Is some material anti-crease? The ones I have are 100% cotton, would another material have less creases?

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    Is this about wearing them less wrinkled again the next day or showing them off with a belt around the ankles? Answers will differ. Oct 2, 2017 at 10:30
  • Why do creases matter on boxer shorts? Oct 4, 2017 at 2:23

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From How to Avoid Clothes Creasing During Wear:

  • Preparing Your Clothes
    – Wait until your clothes have cooled to wear them
    – Iron your clothes properly
    – Ensure that you are wearing the proper size
    – Choose your fabrics wisely (silk "cool" for many reasons, but it is worst for wrinkling)
    – Purchase wrinkle-resistant fabrics (but not "plastic fibres" like polyester)
    – Spray your clothes lightly with starch or fabric finish spray (controversial advice)
    – Invest in a bottle of wrinkle-releasing spray (controversial because some of those chemicals and skin contact may not match)

  • Watching How You Sit
    – Pull your clothes flat when you sit
    – Avoid crossing your legs
    – Don't put pressure on your clothes
    – Stand as much as possible


That said, the higher the content of plastic fibres the less they tend to crease and wrinkle. But those fibres like spandex, nylon and polyester are also awful to wear on skin and especially so as underwear.

A compromise might be regenerated cellulose material like Tencel and Lyocell, that are similar to viscose but more robust, and made from plant material, with supposedly superior qualities to both cotton and polyester added on top. Since they use much less water, pesticides and energy during growth and manufacturing it looks currently as if these are indeed more eco-friendly also. People uninitiated to the quality of these fibres who like a soft touch to any fabric usually go crazy over these.

As of 2010, Lyocell is more expensive to produce than cotton […] main characteristics of lyocell fibres are that they are soft, absorbent, very strong when wet or dry, and resistant to wrinkles. (emphasis added)


Using wool for underwear might sound "nuts" to some. But wool is the best compromise in terms of wrinkle resistance, microclimate, and skin friendliness. The smaller the diameter of the fibre the smoother and less itchy these fabrics are. Wool from Merino sheep is where the good qualities start. Specialty animal wools might be an option for life hackers with more or too much money.

One thing to go for would be thicker material in general. Heavier cotton doesn't wrinkle as fast and heavier outer wear doesn't show wrinkles from underneath as much.

The more expensive solution for going cotton is to buy quality cotton. Egyptian, Pima, Supima or Sea-Island cotton would be marketing terms to look for. But what really matters is just staple length of the fibres used here. "Premium" or "Combed" approach the more expensive varieties. Cheaper cotton with short staple wrinkles faster and the wrinkles are longer lasting. Unfortunately it seems very difficult to find high quality cotton that is at the same time heavy. So I go for just heavy almost every time.

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iron them with some product?

Ironing them with starch? I know this is done for dress shirts, but maybe it works here.

another material?

Otherwise, you'll have to try 50/50 cotton/polyester. You'll be sacrificing the comfort of cotton for a wrinkle-free look though.

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    Ironing with starch would be counter-productive: starch "stiffens" the fabric, which will give the OP more wrinkles after wearing them.
    – Stephie
    Oct 2, 2017 at 5:27
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I believe your difficulty can be solved with properly fitting boxer shorts.

The size you are wearing is too large for your wardrobe of tailored clothing.

The unsightly creases and wrinkles are made when the oversize extra material is crumpled, twisted, and pressed between your body and your trousers during daily wear.

When you have some time to spare, try this experiment in the privacy of your home: wear your underwear without pants and you'll see that no creases are formed.

Purchase and wear trim-fitting boxer shorts with a minimum extra bloused material to reduce wrinkling. If your boxer shorts are more closely fitting than your trousers, little or no wrinkling that you describe will occur.

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