THE SECRETS BENEATH THE SURFACE

If you are anything like me then you will agree when I say that fashion apparelisn’t just about the garments you actually see. In fact, I think underwear is veryunderrated…I think that often times we take these articles for granted, but I happen to think they're actually very important, unless you have a thing for going

commando. Hey, I don't judge... But for those of you who enjoy keeping your personals protected, let me ask a question. “If you are a guy that cares about his appearance, why not devote more time in selecting the cloth that covers your “hidden treasures” as well?

Mens underwear has come a long way from your grandfathers basic tightywhities, and I am thankful they have. We now have a broader selection choicesin cuts, colors, and even fabrics. As a kid, the must haves were Underoos. Someof you pretended to be Superman, while others idolized the dark knight Batman,

but because of my love of water, Aquaman was the superhero that I best tried toimpersonate. Naturally, the Underoos trend was short lived and it was time forme to move on. And although I matured, I knew that I wasn't quite ready to goback to wearing just a boring pair of Fruit of the Loom.

Being a latch key kid, I was left with the responsibility of mail checking. NormallyI paid no attention to what I was grabbing. Sure, I would flip through my moms Spiegel and JC Penny catalogs, but one of these days turned out to be different. The postman accidentally placed a piece of my neighbors mail in my families

box, and there it was...an International Male catalog. It was a surreal experience. I remember flipping through the magazine looking at the then edgy looking male models in their cool clothes, but then I reached the back of the issue. I'm quite sure my mouth fell to the ground looking at all the revealing under garments

these grown men were wearing. I was amazed at how far the industry had progressed and was overjoyed that I discovered it.

Calvin Klein was practically the pioneer of creating high fashion underwear for men. The thick waist bands that contained the designers name was a trend that swept the nation, also making Mark Wahlberg a household name. The country was in a frenzy and no man wanted to be caught without wearing his Calvins.

This trend was so big, it really came as no surprise that other designers would be motivated to do the same.

In the past couple of years, we as consumers have been wanting a little bit more bang for our buck, and in this economy rightly so. As a result of this we have had to watch our budgets, but people...that doesn't mean that we have to necessarily dull our attire either. For those of you who thought that affordable clothing was boring, let me quickly change your views. Atlanta based designer Lee Gregory is not only creating sexy eye catching clothing, but with price points ranging from $15-100, he is allowing us to keep money in our pockets as well.

  

Lee has been making his own t-shirts for as long as he can remember, but after

seeing the way his college buds eyes lit up after receiving his creations as gifts, he knew he was onto something. Gregory officially launched his line/website the-tee.com in 2008. Although the line has only been in existence for only two years, he has been fortunate enough to have had singer Angie Stone, heart throb

DeMarco Majors, and even the entire cast of Noah's Arc spotted wearing his apparel.

The-tee.com produces two lines per year... spring/summer and fall/winter. And while sex appeal and eye capturing imagery are two components that we have basically come to expect from designers/collections advertisements, Lee gives us a slight hint at his tongue-in-cheek sense of humor as well. “Everyday life is

always an inspiration...I may read or hear something I think is funny i.e. Stimulus Package,” he goes on to say.