High waisted underwear for men raises the same initial reaction from most blokes: that's not for me. The style has been predominantly associated with women's underwear for decades and the crossover into men's fashion has been slow. But the functional case for a higher rise in men's underwear is genuine. Better coverage under longer shirts and jumpers. More waist support for physical work. A more secure fit that sits above the trouser waist rather than competing with it. High waisted underwear for men solves real problems when it's designed properly.

What I think makes high waisted underwear worth trying for blokes who've dismissed it is the functional argument rather than the fashion one. I'm not suggesting you adopt it as a style statement. I'm suggesting that a higher rise solves specific fit and comfort problems that affect blokes who work physically, wear longer tops, or simply find that standard-rise underwear disappears under their work trousers and causes rolling. The function is real and worth trying on those grounds.

A bloke I know who's in manual labour started wearing high waisted underwear after a physio suggested the additional waist coverage might help with lower back support during lifting. He was deeply sceptical but tried it as a practical experiment. He came back and said the improvement in comfort during heavy lifting was noticeable and the waistband didn't fight with his work belt the way lower-rise options had. He kept the high waisted underwear in his work rotation and didn't look back.

From my experience, high waisted underwear for men is worth giving a go if any of the functional arguments apply to your lifestyle. Barramundies makes a quality version that applies their construction standards to the higher rise cut. It's not the everyday default for most blokes, but it earns its place in the rotation for the right situations. The time to give it a go is when the function makes sense for you. For some blokes, that time is now.