I almost always wear it down over the balls. I have let it hang to the side every now and then when tanning, but I find it attracts too much attention (especially if it gets a mind of its own and your find yourself with an erection.) It is not as bad in square cuts, but trunks that are a little briefer may not provide enough coverage. I guess your best bet is to wear it at home, place it in both directions and decide how you want to display the goods. Just remember that you will find something at a beach or pool that will catch your eye, so check out how it looks when you are hard as you undoubtedly will be at some point in public.