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25 August 2010

A question about men's underwear. →[More:] Saw a TV commercial last night for Hanes underwear. Their slogan was "Won't pinch, won't bind."

I wear underwear. Granted, I don't have the same anatomy as the target audience, but I can't for the life of me, as an underwear wearer, figure out how underwear can pinch. Ride up, yes, but pinch? Bind? Door hinges pinch, if you get your fingers caught in them. How can underwear pinch you?

Can someone explain this to me?

(For serious.)

post by: mudpuppie at: 11:38 | 15 comments

I'm guessing that one's scrotum could get caught in the elastic.

posted by occhiblu 25 August | 11:39

Or, with boxers, maybe on the seams?

I'm totally not qualified to be answering this question, am I? I'll shut up now. :-)

posted by occhiblu 25 August | 11:40

wait what I don't even

posted by mullacc 25 August | 11:45

I thought this was another question about the flap.

Baseball pitcher Bill Lee once described when catcher Carlton Fisk got hit in the nuts with a baseball. The reason why it was so awful, he said, was that a tiny bit of nut was outside the cup/underwear, being "pinched" by the elastic.

All I can contribute, sorry!

posted by Melismata 25 August | 11:48

pups, I threw this one past the mister, and his response was "yea, boxers can be kinda rough on the dangly bits, that's why I wear boxer briefs."

I have been told by various owners of dangly bits that they can, in fact, be extremely sensitive to seam chafing and/or pinching if trapped in a fold of the fabric when one sits down / moves, crosses legs, etc... So yes, "pinch" in this context is appropriate.

The More You Know^TM
≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by lonefrontranger 25 August | 11:53

Female answer syndrome!

posted by jouke 25 August | 12:03

Roughly, the crotch area is a /\ and men must also squeeze in the *U* when they sit. As women know, pants and underwear tend to uu (the infamous cameltoe effect), and that leads to the discomforts of pinching and binding.

posted by Ardiril 25 August | 12:11

It could be worse. It could be "punch and bind." ow.

posted by taz 25 August | 12:15

Ha, great explanation ardiril.

posted by jouke 25 August | 12:18

if you look at it in terms of physics, loose skin + loose clothing = little folds

posted by Firas 25 August | 12:20

I don't think it's so much that the underwear itself pinches you so much as it may allow you to pinch yourself, i.e. good undies keep the dangly bits in place so you don't sit on them or something.

posted by danostuporstar 25 August | 12:23

Female answer syndrome!

word :p

posted by Firas 25 August | 12:24

I don't think anyone here has considered the hair issue. Though I guess that's more of a pulling than a pinching.

posted by mrmoonpie 25 August | 12:44

The term is also used with regard to women's underwear.

# Soft, non-binding elastic waistband won't pinch or dig in at waist.

posted by zarq 25 August | 13:04

One's anatomy that resides outside of the main torso can get bound up in fabric. There is also an issue of sweating which can bind skin to fabric.

That said, loose brushed cotton boxers are the best option for me, in that there is some air circulation.

(Damn LFR, I am both relieved by and disappointed in that link.)

posted by danf 25 August | 13:32

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