Yin Yang of Wearing Belts

[Cluttermagnet]

A friend asked me to post this. Hey, with shirts, it's simple. Guys = placket on left side of shirt, buttons on right side. Gals = opposite. But- what about belts? (And what about belt buckles that have printing? America wants to know?

[Neil P]

I don't wear a belt too often, but when I do, I put it on "counter-clockwise" (left to right)

[longgone]

...Now the real question .. why is there a difference ?????

[Pete!]

  ...Now the real question .. why is there a difference ?????

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With men it's the alignment of the shirt, belt buckle and fly. The edge of the overlaping fabric on men's clothing is on the man's right. By wearing the belt with the "loose end" on the left, the buckle lines up neatly with the shirt and the fly.In the US and some other countries the military has made wearing uniforms in this manner manditory. The slang term is "Gig Line".

[Guest LilBambi]

LOL! I voted to which way is counterclockwise just to be silly.I'm a bit dislexic anyway

[longgone]

The slang term is "Gig Line".

Ah yes... after 22 years in USN .. am very familiar with that term ....

[teacher]

LOL! I voted to which way is counterclockwise just to be silly.I'm a bit dislexic anyway

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But I always put mine on going across past my left arm around the back to the right. I too was raised with a gig line being ex-military. I am just starting to wear a belt after years of abstinence and I always seem to do it this way. I don't think I could do it the other way!

[ross549]

Ah yes... after 22 years in USN .. am very familiar with that term ....     

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only 4.25 years here... but am quite familiar with it myself :PEspecially when MAC makes a point to say something about ine!

[SonicDragon]

Funny. I'm a guy and i always start left and go behind to the right. It's never crossed my mind that i could do it the other way... Maybe i'll do that tomorrow to be different!

[Cluttermagnet]

The results of this informal poll will go towards weighing in with an argument at my friend's work Monday. A newlywed gal was heard teasing her hubby that he was putting on his belt like a girl. My friend holds that there is no right or wrong way, unlike with shirts. I kind of agree.I think I have habitually done it both ways at some point in my life. I really don't remember how we wore our web belts in the Navy eons ago. All I remember is having to shine the stupid brass buckles with Brasso. Yeah, I was a 'four-oh sailor' (airman, actually). I ought to break out my dog-eared copy of the "Bluejacket's Manual" and see.I think Pete is on the right track, but I'm not sure I understand how he sees this as uniquely making everything line up. I can get my buckle to line up regardless of which direction I wind my belt- but if I wind it on clockwise, to the right, around back, and finishing coming around from the left, I can get the loop of the belt that folds around the buckle to nest right against that right edge of the fly that he is talking about, and the buckle still lines up perfectly for me. This makes for less bulge than the other way, and is the main reason I happen to wind mine on CW. Hmmm- I see I'm in the minority again, so far. FWIW, I checked with my (female) friend and her jeans have the fly set up exactly the same as on my (mens) jeans, unlike the shirt/placket thing. Interesting. I bet that for every one of us who bothers to make the fly, buckle, and placket on the shirt line up there are two or three others who prefer that 'frumpy' look and could care less if anything lines up- or is tucked in- or is color coordinated. Me? I try to line 'em all up, I still often wear leather shoes, and I still keep 'em shined- not because I have to, but because I just want to look sharp. Heh!I'll keep you informed as to how the all the teasing at work is going, and who wins the argument, if anyone. :whistling:Hey, LilBambi- I'm pretty lysdexic myself.

Edited August 1, 2005 by Cluttermagnet

[longgone]

CM...... one last item for this debate for your friend ... does the persons dominate hand come into play .. i.e left handed vs right handed ????? could prove to be interesting ....

[littlebone]

    CM......  one last item for this debate for your friend  ... does the persons dominate hand come into play .. i.e left handed vs right handed ?????  could prove to be interesting ....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's how I figured it worked. I go CCW but think that has to do with being right handed. I take the belt in right hand and start threading the loops. I never thought much about my wrist watch, but I always put it on my left wrist for the same reason, it's easier to do with the right hand.This subject got me to thinking about something I once read. It said a person will put his/her sock on the same foot first every time, without thinking. That is: if I put my left sock on first, then I always put my left sock on first. I don't know if this rates another survey.

[Pete!]

....I think Pete is on the right track, but I'm not sure I understand how he sees this as uniquely making everything line up. I can get my buckle to line up regardless of which direction I wind my belt- but if I wind it on clockwise, to the right, around back, and finishing coming around from the left, I can get the loop of the belt that folds around the buckle to nest right against that right edge of the fly that he is talking about, and the buckle still lines up perfectly for me......

It depends on the design of the buckle. On some buckles, the exposed part of the buckle forms an approxinate "C" shape, without a disinctive continuous edge on the "wrong" side.A buckle with a distinctive molded design, image, or logo (reflecting a sport, hobby, occupation, affiliation, or etc.) would appear to be "upside-down", if worn "backwards".As to the origins of the custom, I think the point about favoring the dominant hand has some merit.

[Cluttermagnet]

'Dominant hand' makes a lot of sense, yet I'm a 'rightie' and I still prefer winding it on CW. Ah, well, the bulge issue trumps anything else, in my case. I have myself trained that way now, and find that I reflexively start CW every time.Yeah, I thought about logo belts with printing on them. They certainly force the issue, don't they?I did wear a wristwatch on my left wrist for a long time, 'way back when', BTW, until, in rebellious moment, I took my old Timex and removed the strap and cut/polished off the mounting ears. I now carry such a watch in my pants pocket, 'pocket watch' style. I've been doing that for at least 15 years now. Sort of symbolically shucking off the ol' ball and chain, eh? You know, just gotta be different... :whistling:I'm still waiting to hear back about that office yin/yang belt tease. Will let you know how it turns out.

[Cluttermagnet]

This subject got me to thinking about something I once read. It said a person will put his/her sock on the same foot first every time, without thinking. That is: if I put my left sock on first, then I always put my left sock on first. I don't know if this rates another survey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I found I had to restrain myself, as I was sorely tempted to start another poll-Toilet Paper: Should It Come Off the Front of the Roll or the Back?"But I'm 'being have' (pronounced haaaaaaaave- long A) this week. Heh! Someone else feel free to run that poll if you like. BTW a young nephew of mine years ago used to be told to "behave" all the time by his mother. One day, he asked her for something, and pointed out that he deserved it because he was "being have". It was a widely told and retold anecdote in the family. I still like to use that fractured pronunciation every chance I get. Edited August 1, 2005 by Cluttermagnet

[Pete!]

You wouldn't think that this is a pressing issue in the scheme of things. However, at the time of this posting, a glance at the poll indicates:"Who the heck cares?" = Zero votes.The highest rate of response appears to have come from "normal" males.

Edited August 1, 2005 by Pete!

[greengeek]

I was going to vote for "Who the heck cares" but I decided to look at the results first to see if anyone was silly enough to vote for anything else. When I went back to vote it told me I had already voted!

[Rons]

"Toilet Paper: Should It Come Off the Front of the Roll or the Back?"The Front! Maybe we need another poll.

[rolanaj]

"Toilet Paper: Should It Come Off the Front of the Roll or the Back?"

As long as it is actually on the toilet paper holder I don't even care.

[Webb]

Standard counterclockwise.Speaking of belts, did you ever notice that Peter Tork (of the Monkees for you kids). Wore his belt buckle to the left (his left) of his navel?Link

Edited August 2, 2005 by Webb

[Pete!]

...Speaking of belts, did you ever notice that Peter Tork (of the Monkees for you kids). Wore his belt buckle to the left (his left) of his navel?...

That's a throw-back to 1950s... "cool kids" did it (along with "DA" haircuts and turned up collars). Most of my contemporaries outgrew it sometime between the 8th and 9th grade.

[longgone]

do cool kids today wear belts??

Absolutely not ... if they did their pants would not be hanging down at half mast leaving their drawers for all the world to see ....Thats my opinion ... what's yours ....

[littlebone]

Absolutely not ... if they did their pants would not be hanging down at half mast leaving their drawers for all the world to see ....Thats my opinion ... what's yours ....     

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wear my opinions threaded clockwise.

[genaldar]

I'd think it has more to do with which is your dominant hand. I put mine on counterclockwise but my buddy who is a lefty puts his on clockwise.

[longgone]

length of rope ...

[Cluttermagnet]

As follow up to the 'Belts Yin Yang' topic, which inspired this poll, I have the following comments from my friend and office informant regarding the original office debate""Regarding the belt issue. Apparently it caused a big fight between the two and is now a sore subject. I think we'd better leave that one alone."Oops! Well, we didn't cause the fight, we merely ended up reporting on it. Heh! Don't mess with a guy's masculine self-image. BTW I continue resolutely to wind mine on CW, and I'm dominant RH. OK, so I'm in a minority (as usual). But it just feels more natural. I noticed that, for me, the actual operation is mostly right-handed, except for finding the last few loops around my left side. But there's a lot of right-left interaction during the event. And I do feel real macho doing it that way. ;)Well, there you have it. I guess I'd better not stir any more trouble this week. Need to get busy and work to pay for all that extra gasoline expense. Hmmm- but then I could run that toilet paper poll...

[Guest LilBambi]

Yes, gasoline and profane, I mean propane ... we just refilled profane tank that was $10.91 last week and it was $21.49 today. Nearly doubled in price.Amazing how the cost of things can go up on speculation ... it couldn't possibly have affected us YET! But the prices jumped none the less.Oh, Cluttermagnet ... minority no ... I would say Upper Ten!

[teacher]

It has definitely affected us here. There are lots of predictions as to what the tourists will do this weekend - will they come and spend their money, will they come but just go to the beach because all their money went on gasoline, or will they stay home. Only one winning option there. The other part of the equation - most of the stations ran out of gasoline yesterday. I filled up at $2.57. Hubby was half an hour later and it was $2.75 but following my guidance he found a station that was still at $2.57. Today the cheapest is $3.19. Half of the stations were out of gas this morning but some supplies got through. Since we are at the end of the pipeline from Texas through Louisiana (90% of our gas comes that way) and they closed the pipeline (but one has reopened) it has had a big impact. Can you follow all of that?

[epp_b]

Um...from which view are you asking the direction? From the head down, or from the feet up?

[longgone]

........ gas prices ... lets see .. put in 20 gals on 8/31 @ 2.85gl at Standard .. same station on 9/1 for same gas .. 2.95gl .. now that is definitely over-reaction, overkill, etc. etc. etc ..