# Best foot forward (poll of sorts) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560 "2003-12-12T08:52:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/21 "2003-12-12T20:11:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Some people actually will put one sock and one shoe on before moving to the other side? What if you get interrupted? Do you limp around the house like that, looking silly with one bare foot and one foot with shoe and sock? At a hair under 49, I’ve never been interrupted while donning shoes and socks with anything that couldn’t wait until I was done. The reason for sock-shoe sock-shoe is that that way you don’t have to keep switching feet – sit down, put your ankle across the opposite knee, put on a sock, put on a shoe, tie shoe if necessary. Put that foot down, then put the other ankle on that knee, repeat. Why would you keep flipping feet back and forth? ---
**Author:** ![Thinks2Much](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Thinks2Much](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinks2Much)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/22 "2003-12-12T20:49:44Z")
Aha - now it makes sense. 🙂 I don’t flip my feet back and forth because I don’t usually put my feet on my knees to put things on them. They stay straight in front of me and I lean over. I usually step into my shoes then lean over and tie them, if needed. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/23 "2003-12-12T22:47:26Z")
I do which ever foot is closer first. ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/24 "2003-12-13T02:55:16Z")
Left first, then right. Sock, sock, shoe, shoe, fasten, fasten (zip, tie, or buckle). The fastening rule is not so strict that it has to be re-done if it happens out of order. Slightly off-topic, but also sort of on: When going up or down stairs, or even one step, my right foot has to go first. If I should somehow manage to go left foot first I have to stop and correct it mid-way (meaning, get both feet on one step and start with my right foot). Otherwise it just feels completely wrong. Oh, and I’m female. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/25 "2003-12-13T05:36:05Z")
Usually right, unless I have a particular reason to do the left foot first. I always assumed it’s because I’m right handed. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/26 "2003-12-13T13:06:18Z")
I had to think about this. Generally, it’s left sock first, then right sock, except with pantyhose - that’s right, then left. And it’s sock, sock, shoe, shoe. Because I’m sitting down when I put my socks, and I stand to put on my shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/27 "2003-12-13T18:15:59Z")
Whaddya know, I _do_ start with the left foot first. I feel so mundane and pre-determined. Sock sock, shoe/fasten, shoe/fasten. ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/28 "2003-12-13T23:14:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\* > > Why would you keep flipping feet back and forth? \*\* to keep it _even_!. Some of us like it symmetrical 🙂 sock sock, shoe (lace), shoe (lace). ---
**Author:** ![Chimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@Chimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimpy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/29 "2003-12-13T23:26:09Z")
it changes for me ---
**Author:** ![bigdfrombigd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bigdfrombigd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigdfrombigd)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/30 "2003-12-15T08:01:09Z")
I s’pose I’m another guy at heart. Just to throw something else into the equation…I always put my socks on before I put on my pants while the ball and chain does the opposite. I have often wondered what made me do it this way and I have concluded that it goes back to my teenage years ('bout a million years ago). We wore our pants skin tight and if I remember correctly, we didn’t want to have to bend over to tie our shoes lest the said pants would become…horror…BAGGY! Oh poo. Now you all know how weird I was. (was?)☹ ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/31 "2003-12-16T04:03:51Z")
I never knew I was a girly man…left foot first here. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Serpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Silver\_Serpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Serpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560/32 "2003-12-16T04:19:19Z")
I guess I’m a man. hehe. Apparently, the boobs lie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-foot-forward-poll-of-sorts/218560.md?page=1)