# Guys wearing their belt buckle off-center **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 10, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688 "2011-12-10T01:50:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/1 "2011-12-10T01:50:02Z")
I’ve been (re)watching several episodes of the old Dick Van Dyke show, and I’ve noticed a few separate occasions where different male characters wore their belt buckles off to the side, damn near on their hips. And then I remembered this being a short-lived fad when I was in grade school, in the late 60’s/early 70’s. We thought it looked so cool. Does anyone else remember doing this? mmm ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/2 "2011-12-10T01:56:31Z")
I remember it dating back to the mid 60’s (Chicago). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/3 "2011-12-10T02:31:36Z")
it was hip. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/4 "2011-12-10T02:40:28Z")
It may have started with guitar players not wanting to scratch the backs of thier guitars. A friend of mine always moves his off to the side like that before he straps the axe on. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/5 "2011-12-10T10:40:32Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > It may have started with guitar players not wanting to scratch the backs of thier guitars. A friend of mine always moves his off to the side like that before he straps the axe on. I guess that’s possible. I don’t see Rob Petrie strapping on an axe, though. 🙂 mmm ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/6 "2011-12-10T13:49:12Z")
When you get fat, a big buckle cuts into your dunlap when you sit in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/7 "2011-12-10T14:54:19Z")
This was the 60s though. People were skinny back then. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/8 "2011-12-10T16:30:03Z")
There are still legitimate reasons to do this, such as auto mechanics not wanting to scratch cars and kitchen cabinet installers not wanting to put buckle-shaped dents into new cabinets. But otherwise, it looks silly. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/9 "2011-12-10T18:42:50Z")
I tend to line the right side of mine up with the zipper line, which is a holdover from my military career, where that was required. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/10 "2011-12-10T18:45:33Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > It may have started with guitar players not wanting to scratch the backs of thier guitars. A friend of mine always moves his off to the side like that before he straps the axe on. I was going to post this. That’s the only reason I ever did it. And we guitar players define cool, everybody knows that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/11 "2011-12-10T19:33:42Z")
From where are you getting the Dick Van Dyke show? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/12 "2011-12-10T19:50:22Z")
I have a dim memory of Fonzie sliding Richie’s belt to the side just before Richie goes on a big date and Fonzie saying something like: There, give it your best shot. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/13 "2011-12-11T13:03:07Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > From where are you getting the Dick Van Dyke show? As mentioned in the OP, I recently saw the phenomenon on the DVD show, and it brought back memories. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Anna\_Nimity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Anna\_Nimity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anna_Nimity)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/14 "2011-12-11T18:44:51Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > From where are you getting the Dick Van Dyke show? Also, its streaming on Netflix. You can probably find it streaming elsewhere online as well. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/15 "2011-12-11T18:52:43Z")
The DVD show is currently on TVLand at 9:10 am et and 9:45 et Tues-Friday. it is also has some repeats on a local retro-TV station on Sunday afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/16 "2011-12-11T19:44:23Z")
Must…resist…posting…MST3K…“Pants Up Song”… ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/17 "2011-12-11T20:47:12Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I tend to line the right side of mine up with the zipper line, which is a holdover from my military career, where that was required. I was never in the military, but I do the same thing. And it drives me nuts when I see guys with their belt on **backwards**. I know I shouldn’t care, but it’s one of those things I notice immediately, and then can’t stop thinking about. I think I have a disorder. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/18 "2011-12-11T20:53:44Z")
Is this kind of like hanging an onion from your belt? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/19 "2011-12-11T21:29:13Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Is this kind of like hanging an onion from your belt? Well it WAS the style at the time. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688/20 "2011-12-11T22:30:50Z")
When I was in high school there was a brief fad where guys would get a waaaaay too-long braided belt and let the overflow hang vertically down their leg to around knee-level. Looked like they had a tail on their side. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-wearing-their-belt-buckle-off-center/605688.md?page=2)