# How do you fold a shirt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 8, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143 "2018-01-08T14:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/1 "2018-01-08T14:39:01Z")
As far as I can tell there are two major methods, the “store shelf” fold and the “half” fold, the former being the one where the two outside “wings” are folded back and the whole thing folded in half or thirds to produce [this](https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Dress-shirt.jpg) or [this](https://www.birchbox.com/images/uploads/how_to_fold_a_shirt.jpg), and the latter folding the shirt in half vertically, then folding in the sleeves if necessary, then folding again in half horizontally producing something like [this](https://www.shefinds.com/files/2015/06/foldedstep2-300x300.jpg). These may have real names that I don’t know, or you may have better ones, but that’s what I’m calling them. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/2 "2018-01-08T14:44:49Z")
My wife does half fold, which I particularly don’t like for tshirts since you can’t see the front of the shirt in the drawer. I do store shelf. Which she doesn’t like for the horizontal crease in the middle of the shirt. At least we resolved the toilet paper roll dispute. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/3 "2018-01-08T14:57:26Z")
Poorly. I’ve never taken the time to learn the store style folding method. On the rare occasions that clothes get taken out of the clean clothes hamper and not immediately worn, I twitch the sleeves behind the front of the shirt and then fold it in horizontal thirds, which actually sounds a lot like the store style fold but I guarantee you, my shirts never look like that picture. Dress shirts just get hung up in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/4 "2018-01-08T15:17:27Z")
I used to do the store fold and my wife the half fold. Hers was easier and, since I don’t care what they look like, I recently started doing the half. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/5 "2018-01-08T15:20:06Z")
Dress shirts get hung on hangers, t-shirts, turtlenecks, polo shirts, etc., all get the half fold. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/6 "2018-01-08T15:25:42Z")
I do not fold shirts. In the laundry area (a large portion of the finished basement) I’ve hung a long length of capped gas-line. Shirts (mostly Hawaiian and tshirts) are hung on hangers on the pipe. I’m a lazy fuck. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/7 "2018-01-08T15:30:26Z")
t-shirts: in vertical thirds shirts with buttons or sleeves: go on hangers ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/8 "2018-01-08T15:36:24Z")
I fold work shirt in thirds both ways … solely because they fit better in my dresser … ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/9 "2018-01-08T15:41:24Z")
95% of my shirts go on hangers and wire ones at that; to Hell with Joan Crawford. The few that get folded (a couple V-neck tees and a couple special shirts) get a “store fold”. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/10 "2018-01-08T15:44:32Z")
I do a variant on the half fold for t-shirts and sweatshirts. Shoulders together, back side inside. Sleeves folded in. Half, then half again, so I end up with a compact rectangular bundle that fits into my small-ish dresser drawers. Polo shirts and button shirts go on hangers in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/11 "2018-01-08T15:54:49Z")
Half folding for casual shirts that go on a shelf in the cupboard - dress shirts and work shirts go on a hanger in the wardrobe ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/12 "2018-01-08T19:21:00Z")
When I fold shirts, which isn’t often, they get a store shelf fold. The exception is undershirts, which get a half fold, because I don’t care if my undershirts are wrinkled. My wife does most of the laundry, and she hates folding, so anything that can go on a hanger, goes on a hanger. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/13 "2018-01-08T19:43:17Z")
I don’t fold shirts. I have two types of shirts: button-ups which live on hangars (and are covered with dust from never being worn) and t-shirt-fabric polo shirts, which don’t seem to hold wrinkles at all, which I don’t even bother taking out of the laundry basket. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/14 "2018-01-08T20:35:00Z")
Button shirts on hangers. T-shirts, polo/golf, sweaters, get the shelf fold. Honestly, I have made it this far into life without ever hearing about half fold. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/15 "2018-01-08T20:50:32Z")
I voted “Depends on the type of shirt” Dress shirts get put on a hanger, so not folded at all. T-shirts and polos get “store” fold. Fairly easy to do and you can see them easily in the drawer and they sit flat too. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/16 "2018-01-08T21:17:36Z")
t-shirts with designs I want to protect get folded so that the crease is outside of the printed area. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/17 "2018-01-08T21:42:26Z")
My dress shirts and long-sleeved T’s get hung, sweaters and sweat shirts get the store fold. I can do a store fold in one motion by grabbing the shoulder seams, flicking my wrists so the sleeves go behind while I move my arms to make the bottom flip up behind as I lay it on the counter. I want to learn it [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6rjbw0ZA0) way, though. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/18 "2018-01-08T21:50:24Z")
[Stealth Fold](http://www.businessinsider.com/technique-fold-t-shirt-perfectly-seconds-japanese-life-hack-folding-shirts-tee-easy-2017-2). However, shirts with collars and buttons get hung. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-fold-a-shirt/806143/19 "2018-01-08T22:15:48Z")
Store shelf fold. But that’s because in college I worked at the college bookstore and must have folded thousands of t-shirts and sweatshirts. So I got _lots_ of practice.