# How do you put on a pullover shirt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 6, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049 "2011-11-06T13:01:58Z")\ **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:** [November 6, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/1 "2011-11-06T13:01:58Z")
I ask because I suspect I am among a great minority in this regard. mmm ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/2 "2011-11-06T13:09:10Z")
And, at this stage in the thread, I am in a 100% majority. I guess there had to be a first time … ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/3 "2011-11-06T13:18:48Z")
I’ve never figured out how you can do it arms first. The sleeves all bunch up becuase you had to bend your arms oddly to get them in. Plus, you lose the ability to turn the shirt and make sure the arm holes are aligned. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/4 "2011-11-06T13:35:08Z")
Heh. I just put on a sweater to get the sequence as I’ve never consciously thought about it. I do it this way every time: Left arm first, pull the head through, and then the right arm. Yep, seems odd to me too when I think about it. No, I don’t know why I do it this way. So yet another poll with no option for me to select. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/5 "2011-11-06T13:46:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’ve never figured out how you can do it arms first. The sleeves all bunch up becuase you had to bend your arms oddly to get them in. Plus, you lose the ability to turn the shirt and make sure the arm holes are aligned. Even full-length sleeves don’t bunch significantly because you keep sliding them up your arms almost all the way. You don’t need to turn the shirt and align the arm holes (aligned with what?) because your arms are already in them. Sleeves first, always. Make sure shirt is facing the right way, slide you arms into the sleeves so the body of the shirt is just above your elbows, arms up, head through, pull down the hem. With head first you have to burrow around feeling for the sleeve opening, the shirt tends to skew around during said burrowing, and it’s just kind of an awkward movement. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/6 "2011-11-06T15:18:54Z")
I step into them, but I like doing things the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/7 "2011-11-06T15:22:55Z")
Uh…neither way? I can’t be the only person who reliably manages to get both one arm (left, in my case) and their head though a sleeve/neck at pretty much the same time, right? I’m envisioning people pulling their shirts over their heads and only then trying to get both arms in the sleeves, but maybe I’m not picturing what the poll really meant. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/8 "2011-11-06T15:48:47Z")
Coincidentally, I keep thinking about putting up a poll for how you take OFF your shirts…pulling from the collar up, or flipping it over from the hem. I put them on through the neck first…and take them off the same way. Although I might change that second part, because I think I cause excess wear (and holes) around the collar. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/9 "2011-11-06T16:45:29Z")
Whoa, much closer than I’d’ve expected. What kind of enormous shirts are you putting on that you’ve got room to maneuver your arms after the shirt is on? Or are you all contortionists? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/10 "2011-11-06T17:32:41Z")
just like an ordinary person, ‘one leg at a time’. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/11 "2011-11-06T17:47:12Z")
To not mess up my hair or make-up, I very carefully put my head in first, then slide my arms into the sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/12 "2011-11-06T18:28:24Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Whoa, much closer than I’d’ve expected. > > What kind of enormous shirts are you putting on that you’ve got room to maneuver your arms after the shirt is on? Or are you all contortionists? I kinda bunch up the shirt so it is basically flat with a hole in the middle (for the neck). Put it on, then make sure the arms are lined up. Extend arms through holes, while releasing the shirt so gravity take it down. Mission accomplished. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/13 "2011-11-06T18:31:04Z")
Sleeves first, then carefully over the head. Can’t be messing up my hair and makeup. :o ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/14 "2011-11-06T18:57:08Z")
I once wanted to put on a pullover sweater when I was tripping on acid. I looked at it, and it looked impossibly tangled and complicated. However, I recklessly dived into it, and found, to my surprise, that I was wearing it. I don’t think I know the answer to the poll. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/15 "2011-11-06T19:43:23Z")
Arms first, then shrug it over my head, typically. Otherwise aren’t you armless and poking around looking for the sleeves? > [@elfkin477](#): > > Uh…neither way? I can’t be the only person who reliably manages to get both one arm (left, in my case) and their head though a sleeve/neck at pretty much the same time, right? I’m envisioning people pulling their shirts over their heads and only then trying to get both arms in the sleeves, but maybe I’m not picturing what the poll really meant. I think I may do this sometimes if it’s a large, baggy shirt or something. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/16 "2011-11-06T20:20:32Z")
Over the head first, then left arm, then right arm. I guess this is how I was taught to do it when I was really little. Putting the sleeves on first just feels strange. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/17 "2011-11-06T23:31:29Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > Coincidentally, I keep thinking about putting up a poll for how you take OFF your shirts..pulling from the collar up, or flipping it over from the hem. I don’t. I remove my arms from the sleeves and then take my head out of the garment last. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/18 "2011-11-06T23:32:54Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > To not mess up my hair or make-up, I very carefully put my head in first, then slide my arms into the sleeves. > [@CitizenPained](#): > > Sleeves first, then carefully over the head. Can’t be messing up my hair and makeup. :o So, both methods work while preserving the make up and do? ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/19 "2011-11-06T23:58:19Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Heh. I just put on a sweater to get the sequence as I’ve never consciously thought about it. I do it this way every time: Left arm first, pull the head through, and then the right arm. > > Yep, seems odd to me too when I think about it. No, I don’t know why I do it this way. So yet another poll with no option for me to select. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049/20 "2011-11-07T04:41:55Z")
I put my head in first. Then I pull the bottom of the shirt out far enough not to get deodorant stains on it and put my arms in. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-put-on-a-pullover-shirt/602049.md?page=2)