# I'm right handed, you see. So how come when I put my shirt on and forget... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395 "2001-01-23T14:30:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/1 "2001-01-23T14:30:11Z")
to button the cuffs first, it’s so much easier for me to fasten the right-hand cuff buttons using my _left_ hand, then the other way around? Do most people in this situation find it easier to button the preferred-side button with the non-preferred hand, or is this an idiosyncracy on my part? ---
**Author:** ![WIGGUM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WIGGUM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WIGGUM)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/2 "2001-01-23T14:55:11Z")
If your ploy was to get me to unbutton, then rebutton my cuffs, then you succeeded. 🙂 I seemed to have had equal success at both the left and the right cuff. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/3 "2001-01-23T15:26:25Z")
I wear mostly short-sleeve shirts, but I know from experience that my wristwatch causes me problems when I try to button my left-side sleeve with my right hand. In addition to adding more circumference and thus making the fit tighter, it also gives my fingertips something to catch on while manipulating that tiny little button. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/4 "2001-01-23T16:07:15Z")
Right handed, do it every day, tested it several times: A draw. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/5 "2001-01-23T16:37:50Z")
Ditto what Philster said. I think you’re unique, javaman. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/6 "2001-01-23T17:04:59Z")
I don’t notice much difference between hands when doing up buttons (although I usually have to adjust my wristwatch on my left wrist). However, I **do** find that it is easier to affix my right cufflink when I’m wearing French cuffs than my left. Never really thought about why, but it is something I’ve noticed in the past. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/7 "2001-01-23T17:35:13Z")
I have a hypothesis (though, as I said, I don’t suffer this problem): Hold your hands up. This is the position mine are normally in when the cuff is being buttoned. Look at the orientation of the buttons/buttonholes for each cuff, and compare to the central buttons on your shirt front. I notice that my left cuff is exactly like my shirt: the button is sewn onto the right (underneath) flap, while the buttonhole is on the left (top) flap. So, in theory, buttoning the left cuff is the same as buttoning your shirt, which should make it easier than the right. But you’re backwards, javaman. Do you, by some chance, hold your arms down/straight out rather than holding them up when buttoning? This would reverse the orientation of the buttons/buttonholes, thereby making the right cuff more like your shirt, the left cuff opposite. I can’t believe I went through all that. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-right-handed-you-see-so-how-come-when-i-put-my-shirt-on-and-forget/51395/8 "2001-01-23T20:17:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by toadspittle \* > \*\* > > I notice that my left cuff is exactly like my shirt: the button is sewn onto the right (underneath) flap, while the buttonhole is on the left (top) flap. So, in theory, buttoning the left cuff is the same as buttoning your shirt, which should make it easier than the right. > > But you’re backwards, javaman. > > Do you, by some chance, hold your arms down/straight out rather than holding them up when buttoning? This would reverse the orientation of the buttons/buttonholes, thereby making the right cuff more like your shirt, the left cuff opposite. > > \*\* Actually now that I think about it the difference in difficulty only if I hold my left lower arm roughly at stomach level and parallel with the ground. If I bend my elbow and hold my left cuff up, it’s much easier. But the right cuff is still easier even then. I’ve heard that some people are generally right or left handed but use the opposite hand for certain things. Paul McCartney is right-handed for everything else but playing the guitar or bass, which he does left handed. My case must be something similar.