# Long-sleeved shirts: Can you button both cuffs after you put the shirt on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220 "2015-06-10T23:50:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **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:** [June 10, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/1 "2015-06-10T23:50:42Z")
It’s been awhile since I’ve worn long-sleeved buttoned shirts, but I still remember that I could never fasten the buttons on both cuffs once I had put it on. I could use my non-dominant (left) hand to do up the ones on my right sleeve, but not the other way around. If I forgot to fasten the left cuff buttons before putting on the shirt, I had to take it off before I could button it. (In a similar way, when I cut my nails I notice that the position of my hands and my way of holding the clipper is completely different, depending on which hand is doing the clipping.) So, is this typical? Hey look! It’s a poll. Please vote. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/2 "2015-06-11T00:01:30Z")
Sure, I can button both cuffs. It’s one of the few advantages of being left-handed: we are forced to do so much with our right hands many of us become pretty good at it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/3 "2015-06-11T00:03:25Z")
I’m right-handed, but my left hand isn’t entirely useless (comes from playing violin & viola). ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/4 "2015-06-11T00:09:03Z")
I’m right handed. It’s a little bit clumsier to button the right cuff with my left hand, but not so much I ever thought about it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/5 "2015-06-11T01:51:59Z")
Right handed. Fastening right sleeve with left hand takes a little bit longer than other side. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/6 "2015-06-11T01:53:11Z")
I don’t wear long sleeves as a rule, but last time I did I had no problems buttoning both cuffs after I donned the shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/7 "2015-06-11T01:57:45Z")
Depends on the shirt. I can button both, generally. But if the cuff is snug around the wrist (even a little bit), or if the buttonhole is tight, then I have a much harder time. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/8 "2015-06-11T02:21:06Z")
Sure. It’s not THAT difficult to button a sleeve with a non-dominant hand. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/9 "2015-06-11T02:29:41Z")
Right-handed unidexterous, normally no problem with cuff buttons, except for more extreme cases of what **Senegoid** said about the button placement or buttonhole opening being unsual in a particular shirt. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/10 "2015-06-11T02:38:14Z")
Right-handed dominant, but semi-ambidexterous (I can do a lot left-handed, and used to use my left hand as well as my right hand while drawing, which drove my art teachers nuts). I haven’t worn long-sleeved button shirts in a while, but I never had any trouble with buttoning the buttons, and I was puzzled that folks do. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/11 "2015-06-11T02:40:13Z")
I’m basically ambi although I do have preferred hands for certain things. I usually write right handed but wear my watch left. Never had an issue with either button; even the tiny secondary ones most folks never use. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/12 "2015-06-11T02:49:47Z")
People normally do wear their watches on the non-dominant hand. Keeps them from being beat up so much. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/13 "2015-06-11T02:53:31Z")
Never even knew this was a problem. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/14 "2015-06-11T03:11:33Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Sure. It’s not THAT difficult to button a sleeve with a non-dominant hand. I know. It’s with my dominant hand that I can’t do the other side, and that’s what seems odd here. If it were the opposite, I wouldn’t be curious about it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/15 "2015-06-11T04:29:09Z")
What I \*can’t \*do is put a shirt on with the sleeves already buttoned. My hands are too big. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/16 "2015-06-11T04:58:17Z")
There’s no option for french cuffs. What am I, a farmer? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/17 "2015-06-11T05:02:37Z")
I can, but I only ever wear then with the sleeves rolled to my elbows, so it is a non-issue. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/18 "2015-06-11T07:42:28Z")
I can button both. I can also tie the laces, if I’m wearing a style of shirt that has laced cuffs. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/19 "2015-06-11T08:31:34Z")
Right handed and my left is pretty much useless except for the qwert side of the keyboard. I can manage to dress myself, including fastening buttons of both sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220/20 "2015-06-11T08:46:05Z")
It never occurred to me that someone wouldn’t be able to do both. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sleeved-shirts-can-you-button-both-cuffs-after-you-put-the-shirt-on/722220.md?page=2)