# Mundane things you are clueless about... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774 "2003-07-25T01:22:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/1 "2003-07-25T01:22:21Z")
I am probably the most clueless person when it comes to clothes; I didn’t even know that loafers were shoes (and not pants) until a month ago, and I’m 22, and have recently graduated from an ivy league college! I only recently heard that the sherlock holmes or italian mafia style hat is called a fedora (fedore?). I have no idea what the difference between khaki pants and slacks are, and I don’t know the names of most women’s outfits (dress, blouse, robe, skirt… what else?). I know very little about material; i mean, what else is there besides cotton, polyester, silk, and leather? I do know a little about sports shoes; I can distinguish between baseball, football, and golf cleats, and realize that basketball shoes tend to give more ankle support (i.e. high tops), but I don’t know anything about dress shoes (can shoes have laces and still be dressy), and even less about women’s shoes (low heel, high heel, and stiletto?). I don’t know what a sports jacket is. I don’t know what business casual means. I don’t know if there are any names for socks (white socks vs. dressy socks?). I know very few brands and what they’re supposed to be good for; what’s so bad about Men’s Wearhouse suits? I know they’re not as “elite” as something by… Prada? But is the workmanship really evident without looking at the label? I am not really ashamed at my lack of knowledge, as I don’t give a rat’s patooey about clothes for myself, but I write fiction, and some characters obviously do care. I’ve been trying to learn more about clothes, but I often tune out when someone is going on about a recent adventure to Nordstrom… ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/2 "2003-07-25T03:45:27Z")
Consider leaving clothing descriptions out of the work. Go to the library, and read (well, no, look at) every fashion magazine in the place. I mean it, every one. You will absorb things. Find a friend who gets the fashion thing, and get specific advice for each article of clothing you need to mention. Beware! People interested in fashion sneer at anything reasonably priced. Never dress anyone in a Homburg ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/3 "2003-07-25T04:20:27Z")
I’m trying to apply for a foreign visa, and had to figure out today what the deal with notaries public is. “Notarized? What does that MEAN?” I also had a hell of a time figuring out what my bank account number was from one of my checks. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/4 "2003-07-25T04:28:31Z")
Anything mechanical. Or electronic, for that matter. I can program my VCR but that’s about the extent of my technical prowess. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/5 "2003-07-25T05:54:10Z")
Measure three times, decide which of the three is best, then cut once. Swear three times, cut again, etc. ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/6 "2003-07-25T06:12:11Z")
I can’t sew in a straight line. I’ve been trying for days now and no matter how well I line things up, pin them up, measure up and how many times I double and triple check, I still end up with a wonky mess. Back to the cross stich it really was much easier. ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/7 "2003-07-25T06:16:48Z")
Oh and another one… If you are looking for stuff by “Hot Action Cop” DO NOT type “Hot Action” into Google or you will end up with some very adult links. Furthermore if you do type “Hot Action” into Google DO NOT ask your husband why it has come up with some interesting results involving donkeys and cheerleaders. ---
**Author:** ![fotosbyfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@fotosbyfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fotosbyfrank)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/8 "2003-07-25T06:32:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Windwalker \* > \*\*I only recently heard that the sherlock holmes or italian mafia style hat is called a fedora (fedore?). \*\* Actually, a “Sherlock Holmes” hat is a “deerstalker” - one of those jobbies with a brim on both the front and back. Keeps the sun out of your eyes, and the rain off your neck. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/9 "2003-07-25T16:51:03Z")
I’ve always been woefully ignorant about various articles of clothing and accessories, particularly those which are for women. In fact, being a single male and having had few girlfriends there are probably lots of basic things I don’t know about the average woman and her daily life. I’m lost when it comes to French and Latin phrases appearing in everyday usage. It pisses me off whenever I read or hear such a phrase because I often can’t even derive its meaning from the context. I know very little about football (American). If asked to describe the game, including the object of the game, the differences among the player positions (e.g. quarterback) and the terminology used such as “line of scrimmage”, “first and ten”, I’d be lost. I’m very inept when it comes to fixing things, whether it be mechanical or electronic. A friend of mine recently moved here from Kansas and he’s been busy fixing a lot of broken stuff that I’ve never gotten repaired. Fortunately he enjoys doing this sort of thing. I hardly know the first thing about how a car engine works. I couldn’t identify most parts, to say nothing of understanding what they do. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/10 "2003-07-25T16:57:52Z")
Look at GQ and you will find lots of stuff on fashion/style. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/11 "2003-07-25T17:02:03Z")
I lack the gene to sew. I _should_ be able to - I mean, my mom can sew. But alas, alack, not I. Patterns and cutting and lining up stuff. Read the instructions - ok, cut out pattern - ehh, put back together - not so good, sewing - \<\\>! I’m a wiz with machines, I can make them do anything I want. But my nemesis is the sewing machine. Damn you, Singer! ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-things-you-are-clueless-about/190774/12 "2003-07-25T18:50:25Z")
Like Windwalker in the OP, I did not realize the reason or meaning of many ‘different’ fashion terms, such as: Seersucker (I hate this term) Single breasted vs. Double Breasted suites (I just thought this referred to the number of rows of buttons) Never wear white after Labor Day (why not?) The need for spats and tails And dozen of other terms (Nehru suits/A-lines/Hombergs (all familiar via Crossword puzzle words). And after watching a particular Burns and Allen episode\*, I realized that quite frankly, little of that matters anymore. I am quite happy in the Jeans & t-shirt/Khakis & Polo Shirt/2 piece wool suit/Button down & Slates styles of my little lower middle class world. (I’d still like a complete volume on styles throughout the ages, explaining why the pork-pie hat and gaiters were popular once. I’ve found only pieces and parts on the web. Besides, these things are never geared for men it seems) - George is expecting important somebody (a potential backer or something) to come visit their home. Someone arrives, and Gracie lets him in, only to lead to a mix-up and much hilarity. You see, he was a tramp. Actually both the backer and the bum wore (3 piece!) suits, and the audience of the 1950s could easily tell them apart because…hell, I don’t know, they both looked nattily attired and rather overdressed to me - maybe the tramp tied his tie in the wrong knot or something. I also liked the earlier ‘Leave it to Beaver’, as Ward Cleaver usually wore slacks and a sweater or a short sleeve shirt with no tie, as opposed to the later ones when he wore a suit and tie almost full time around the house.