# When getting dressed, what do you put on first? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083 "2017-10-06T04:08:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/21 "2017-10-06T14:36:02Z")
I’m usually wearing socks anyway because I wear socks pretty much 24/7 (yes, I usually sleep with them on). But in the off chance I’m getting out of the shower or something and heading to change, socks first hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/22 "2017-10-06T14:37:46Z")
I’m British, so I read “pants” as underwear, and I was astonished at the number of people who apparently put their socks on before their kecks. But now I understand. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/23 "2017-10-06T14:40:02Z")
Panties, socks, pants, bra, shirt, shoes ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/24 "2017-10-06T14:52:36Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > But in the off chance I’m getting out of the shower or something and heading to change, socks first hands down. Well, it’s really hard to put socks on hands up… ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/25 "2017-10-06T14:55:28Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Underwear. Then socks. In honor of Tom Petty… _I’m freeeee, free balling_ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/26 "2017-10-06T15:00:16Z")
We’ve had workmen in the house for nearly eight months now, so I’ve gotten used to quickly covering up the naughty bits in case one suddenly saunters through the bedroom door. Don’t want to be caught with your knickers down. So pants, shirt, then socks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/27 "2017-10-06T15:02:30Z")
My system: Bra comes first, because I find it uncomfortable to not wear a bra. Then I go into the bathroom to do my makeup, but I need to pick out my outfit (dress/shirt and skirt/shirt and pants plus underwear) before I do my makeup because my outfit will affect my makeup (like what lipstick I wear, for example). But I don’t find wearing clothes to be comfortable, so I don’t actually don the outfit until I’ve done my makeup. After I’ve done my makeup, I put on the underwear, then my dress (if I’m wearing a dress) or pants/skirt. Then the shirt, if I’m not wearing a dress. Then I go back into my bedroom and pick out my shoes and socks (if needed). Then I put on the socks and shoes, then I pick out a couple sweaters from my closet no matter what time of year, because the office is cold and I need to bring both a light sweater and a heavy sweater depending on just how cold it is that day. And then I’m done. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/28 "2017-10-06T15:03:36Z")
Like a lot of people in this thread… underwear, socks\*, t-shirt, pants, (shirt/shoes in what ever order is most convenient). \*I hate having to pull up my pant legs to put on socks. If I’m wearing ankle socks then I put them on whenever is most convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/29 "2017-10-06T15:07:02Z")
Another non-joke third party. Most of the time it’s underwear, trousers, then socks. BUT, in winter, the underwear is _long_ underwear in which case it’s underwear, socks, then trousers… because if I don’t pull the top of the socks over the bottom part of the long underwear the act of pulling on trousers tends to pull the long underwear ends from my ankles up to my knees, leading to uncomfortable bunching and risk of self-induced wedgie. Which is very uncomfortable. And sort of defeats some of the purpose of the long underwear. If I’m going to work outside in winter, in boots, then after all that I might put a _second_ pair of socks on over the first, but I do that last - in which case it’s socks before _and_ after trousers. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/30 "2017-10-06T15:10:45Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > Long things you put on your legs. 😃 Slacks, pants, jeans - things like that. > No, I do not mean condoms. 😃 🙂 Just checking it wasn’t some Brit expression that meant something else. Underpants, bra, pants, shirt. Although sometimes when I’m still sleepy I start to leave the bedroom without a shirt. The effort to put on three things, good enough. :smack: Downstairs I put on shoes. No socks. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/31 "2017-10-06T15:43:44Z")
Knickers then bra. You didn’t think this through did you? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/32 "2017-10-06T15:46:45Z")
The exact order of everything varies. But socks are the last thing before shoes, so of the two items listed, pants will be before socks. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/33 "2017-10-06T16:15:38Z")
At home, usually socks first because it’s a little easier. If I’m in a locker room around other people, then pants first because socks with no pants looks really dorky. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/34 "2017-10-06T16:18:13Z")
Socks go before pants, just because I don’t really like to hike up my pantlegs to pull up my socks under them. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/35 "2017-10-06T16:26:21Z")
Whichever is closest at hand. ---
**Author:** ![JHBoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/13edae/32.png) [@JHBoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JHBoom)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/36 "2017-10-06T16:38:43Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > I’m a BA, not a code monkey, but I agree with you, socks before pants but shorts before socks. Shout-out to LSLGuy’s previous incarnation: _ **3** _ I hate the feeling of putting pants on before socks. I have no idea why, but I have as long as I can remember. Same with coveralls & flight suits, when I wore those - socks first. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/37 "2017-10-06T17:29:21Z")
Usually: underpants, shirt, pants, socks, shoes. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/38 "2017-10-06T17:56:42Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I disagree with my esteemed colleagues above. Always socks first. You don’t want to transfer anything, like some undetected athlete’s foot, to more sensitive areas. They have medicine for that. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/39 "2017-10-06T18:10:01Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > They have medicine for that. Is that your approach to condoms and Chlamydia? 😉 ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083/40 "2017-10-06T18:37:42Z")
Undies, sox, shirt. If skirt, skirt may come after shoes depending on what’s closest and how long the skirt is (long skirt gets in the way sometimes). If jeans, shoes have to wait. Belt, wallet, pocketwatch, keys, and other accoutrements come last. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-getting-dressed-what-do-you-put-on-first/798083.md?page=3)