# Where did this gesture originate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434 "2010-06-25T02:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/21 "2010-06-28T01:39:01Z")
There’s a third step to the gesture where you spread out your hand in front to admire your nails. I’m 47. Havn’t seen anyone use this gesture in years. Has it been replaced by licking your finger and smoothing your eyebrow? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/22 "2010-06-28T02:02:05Z")
There was an old trope that men looked at their nails with fingers clawed, palm in, while women fanned the hand with the palm out. (also, women lit matches away from themselves, men toward themselves. There were more, but I forgot them when I stopped worrying if stupid shit like that would made me gay) ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/23 "2010-06-28T03:15:09Z")
Another of those sexed gestures was hands on hips. IIRC, in Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff, there is a description of astronauts being taught to put their hands on their hips with fingers pointing forward. Thumbs pointing forward was seen as vaguely effeminate and not the look hero astronauts should be going for. ---
**Author:** ![fwhoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/46a35a/32.png) [@fwhoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fwhoa)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/24 "2014-12-03T07:59:05Z")
Reminds me of the ‘wiping imaginary dust from your left shoulder using your right hand fingertips’ gesture signifying the ease in which one accomplishes a supposidly (or actual) impresive feat. Seen in the NBA in the past. Sometimes today. FWHOA! ---
**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:** [December 3, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/25 "2014-12-03T20:40:12Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Funny how gestures come and go. Another one I haven’t seen for awhile is the twirling index finger, sort of a sarcastic “good for you” or a :rolleyes: equivalent. I thought that was rather specifically from Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. I think it became popular among followers of that. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Dracula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@Count\_Dracula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Dracula)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/26 "2014-12-03T20:47:02Z")
Haven’t seen it used in ages either. Beats me. Last time I saw it used was when I was in high school back in 1969. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/27 "2014-12-04T18:29:32Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > Has it been replaced by licking your finger and smoothing your eyebrow? I’d like to see someone licking their eyebrows. Now \*that \*would be an impressive gesture. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/28 "2014-12-04T20:59:11Z")
I think that during the 4 years this zombie’s been sleeping the “buffing nails” gesture has become even less common. ---
**Author:** ![krakherjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4da419/32.png) [@krakherjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krakherjack)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/29 "2015-09-30T03:06:05Z")
But I am in my 20s and have used this gesture as long as I can remember. I have always used it as a silly response to a compliment or when I am complimenting myself. “Yup, I can’t help it I am just that cool/beautiful/awesome” _polishes nails and looks at them_ As if the “fact” is so evident it’s mundane. Also the smoothing the eye brows thing, I have seen my grand father and (when they were still in the emulating phase) uncles do. The impression I got was that it was much like the boys from the fifties running the comb through their oiled hair. But it became an exaggerated satirical gesture of coolness. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2015, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/30 "2015-09-30T06:09:17Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Funny how gestures come and go. Another one I haven’t seen for awhile is the twirling index finger, sort of a sarcastic “good for you” or a :rolleyes: equivalent. That was used a lot in the old Rowan And Martin’s Laugh-In. I don’t think it particularly meant “good for you”. Imagine waving your arms around in excitement, if you were really excited. The twirling index finger was meant to be an explicitly miniature version of that, sarcastically saying how excited you are when in fact you aren’t impressed at all. It meant “I’m so excited – NOT!” or “I’m so impressed with what you just said or did – NOT!” ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/31 "2015-09-30T14:24:23Z")
> [@fwhoa](#): > > Reminds me of the ‘wiping imaginary dust from your left shoulder using your right hand fingertips’ gesture signifying the ease in which one accomplishes a supposidly (or actual) impresive feat. Seen in the NBA in the past. Sometimes today. FWHOA! 😕 “FWHOA”? You’re right about the brushing off the shoulder–I remember–now, after you mentioned it–when I saw my teenager nephew years ago do it, and was amused and impressed. The OP gesture reminds me, I haven’t see it from a live person in decades. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/32 "2015-09-30T14:28:11Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > There was an old trope that men looked at their nails with fingers clawed, palm in, while women fanned the hand with the palm out. > > (also, women lit matches away from themselves, men toward themselves. There were more, but I forgot them when I stopped worrying if stupid shit like that would made me gay) Of course SD GQ is on it: Discussed here in context of similar gesture-gender indices. Look at the bottom of your shoe. Look at your nails. Look up at the sky. > **[Look at the bottom of your shoe. Look at your nails. Look up at the sky.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=433202)** > > …you’re a boy! …Or you’re a girl! Does anyone remember this joke? Usually it’s tiold by prepubescent boys in an effort to show that someone is unmanly; as follows: To look at the bottom of his shoe, a boy is supposed bend his leg at the knee and... ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/33 "2015-09-30T14:50:28Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > You’re right about the brushing off the shoulder–I remember–now, after you mentioned it–when I saw my teenager nephew years ago do it, and was amused and impressed. This is a double necro thread but yeah, everyone knows you gotta [get that dirt off your shoulder](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz_-VaTHpc8). ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434/34 "2015-09-30T15:05:04Z")
Double-necro. I like it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434.md?page=1)