# Why aren't bandanas square? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202 "2014-07-28T02:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/1 "2014-07-28T02:38:25Z")
Why aren’t bandanas square? I do a lot of hiking and now that summer is blazing I like to wrap a bandana around my neck and keep it wet for the cooling effect. Every time I try to roll one up it strikes a little odd that they are _almost_ square but not quite. Is there a reason for this or is it just sloppy construction? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/2 "2014-07-28T02:50:42Z")
they are longer on the diagonal. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/3 "2014-07-28T02:57:05Z")
Isn’t the hypotenuse always longer by definition? ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/4 "2014-07-28T03:11:59Z")
I don’t have one handy, but I think that they’re cut square and the fabric gets skewed afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/5 "2014-07-28T03:28:44Z")
Not gonna lie, I read this post as Bananas first… Was wondering what the benefit of square bananas was… ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/6 "2014-07-28T03:30:23Z")
I purchased two recently. One from a hobby place and another from a department store. I folded them both on the diagonal when new (not washed) and neither were square. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/7 "2014-07-28T03:31:26Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > they are longer on the diagonal. I’m not following your meaning. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/8 "2014-07-28T03:39:29Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Isn’t the hypotenuse always longer by definition? By about 41% give or take. 🙂 ---
**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:** [July 28, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/9 "2014-07-28T03:46:32Z")
Sloppy construction. A regular bandana _should be_ 22" by 22". Most aren’t, because people aren’t that picky about sweat/snot rags. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/10 "2014-07-28T03:48:39Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > I purchased two recently. One from a hobby place and another from a department store. I folded them both on the diagonal when new (not washed) and neither were square. I just looked at 10 of my bandanas of various colors, sizes, and vintages. Every single one was square. Might you be purchasing yours from the “irregulars” bin?😉 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/11 "2014-07-28T04:04:18Z")
> [@feppytweed](#): > > Not gonna lie, I read this post as Bananas first… Was wondering what the benefit of square bananas was… They fit the bread better. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/12 "2014-07-28T04:07:15Z")
> [@feppytweed](#): > > Not gonna lie, I read this post as Bananas first… Was wondering what the benefit of square bananas was… Me too. I am actually disappointed that it’s not about square bananas. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/13 "2014-07-28T07:06:37Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > Me too. I am actually disappointed that it’s not about square bananas. Me too! :o ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/14 "2014-07-28T07:14:43Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > By about 41% give or take. 🙂 About 41%? They should measure it more accurately and come up with the exact figure. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/15 "2014-07-28T12:14:41Z")
More importantly, why are the new ones always so STIFF, and is there a good way to soften them without washing them eleventy-billion times? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/16 "2014-07-28T12:31:46Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > More importantly, why are the new ones always so STIFF, Bandanas or bananas? I’m confused. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/17 "2014-07-28T13:32:25Z")
> [@feppytweed](#): > > Not gonna lie, I read this post as Bananas first… Was wondering what the benefit of square bananas was… Me too! A banana wrapped around my neck might actually work though. But not if it’s square. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/18 "2014-07-28T13:39:14Z")
He’s not square. Heck, he married Melanie Griffith. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/19 "2014-07-28T14:27:14Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Bandanas or bananas? I’m confused. 😕 Bandanas, you big nutty nut. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202/20 "2014-07-28T14:31:25Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Bandanas or bananas? I’m confused. 😕 Why… the ones you scarf of course! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bandanas-square/694202.md?page=2)