# why do people remove their shirts differently? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436 "2001-10-09T23:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/1 "2001-10-09T23:26:51Z")
I’ve noticed that men have a tendency to remove their shirts by grabbing the back of the collar and pulling it forward whereas women almost always cross their arma in front and grab the bottom of the shirt and pull it up! Any theories as to why this is so? Chris W ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/2 "2001-10-09T23:47:43Z")
Then just call me a big girl’s blouse… I’m a bloke, but I take my shirts off with the arms-crossed-in-front method. You got a problem with that, punk? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/3 "2001-10-09T23:59:36Z")
If your shirt is somewhat tight, and you have breasts, pulling the collar upwards results in the shirt “snagging” on your breasts and not pulling cleanly off. On the other hand, some women grasp the collar, pull it forward, and remove the shirt that way, mostly to avoid smearing makeup. Corr ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/4 "2001-10-10T00:26:04Z")
I would venture to say that most women have hair which hangs below the back of the collar. To simply pull the back of the collar up over their head would mean they would have to move their hair inside the shirt before removing the shirt this way. And, more of a WAG (or maybe my own bias), but men tend to be more lazy when it comes to clothing. Meaning, if men remove their shirts cross-armed, the shirt would turn inside-out. By removing the shirt from the back collar, the shirt remains intact, thus negating any need to fold it back. ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/5 "2001-10-10T01:54:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vandal \* > \*\*And, more of a WAG (or maybe my own bias), but men tend to be more lazy when it comes to clothing. Meaning, if men remove their shirts cross-armed, the shirt would turn inside-out. By removing the shirt from the back collar, the shirt remains intact, thus negating any need to fold it back. \*\* This presumes us lazy men care if the shirt is inside out or not. Personally, I pull them off cross-armed and leave them that way. They’re right half the time, which is pretty good if you ask me. Regarding the OP, I’d say the answer is “why not?”. I’d only be surprised if you demonstrated that everyone everywhere used the same method. Then I’d wonder why. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/6 "2001-10-10T02:43:50Z")
I’m with **micco**. I do the crossed-arms thing, making the shirt inside-out when I remove it. It goes in the laundry, and comes out inside-out as well. I then hang it up, yes, inside-out. When I put it on, I pull the collar over my head first and then the rest of the shirt, making it (inside-in?) as it goes on. Is this lazy? It’s just how I’ve always done it. Most of my shirts are hanging in the closet right now, inside-out. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/7 "2001-10-10T04:47:19Z")
Pulling the shirt off with the cross-armed method also sort of squeezes yer breasteses together and if you do that whole arched back/I’m just languidly stretching thing while you do it, it can seem kind of sexy. As long as your not like me and inexplicably tend to lose your balance as soon as your head is covered. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/8 "2001-10-10T04:49:57Z")
OhmygawdIamsoembarrassed. “you’re” ---
**Author:** ![Toaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@Toaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toaster)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/9 "2001-10-10T05:58:13Z")
I guess I do much more work than youse guys. I tuck my arms inside so they’re not in the sleeves, then flip it up and behind me over my head. Does that mean I’m not a guy _or_ girl? I obviously fit not the stereotypes…oh my! ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/10 "2001-10-10T17:51:40Z")
I’m sort of curious about this - what age is this behaviour generally socialized at? Do little girls generally learn this technique before they have breasts? From my observation, the crossed-arm thing IS predominantly female, though not exclusively, obviously. Another practical consideration that occurs to me is that women are more likely to have delicate stuff in their wardrobe, and that the “tug the garment over your head” technique is probably harder on your clothes, pulling the collar out of shape, and so on. Next - when do we learn to carry our schoolbooks differently? Of course, these days, children of both genders just walk around with backpacks approximately the size of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![wedgerat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@wedgerat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgerat)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/11 "2001-10-10T19:58:19Z")
When I was 11, I had a tight jumper that was impossible to get off. I had to either use the “cross the arms” method or get my mom’s help. That thing was awful! That’s when I started using the “cross the arms” method. I say the difference is due to different styles of dress. ---
**Author:** ![Hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@Hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hombre)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/12 "2001-10-10T20:10:01Z")
I always un-button my shirts all the way then take them off, but I notice some guys, especially in the movies, un-button the top couple of buttons, then pull the shirt over their head. What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/13 "2001-10-10T20:24:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hombre \* > \*\*I always un-button my shirts all the way then take them off, but I notice some guys, especially in the movies, un-button the top couple of buttons, then pull the shirt over their head. What’s up with that? \*\* I do that (unbutton the top two and reach back with one hand and grab the collar) when I am: a) lazy; b) in a hurry; c) when the shirt needs to go to the dry cleaners so I don’t worry about wrinkles; or d) when I am drunk (closely tied to a)… As for the cross-arms technique for women, it seems to be a product of social conditioning and practicality, for all of the reasons mentioned above. And, as \*\* zenzelli78 \*\* mentioned, it can be fun to watch… What is that old line: “Women look good in all stages of undress, men in none” ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-remove-their-shirts-differently/86436/14 "2001-10-10T21:15:18Z")
This male uses the crossed-arms method out of not wanting to mess up his hair. I love my hair, and would do nothing willingly to harm it.