Wed, December 7, 2005
Madam & Sleeve—11:51 AM
Sunday, I was watching Grey's Anatomy, because I still haven't talked myself out of it. The episode included three or four instances in which one of its young, female cast pulled on a long-sleeved T-shirt. (Over the course of the show's run, it's probably up to forty such occasions by now.)
Here's what I noticed: in every case, these women put their shirts on the same way. They shoot each arm all the way down its sleeve, leaving the entire middle of the shirt – from hemline to neck hole – compressed flat across their chests. Then, they yank the back of that arrangement up over their heads, pushing through the neck hole and tugging the rest down toward their waists. They do it this way every time, and once I thought about it, I realized they have for the entire show.
The thing is, I've never done it this way. I always put on a long-sleeved T-shirt just like its shorter-sleeved cousin. Bunch it up, tug the neck hole over my head, then push my arms up under the shirt and out the appropriate sleeves.
Seems to me, their way results in the shoulder of each sleeve being positioned at the top corner of the chest, rotated forward from where it should be. But they do it the same way every time. Is this a girl thing? Is it specific to TV, where they want the starlets' faces and cute midriffs to be obscured for the least amount of time?
"Christi Kruse" — Thu, 12/8/05 4:53pm
As a female, and a regular reader of this blog, I decided to perform a service for all of your readers. I just put on a long-sleeve t-shirt. I did it without thinking, just put it on. I have to report that the "Grey's Anatomy" method was my natural inclination.
I had no cameras on me and do not have a particularly cute midriff, but this was how I did it.
So there you have it, an unscientific microstudy that says, that is just the way us XXers do it.
Bee Boy — Fri, 12/9/05 10:37am
Thanks! Now I'm even more curious. Where do girls learn this? Is this what they teach you while they're showing us how to backhand Julia Roberts?
Joe Mulder — Fri, 12/9/05 11:29am
Remember in fifth grade when all the boys got to go play dodgeball for two hours and all the girls had to stay and watch that filmstrip?
It wasn't about menstruation, it was a how-to about putting on shirts.
[I stole this joke from somebody. Don't remember who]
"Mike" — Fri, 12/9/05 11:49am
Joe's right - One time while playing dodgeball, I told Mr. Ahmann that I had to go to the bathroom. I snuck into Ms. Johnson's room and saw two high school girls showing the 5th graders how to put on their long-sleeve t-shirts. It was a sight to see – except for Yolanda, who kept trying to put her legs through the neck hole.
Also, I do it the Grey's Anatomy way...I hope that doesn't mean I'm gay.
Brandon — Fri, 12/9/05 12:16pm
Also, I do it the Grey's Anatomy way...I hope that doesn't mean I'm gay.
No, but it does mean we're going to have to kidnap and re-program you to put it on the correct male way. This will probably take about 3-4 weeks at a cost of around $13,000 to you. So, you know, give your wife a heads-up.
"the english guy" — Sat, 12/10/05 1:32pm
I put my arms through first, then pull the rest over my head :)