Lauren McGuire sent along a BoingBoing link to this page from a booklet called Hint Hunt (1940s). It advises mothers to “inspire” their sons to tuck in their shirts by sewing (hideously embarrassing) lace along the bottom:
Lauren McGuire sent along a BoingBoing link to this page from a booklet called Hint Hunt (1940s). It advises mothers to “inspire” their sons to tuck in their shirts by sewing (hideously embarrassing) lace along the bottom:
Comments 20
putnamp — November 16, 2010
Laughed hard when I first saw this.
Ben Ostrowsky — November 16, 2010
There are genderless ways to do this, too. Parents in Gainesville, Florida who want to encourage the tucking-in of shirts could sew this ribbon to the bottom: http://www.theteamstore.com/fan-shop-234331.html ...meanwhile, their counterparts in Tallahassee could use this: http://www.creativemerchandisestore.com/servlet/the-4913/Florida-Gators-Grosgrain-Ribbon/Detail
Dino — November 16, 2010
1) I want pretty lace on my shirts, and I hate tucking in, so this would be win-win for me. Sorry mom!
2) Ben, you have the same last name as me.
AK — November 16, 2010
I sort of like the idea that the boy will have a lacy secret tucked inside his pants.
SaintPeter — November 16, 2010
I laughed at this too, but then I go to thinking: If enough mothers did it, it wouldn't take long for a cool kid to rebel and let his "lace hang out" and suddenly it would be the "scarlet letter" for lazy teens. I can see it now, rather than "greasers", we'd have "lacers".
Alll — November 16, 2010
As Jezebel pointed out, this could work against saggy pants if you sewed lace onto the top of boxer shorts.
http://jezebel.com/5679644/how-to-end-the-ever+horrifying-untucked-shirt-trend
sally — November 17, 2010
interestingly... i grew up next to an ostrowsky family
forsythia — November 17, 2010
I'm a bad mom - I never understood the "importance" of tucking in shirts anyway.
naomi — November 17, 2010
Even my 5 year old would simply....just change his shirt
uberrogo — November 18, 2010
It also implies than boys cannot understand the concept of either carefully cutting the thread to the lace attachment or just getting scissors and cutting the bottonm of his shirt off.
Sebastian — December 8, 2010
I would rock that so hard, though honestly I do see untucked shirts as inherently 'sexy', because it makes one look dishevelled--especially if you're wearing a school uniform or formal attire. It isn't so messy-looking with jeans or something.
Seriously though, that's actually a really clever strategy, I think. It reminds me of my ex's mom, who told me stories about how her mother would 'lose' items of her kids' clothing that she found objectionable. Certainly both tactics are passive-aggressive--I'd more likely address with my kid why I think dressing this way or that way is inappropriate.