Pullover conundrum

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When I’m watching a TV show or movie and a character is putting a shirt on they first sort of roll up the shirt and stick their arms through the sleeves and then pull the neck opening over their head. Once I started noticing this, it seemed the predominant method for donning any kind of pullover UNLESS the scene was being played for comic effect (whereupon the character gets the shirt stuck on his or her head and proceeds to stagger around crashing into walls and knocking over lamps). Usually it’s a smooth two-step move though, and the character hardly breaks rhythm. They make it look cool.

This is not how I put on a pullover. First I pull the shirt over my head and then I wrestle into the sleeves. I’d have never given it a thought but for noticing how actors do it onscreen. It made me think there are two distinct schools on the proper way to get into a pullover – and maybe an adult just does what they were taught as a child. (I know my mother had me put the shirt over my head first).

It further occurs to me as I write this that the onscreen method is probably deliberate so that the actor’s head is visible most of the time and he or she can go right on talking. In any event whenever I see someone do the arms-then-head method I think to myself “I should try that” but invariably I forget to and I remember only as I am contorting into the sleeves. And no, I am not so demented as to take the shirt off so I can start over doing it the other way.

So. How you YOU put on a pullover? If you’re not sure feel free to get back to me on this after the next time you put one on. I’ll be here.

15 thoughts on “Pullover conundrum”

    1. writerinsoul Post author

      I like that you asked him! See, now I’m wondering if it’s a gender distinction. I’ve seen more people pull shirts on in movies/TV than I have in real life I think so that’s my “sample.” And I’ve noticed onscreen women doing the arms first but it could be how they’re directed.

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  5. M. Oniker

    Well, as I’m typing this now with a pullover over my nightgown… I put my arms in the body of the sweater, one on each side, sort of stretching it, then I raise my arms over my head, and wiggle my hands into the arms, and as the sweater is descending, it pops over my head, then once my hands are out of the sleeves, I pull the sweater into final position. And only with my glasses off.

    Somewhere a long while ago, I thought I heard/read that males and females take their pullovers off differently. 🙂 There’s another one for you to watch. Thanks for the laugh.

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    1. writerinsoul Post author

      Well now, it sounds like you’ve perfected a system that combines both moves at once! And I think you’re right about the taking-off style too… As I’m visualizing TV/movie scenes I see men pulling it off their head first and women getting out of the arms first.

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