What's the dumbest piece of clothing ever invented?

The split up the back is so we can sit down with all the buttons done up at the front (although why anyone wants to fasten all the buttons is beyond me). There are some jackets with a double-split-and-flap arrangement also. Possibly also so a man wearing a long jacket (in the army or navy in olden times) could fasten all the buttons and still wield a sword and jump around in a fight etc without having his movement restricted by the jacket around the top of his legs.

The buttons on the sleeves are also a historical thing, from the 1700s I believe. The story goes that new officers in the Royal Navy (ensigns) were always wiping their noses on their jacket sleeves whilst out on ship in the middle of winter (some were as young as 14 so I'll let them off with that), and some ingenious Admiral decided to have a row of buttons sewn onto the end of the sleeves to stop them from doing this. Since then the buttons have moved around a bit so it is now possible to wipe your nose on the sleeves, if you were that way inclined...

As for why we wear suits, I don't really know. It certainly makes getting dressed for the office easier as I only have to pick a random shirt & random tie. I like them anyway. They have loads of pockets, and I've found I get slightly better service in shops when wearing a suit.

At the other end of the spectrum, as a single man in his 20s, I vote for the front-fastening brassiere as the smartest piece of women's clothing. They should be made standard fitting on all bra's....

One should only have to wear suits for weddings, funerals and court.

Thanks for all that info Grand Duke. All of a sudden, men's suits don't seem so dumb after all.

And as a female, I agree about the front fastening bra. Whoever decided they should be done up at the back wasn't thinking right at all. I don't know about anyone else, but I always do mine up at the front and then turn it around to the back to finish the procedure.

One upon a time, when men were men and suits were elegant, the sleeves on the suit jacket could be unbuttoned, just like the ones on shirts. Don't know when the tradition of "stitched" sleeves started, but the buttons are remenant of the glorious days when you could unbutton yr suit jacket sleeve to properly adjust yr cuffs.

One of my suits has this, and believe me, it makes a big difference !!!

I love wearing suits, just that cant be bothered every morning to put one on - they are time consuming garments to put on.

Not so sure abt the front fastening bra

G - I'm doing some research about this business with the sleeve buttons. Early indications are that you are correct (in fact the whole cuff of the jacket was detachable), but I now want to know why I heard that about the snotty noses. I'll post back once I know more...

First of all...thongs are one of the greatest things ever invented.

My vote for dumbest clothing goes to "Skidz." Especially the overalls. Although I used to wear them, as a young buck.
Reminds me of one night in a bar earlier this year, some chick was wearing the ugliest plaid pants I think I've ever seen. I walked up to her and asked her if they were Skidz(of course I knew they weren't). Man was she pissed.

Thanks, Gautam. I'd always taken the nose wiping story as fact too.

Dunno whether it is true or not - but this piece of information was imparted by my tailor !!!

I heard that about the noses on a BBC daytime TV programme "What's In A Word?" (one of those 15 min ones that they use to fill the gaps between the proper programmes).

Those four or six inch platform shoes. I've seen coeds literally fall off them running to make a class on time.

I'd like to know [Slappy] if you wear thongs ... and be honest!

Like I'm going to give in to your sick perversions.

Yes.

LIAR!

Ok, only while on the stripping job.

Speaking of which, unless one is a stripper, tear-away pants are a truly dumb thing to wear in public.

I've had an unfortunate experience with front-opening bras.

I'm a tennis player, and reasonably endowed, so look for comfortable, supportive sports bras. I found one with a front fastening, thought it was a good idea, and bought it.

I wore it for the first time in a competition match - it was comfortable enough and held on OK. I lined up my signature killer forehand, and....sproinggggg! The clips came undone, the straps flew back, pinning my shoulders back, and I was stuck.

Can't hit the ball. Competition match, so I can't leave the court. Opposition, with front view, are in hysterics. My partner at the front of the court isn't aware of the problem, but angry that I missed a bread and butter shot. Had to stay on court, discretely remove the bra - (and believe me, this was not possible - there were spectators by this time ) and drop it in the corner, and play on.

This left me with no support at all - which could have been dangerous! I amused the onlookers, but lost the game

Certainly not a high point of my tennis history!

Oof, two black eyes Margo?

Hey! I love berets! I can wear them so they keep my head warm, so they block the sun, and they're perfect for bad hair days. ('Course, how am I so late to this topic, was my beret falling down over my eyes again?)

I vote for bras in general as the least comfy and most ridiculous. I hate them.... hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em. <I really do hate them!> And I have been professionally fitted... and I have bras that cost more than Nike tennis shoes. They are ridiculous and if I'm actually doing something that calls for that level of "control," like posting on a horse, or running down the street, then why would I want to have my lungs constricted? Wearing a tight undershirt works much better for that.

I'm also not fond of "slips" but at least they are pretty.

I might concede that berets can look cute on wimmins, but on men it's just too silly....