Spyke
lemmy.world

Came into this thread wondering "who the hell wears belts?". Then saw everyone in here was taking belt wearage as a given. Then looked over at my husband and saw he's wearing a belt.

TIL, all men apparently wear belts and I just never noticed before.

201
Pyrreply
lemmy.ca

Men's pants can be a lot more loose around the waist and we typically have no butt to hold things up.

82
lemmy.world

You know, in my jealousy about the capacious pockets in men's pants, I never thought about how they must weigh the pants down when they're full of keys and wallet and phone and tampons and condoms and stuff. No wonder y'all need belts!

21

Yarp. I have a pair of shorts I wear around the house, no belt no problem. The moment I put anything in a pocket, though? They'll be 'round my knees if I don't watch out!

8

Before I transitioned I used to wear cargo pants. (When presenting male, I didn't give a fuck what I looked like lol). I put so much stuff in those pockets, including a charger for my laptop. My pants were so heavy I had to wear suspenders to hold them up - a belt wouldn't cut it.

3

A lot of jeans don't have a good cut for an athletic man butt that I have built from 30 years of sports, mostly hockey. I end up tearing out the crotch on all my pants because I can't find the right cut.

9

Reporting in with a similar problem. In my case, the crotch gets worn out because I have THICC footballer (soccer) thighs

3

I finally started doing squats despite bad knees to make my pants fit better.

Man I miss my high school ass, it was glorious.

3
lemmy.one

You have probably noticed but never appreciated that men don't usually have big hips to keep our pants up (or more specifically our waists and hips tend to be very close to the same size). Some men do, but even well fitting pants slide down on me without a belt. My wife is always amazed when we take our measurements and the hip to waist ratio is so wildly different. She's like "I knew women's hips were bigger but Jesus Christ".

53
lemmy.world

I mean I'm trans and even though I have massive hips to keep my pants on, wearing a belt still helps me pass better since they're so ubiquitous

21
200okreply
lemmy.world

That's fascinating! Especially given thread-OP's comment.

Are there any other fashion-related things you've noticed like that?

5
lemmy.world

I'd say the main other thing I've noticed would be angular, (like a sharper rectangle) smaller glasses, since they sit in front of your browline and (I think) make it more pronounced, at least at a glance.

3

That's purposeful I think. The difference between men and women's glasses is fairly subtle, but I have definitely noticed that men's glasses lend a more masculine look to someone and women's glasses lend a more feminine look to someone.

3

Also the buttons and zippers on pants that aren't jeans are usually kinda flimsy, so the belt gives an extra layer of security ._.

12
lemmy.world

Not just men, I’m a woman and I wear a belt regularly. It keeps my pants from drooping because I’m thin with wide hips.

25
TeaHandsreply
lemmy.world

Possibly my love of high waisted everything has helped me avoid that particular pitfall. This is a whole new world :D

9

Ah yeah that’ll do it. I love mid waisted jeans. And a belt has the perk of looking great with them as well as keeping them on

8
WarmSodareply
lemm.ee

What'll really blow your mind is look to see if the belt color matches his shoes.

14

It's just one of those things. You never think about it. But we do it.

1

3 years ago I didn't wear any Then I did for work for like a week

I where one every single day now, it makes me feel Soo well in my clothes

10

massive phone, wallet, keys, car keys, airpods, tape measure; all kinds of stuff on the pockets, need a belt to hold the pants up

9
d3Xt3rreply
lemmy.world

all men apparently wear belts

Not me. I used to wear them once upon a time, but I learnt to just buy better fitting pants, or get them altered at the tailors so they fit well.

8
midwest.social

Something I accidentally did for myself as an adolescent is get a tailor. I cannot recommend enough!

Your clothes look nicer, but they also last a lot longer when they're altered to work with your body instead of against it.

4
midwest.social

It varies. You can find some very affordable tailors that do really good work. It depends a lot on what you want done. Take in a shirt? Maybe $30. Tons of alterations on a suit jacket? Could be $150+. It really depends.

I've found that a good tailor is worth every penny, though. I have many 20 year old clothing items that still look good and aren't overly worn because they fit well.

2
Sotuandusoreply
lemm.ee

Alright, so probably not for me, as the only upper body wear I like is plain red t-shirts, which come pretty cheap anyways.

1

Yeah, I don't think t-shirts are necessarily bigtime tailoring candidates, but pretty much all pants are!

I currently have a brand of OTR pants that fit me nicely, so I don't have every single pair of pants I buy tailored. But the difference is noticeable when I do have a pair done. I like Levis 514 jeans, but they're cut for wider hips than I posess. A little take-in and maybe a different hem length drastically changes the way I look in jeans. It adds a tidiness that makes them more versatile.

2
m15otwreply
feddit.uk

Hell, half the trousers I buy come with a belt. (It's a problem for vegan trouser-customers actually, as many of the free belts are crappy cheap leather, meaning you can't buy the otherwise cruelty free trousers.)

7
Jeearrreply
lemmy.world

Gotta be prepared with a tourniquet just in case!

Plus, most of us have flat grandpa asses that can't hold our pants up naturally.

5

I remember seeing a post shooting interview with a victim and he was wishing that he wore multiple belts because he could have saved more people. It's kind of sad I couldn't find the video though... Too many shootings.

1

Katy : You guys going to be wearing belts? Wayne : Hard no. Dan : Why donts yous guys wears belts? Wayne : Because we buy pants that fucking fit.

5

The belts keep the pants up, the pant loops let the belt up. Who is the real hero?

2
Knightfallreply
lemmy.ca

This reminds me, I need to go see if Lemmy has a Thanks I Hate It (TIHI) community yet.

39

This assumes they use the toilet when out of their home. I sure as hell don't.

3
lemmy.world

You never wash your belt? I bet you never wash the poop-knife either.

Sheesh.

134

It goes way back. That one must be at least 8 years old.

Let’s see… according to Know Your Meme it’s from 2011. You’re probably better off not reading about it.

5
Tea. ☕reply
vlemmy.net

Hopefully I never have to see or hear "poop-kinives" ever again.

12

I was expecting some rando to comment on this with his fediverse username related to something poop-knify. Might still happen.

4

Unfortunately it's become part of internet lore, I think it will last a long time as a reference or old in-joke. Luckily Lemmy is also giving us new ones, like beans or the 3-day no-poop challenge.

1

Tip: Just like on old Reddit, you have to use two spaces after a line to get a proper line break.
View the source on this comment if you need an example.

2

wtf are you doing with your poop knife to enjoy it? Poop knifing should be all business, sir.

13
Metansreply
lemmy.world

It's fine, the poop-knife gets wiped off when I start cutting up my food

12

I have a family member that had to use a poop knife growing up and I always wondered if that story was him....

2
lemmy.world

If you wash your belt you lose all your jiu-jitsu knowledge and have to start from white again. Everyone knows this.

58

I don't know who started this idea but I want to find them and wrap their smelly ass belt around their face.

The sport is gross enough without people dragging their MRSA strips all over the mats.

2
lemmy.world

Wash your hands in the bathroom, nobody bats an eye.

Scrub down your belt buckle in the sink and people lose their minds!

55
HikingVetreply
lemmy.sdf.org

If someone gets uppity in a bathroom when you are practicing good hygiene, ask them why they don't. And don't let up.

22
calexilreply
lemmy.world

might wanna rethink using the word 'uppity' it has deep-rooted slavery connotations. just fyi.

try ornery/agitated instead

-6

From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uppity:

The adjective uppity is an informal, somewhat old-fashioned word. When used to mean "arrogant" or "presumptuous," it is no more offensive than either of these synonyms. In its meaning of "aspiring to a rank or position higher than one deserves or is entitled to" it is decidedly disparaging, the implication of the word being that the one described does not deserve or is not entitled to rise in standing. Beyond this denotation, however, uppity has a long history of being applied to members of racial minorities and especially to Black people. Its association with such uses, and the bigotry they represent, means that when it is used to describe a member of a racial minority it is likely to be considered especially offensive.

Huh. TIL.

4

As someone with a job involving regular public speaking before some potentially-sensitive audiences, I’m always afraid that some word I use will turn out to have a hurtful impact on people despite being completely innocuous to my ear. Thanks for pointing out another one to add to my “don’t say this word anymore” list! Potentially saved me some awkward conversations.

3
lemmy.world

Here's me running ass naked after pooping to wash my hands before pulling up my pants

50
lemmy.world

Jokes on you, I wash my belt all the time!

...which is definitely not because I leave it on my pants and forget to take it off before I throw them in the laundry.

35

Why can't the TSA ever be there to remind me to remove my belt when I actually need them!?

21
lemmy.world

Leather and steel are anti-microbial. If something does get on it, it won't survive for very long.

32
BoofStrokereply
lemm.ee

Tell that to the mold covered belt I just found in my closet.

17
lemmy.world

Do you live in a retention pond? How on earth does a belt get and stay damp enough to grow mold? How long has it been sitting undisturbed? I didn't know about leather being antimicrobial until just now. Even then, a moldy leather belt just seems wrong lol

27

All my leather jackets, belts, shoes get mouldy if left unused for some time. All you need to do is live in a humid country.. that'll do the trick!

5

Neither of those are true. Some steel and leathers may be treated to make them anti-microbial, but they are generally not

1
lemmy.world

I’ve never even thought about it. I use leather belts and I throw them out after they wear out.

You can’t exactly toss them in the machine.

Now, the belts I’ve had over the years that were made from cloth went in the laundry with everything else.

I don’t know why I never thought about this.

21
Tanktonreply
lemm.ee

You wear out leather belts? I swear I still have the same 3 leather belts I had 15-20 years ago

4
Retixreply
lemmy.world

There's a lot of shitty "leather" belts that look great but fall apart rather quickly. I also tend to go through belts on my work pants, but I work construction and that is hard on the leather

5

Exactly. I have one really expensive belt my uncle gave me that I’ve been wearing since about 2012 and it’s just fine.

I have trashed several Walmart belts in that time.

I have a Dickies belt that has held up pretty well too.

3

And there's always that torn up section on the right hip where the tape measure goes

2

Get some dubbin and treat your leather products with it. They will last longer if they are treated right.

1
lemmy.world

Here is another shower thought. You touch things other ppl who don't wash their hands touch all the time... That is worse in my opinion. Because you can wash your hands before touching anything else (belt included) it isn't as easy to wash your hands everytime on the go. Corona made me very aware of this

28
node815reply
lemmy.world

Not sure if I am the only one, but ever since the pandemic, even if I step outside to get the mail up about 500' away , I just have to wash my hands immediately when I come in. Go to the store? I just feel really gross after. It's surreal. I guess I've become a bit OCD as a result.

12
cornbreadreply
lemm.ee

I’ve just always been this way. I will catch myself going to wash my hands going from room to room in my house sometimes, but even I think that’s weird when I realize I’m doing it. I unapologetically wash my hands after handling anything like mail or packages as well. Might be slightly OCD in that regard. On the plus side, I didn’t get COVID until a few months ago for the first time.

4

Y'all are correct to wash your hands after touching mail and packages. I'm a mailman, and if I don't wear gloves, I have to scrub my hands a few times to make them even visibly clean at the end of the day. That, and I've totally seen other mailmen leaving the bathroom without washing (mostly older white men).

5
lemmy.world

You touch money all the time. Money is filthy, There's a 100% chance you've held a $1 bill that was in a strippers ass-crack at some point. Same goes for being used for blow.

10
lemm.ee

Not sure where you are (lots of places use $), but it's been many many years since I used cash for anything, and it's probably the same for anyone below retirement age in UK/Europe?

Paying for something in a shop typically means touching your bank card against the payment terminal.

12
Turbofishreply
lemmy.world

I live in Ireland and was fairly slow to adapt to this cashless mularkey but my mind was blown when visiting Germany how many places were cash only.

6

In Canada, many people pay with their phones and smart watches.

Wallets are essentially buy-x-items-get-one-free punch card holders these days.

1

Cash only is common in New York City as well but not so much anywhere else I've been in the US.

1

I’d say that’s probably true for most younger people in the US as well.

There are obviously exceptions though. I like to golf and it’s (unsurprisingly in the US) normal to tip the bag guy at the end of a round that wipes down your clubs and cleans out your cart, so I keep cash on me that I handle somewhat regularly for that. But really that’s the only thing I can think of that I use cash for these days.

I’d assume some people also prefer to use cash when traveling to other countries since (in the US at least), using your debit/credit card in a foreign country can accrue significant fees.

2

Cash in the U.S. is the only way to pay for a certain plant which is legal in some states but still illegal federally for some stupid reason.

2

Only place I use cash for is the Fish and Chip shop. They did have contactless during covid, but the transaction fees from the bank are a big % if most of your custom is small orders, so they bite those for online orders and it's cash only in the shop.

1
ajareply

I don’t know how true it is but here in the UK they say the majority of banknotes in circulation have traces of cocaine on them

3

I think the last time I used actual cash for something was about 4 months ago.

2

I am glad I only use a credit card. Damn that is nasty!

1

The number of men that I see on a regular basis leave the bathroom after going without washing their hands is alarming. I'm almost old enough now to start calling them on it, but not quite.

9
Coelacanthreply
lemmy.world

Oh god the lingering germophobia as a result of the pandemic shining a massive spotlight on surface contamination and spread vectors has completely ruined me.

6
Kumareply
lemmy.world

Same, I went from drinking from friends glass to only do so if I felt "forced" as in it would be weird if I didn't haha And I have a "dirty" hand that can touch things and a "clean" hand that will only touch my stuff that I know is "clean". Corona really ruined me... But ppl still get corona so I don't want to just stop doing this either. My parents were out for a week not long ago because of corona, I am pretty sure I will react the same way and I hate being sick it cost time, boredom and money...

7

Public transport is the real killer for me. It seems bizarre to me now that there was a time I could stand on a bus or train and comfortably just hold the support handrail with a bare hand and not wash it afterwards or anything. These days I avoid them at all costs and still gotta carry disinfectant for mental health purposes.

6

I have some clothes that fit well enough that I don't need a belt in order for them to stay up. I do use a belt for some of my clothes though.

9
sambalreply
lemmy.world

I feel like a belt ruins the appearance of many pants, sometimes you just don't want a belt with your outfit. I like to focus of finding pants with a good fit, and take them to a tailor for some modifications if necessary.

6
JeffCraigreply
lemmy.world

Yeah I'm having a hard time understanding this entire thread. Like... Is everyone here completely baked?

We touch our belts and then we wash our hands. Just like we touch our dicks AND THEN WE WASH OUR HANDS.

y'all are acting like I should be washing my dick too.

7
Deftreply
lemmy.fmhy.ml

i agree. washing a belt is fine but cleaning it all the time after every use sounds very anal.

i work in kitchens half your food is dirtier than that piss belt before it even makes it to a kitchen. y'all know you can't eat chicken and pork undercooked only because of how the animal is kept right? it lives too dirty.

also the fuck you do in the bathroom? are people fisting themselves and spraying piss all over their hands??

3

i work in kitchens half your food is dirtier than that piss belt before it even makes it to a kitchen.

I had a roommate that did food prep for a restaurant. After sharing with me his typical day, I stopped going to restaurants for a while.

3

It's not quite the same, but if I tie my shoes I usually wash my hands if there's opportunity. There's got to be some funk on those things given their proximity to the ground, being in the field of fire at a urinal, etc. Also, after COVID I'm probably a more chronic handwasher than I was prior, particularly before meals.

1
weksareply

If you dress before breakfast: hands > belt > food and whatever else. Unless you also wash your hands after you dress?

1
lemmy.world

You don't clean your belts? 🤢

You don't need to throw it in the washing machine to clean it. That's not the only way to wash clothing, guys. At least hit that shit with a spray on sanitizer like Lysol or something once in a while.

26

Saddle soap for all leather belts and saddle soap then shoe grease for leather work belts/suspenders/boots.

22
lemmy.world

Maybe I'm a weirdo, but my belts are leather and I wipe them down with sanitizing wipes when I get home and take them off, for this exact reason.

24

Eh, its not been hurt by it in years and years of doing it. Granted I dont wear belts every day, and its not like its some premium leather.

4
ezmackreply
lemmy.ml

When i forget to take them off my pants mostly. I don't wear like nice leather belts though I just throw them in and let them clank around

20
ZoopZeZoopreply
lemmy.world

In the washing machine. Then, I throw them out because they are ruined and buy some more.

I don't actually do this, but I imagine that's what the response will be.

9

lol i saw somebody else comment about cleaning their belts with wet wipes, now i wonder why i didn't think of that.

3

Leather cleaner/conditioner and a brush.

6

I have a cloth belt. I throw it in the laundry when I go to wash all the pants.

3

Depends on the material, but with leather I give it a light spray of lysol and then just let it air out. TBH I don't know how effective it is, but I figure it's better than nothing.

1
reddthat.com

Well, as far as I know it hasn't gotten me sick yet.

Thanks for the new fear, though 🙃

20
Sotuandusoreply
lemm.ee

There's not much of a risk of getting sick by your own germs, relatively speaking. I think the primary reason for washing your hands after using the restroom is that it's gross and you want to get it off your hands before having contact with others. That, and you ought to wash your hands for health reasons at some point anyways, so you might as well do it then. So I guess unless you're going to be touching your belt much throughout the day, it should be fine.

Just don't touch anyone else's belt.

4
toasterreply
reddthat.com

Lots of food borne illnesses are spread through poop. I think it's the most common form of food borne illnesses from restaurants, at least it was 8 years ago when I did a servsafe course.

1

Well, you wash your hands before cooking, so don't touch your belt then either.

Also, thanks for the information. I didn't consider that.

1

If your colon has hep A, you have hep A.

1
lemmy.world

You gotta keep your belt clean.

You never know when it's going to be used for a naughty time

17

Back zipper? You're not wearing a kilt and just letting fall out on the street?

5

Pants unbuttoned. Zipper down, belt buckled. Best of all worlds. Belt holds the pants up and you have enough room to really get at it

5

Yes but I have to catch it with my hands otherwise it falls on the floor and cracks the tile.

4
lemmy.world

The people that don’t wash their belts are probably also the people that never wash their winter coat regularly.

16
lemmy.world

You're supposed to wash winter coats?! Next you are going to tell me that you have to wash blue jeans!

20

You're supposed to wash blue jeans?! Next you are going to tell me that you have to wash underwear!

3

I wash my coat from time to time because I consider and have considered it to be part of my wardrobe. For my belt, I suppose I kinda just considered it as an accessory and it never occurred to me to clean it.

7

I think it depends on the belt. Washing some types of belts would absolutely ruin them. But yes, people should absolutely be washing their winter coats!

7

Last time I wore a belt was for a costume party like 10 years ago. Dresses and sweatpants don't thankfully need belts.

14

Can't cover everything. Gotta leave some things up to your immune system.

11

Every time I forgot to wash my hands my dad would hit me with his sticky belt. I miss them old days ...

10

Same concept applies, now you got shit particles running up your whole body. Wouldn't suspenders touch the ground in the bathroom also... shudders

5
lemm.ee

Okay but how often are you touching your belt after you’re done in the bathroom and have washed your hands?

6
lemmy.world

Cowboys do. They got their thumbs in their belts all the time. Maybe that’s why they’re dying out…

5
lemmy.ca

How about the phone? No body washes their phone after pooping.

5
Chrisosaurreply
startrek.website

The phone goes away before the tp gets involved, and doesn’t come out again until I’ve washed my hands. We’re good on that front.

9

It's amazing how interchangeable "you're supposed to" and "nobody actually does" are.

9

Interesting point. I have started not wearing belts, I just choose pants that fit and the shirt is big enough to cover the belt area so nobody notices. And then the belt doesn't get caught on the shirt... and it doesn't get icky. Win win!

4

I always thought about this and sometimes I’m like… wait this belt is actually gross…?

4

Just don't use it for anything else other than keeping your pants up. Definitely no kinky stuff with the everyday belt.

2
lemmy.world

are you pooping on your hands? Why would you be worried about "touching" anything after pooping unless you're getting poop all over your hands.

-5

I know, right! Washing your hands is for the birds, & they're not real, so...yea.

7