Shirt stays

Which type of shirt stays are best? I heard the straight ones tend to snap off often and the stirrup ones are the best since they keep everything in place and tend not to snap off often. Based on experience which type is best?

Snapping shirt stays is half the fun!

I have Y shape ones. Haven't snapped off, two clips on the shirt, then I usually twist the bottom one around the back of my calf to the front for even tighter fit

Well, back in my day, we used staple guns, hot glue, and tar to paste our shirt tails in -- and we loved it.

I've used all kinds. All will snap eventually. My favorites were the 4 individual straps and as mentioned, I would leg wrap them for a tighter fit. They also held up socks -- and some would keep wallets in their socks.

The good news is, you won't have to shave parts of your legs.

LineInTheSand said:

The good news is, you won't have to shave parts of your legs.

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This immediately brought to mind the plebe in my USNA battalion who somehow managed to wear his shirt stays wrong (there's a more sailor-like way to express that). A spot on his leg got rubbed raw, a bad case of cellulitis developed, and he was rushed to NMMC Bethesda, because of worry about MRSA, etc. He sucked it up a bit too hard, and an observant upperclass noticed him favoring that leg and did the right thing.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cellulitis/basics/definition/con-20023471

rocatlin said:

My favorites were the 4 individual straps and as mentioned, I would leg wrap them for a tighter fit. They also held up socks -- and some would keep wallets in their socks.

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I favored the 4 individual straps also with a leg wrap. Back in the day, I never had anything in my trouser pockets - wallet, etc in my socks.

For whatever reason, I just read the above couple of posts about "straps" and "wallets in socks" from an imagined civilian eye view, and I had to laugh. Perfectly normal conversation amongst current and former service members, all in contemplation of how to keep one's shirt smartly taut and tucked, while ensuring socks did their fair share of the tug o' war. I always wondered who created the shirt stay contraption. Some Spartan or Roman sitting around saying, hey, if we attached our socks to our shirts/leather jerkins, we would look SO awesome. Yes, I know, Spartans and Romans were not big socks wearers, but someone dreamed this up, built it and sold it.

Well, there you have it.

Capt MJ said:

For whatever reason, I just read the above couple of posts about "straps" and "wallets in socks" from an imagined civilian eye view, and I had to laugh. Perfectly normal conversation amongst current and former service members, all in contemplation of how to keep one's shirt smartly taut and tucked, while ensuring socks did their fair share of the tug o' war. I always wondered who created the shirt stay contraption. Some Spartan or Roman sitting around saying, hey, if we attached our socks to our shirts/leather jerkins, we would look SO awesome. Yes, I know, Spartans and Romans were not big socks wearers, but someone dreamed this up, built it and sold it.

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You have to understand that pockets have no real purpose in the Marine Corps--hence keeping things in our socks. The shirt stays helped keep those wallets (or cig packs if you smoked) in the socks too.

Many senior female Navy officers get their side seam pants pockets sewed shut in summer whites and khakis, to present a crisper appearance.

Stirrups have always worked for me.

Ah, shirt stays. Remember me mentioning once that DH just looks at me bewildered sometimes when I tell him inside stories? "Yeah, honey, it was this thing you clipped on your shirt, front and back, and then the strap runs down your leg..." <DH eyes widen> "...and then you wrap it around your calf so it keeps your socks up AND your shirt tucked in."
<speechless grunting noises> "But why not just keep your socks pulled up..."
"Motivated, dear."
"What?"
"Motivated. Socks are not pulled up, they're motivated."
<speechless grunting noises> "... and your shirt tucked in?"
Sigh.
"Because when you have to chop everywhere in Mother B and be ready to pop tall from a front leaning rest, your socks lose motivation and your shirt smiles."
...
...
"And was this before or after fashion shows?"
"Ah-ha! Now you're catching on!"

Remember this is a man who teaches military history and researched Lao-tzu's rituals of belonging which included particular ways of dressing. He is not easily flustered. He WAS impressed by the 36 different USNA uniforms, and the day I changed uniforms 7 times during the duty day, although I feel certain that someone could top that.

Capt MJ said:

because of worry about MRSA,

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Ack... Don't get me going on MRSA. I am injury tough, never batted and eye when 1st son was in Auto accident, But scared stiff of MRSA. had one son in Children's hospital for 7 Days for infection in leg from a scratched Knee. Was seen by 3 Heads of departments and the Head of Pediatrics operated on a Saturday....They never mentioned it, but I knew they didn't call head of Pediatrics in on Saturday for routine surgery! Just missed the Bone, Due to their quick intervention, also was able to Avoid Pic antibiotics. Alls well that ends well!

Never underestimate MRSA.