Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leslie]

Hi,

I know the expression of 'inside out' when we put on our clothes. What I don't know is how you express it when we put on the back in front? Thanks!

Leslie
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Less Is Blessed

[MrPedantic]

Hello Leslie

If you put your V-neck jersey on with the V at the back, you have put it on "back to front".

MrP

[CP]

Leslie,

Usually you would say you put your clothes on backwards. You see people wear baseball caps backwards all the time, and sometimes children wear shrits, skirts, or even pants backwards by mistake or on purpose.

Yours truly, CP

[leslie]

Hi,

Thank you guys. Could you give me example sentences or dialogues how you put it in? Sorry for bothering you, but I want to express it correctly. Thanks again.
_________________
Less Is Blessed

[CP]

In an episode of "The Comeback," a television show on HBO, Valerie's television show was nominated for an Emmy (like an Oscar for TV shows), so she had to get a fancy dress for the red carpet walk and the award show. A famous designer fitted her for a full-length evening gown, and she wore it to the event. She was a little embarrassed because the dress was cut very low in the front, revealing her nearly down to the navel, but it was the only suitable dress she had.

When Valerie got to the red carpet, the dress designer saw her and told her that she had the dress on backward--it was supposed to plunge down the back, but it was actually very modest in the front. She rushed into a restroom to put the dress on correctly, but by the time she had done so, it was time to go inside, so she missed the red carpet walk and the attendant exposure.

Another example: A few years back, a couple of young rappers who called themselves Criss Cross always wore their hats, shirts, sweatshirts, and pants backward. The clothes were all very baggy, so it was easy for them to do, and it set them apart from all the other rappers in baggy clothes.

Yours truly, CP

[MrPedantic]

[leslie]

Wow! Thank you so much for your detailed explanations and examples for me to understand. I'm completely sure of the usage now. I can't thank you enough, CP, and MrPedantic. Have a nice day!!

Leslie
_________________
Less Is Blessed

[MrPedantic]

You're welcome!

(I should have said that "outside-in" is a jocular formation!)

MrP

[CP]

That brings up the question: If it is being correctly worn, is it "inside in" or "outside out"? My grandmother used to say "right side out," but she said a lot of funny things, so I'm not sure if that was just her own argot.

Any thoughts?

CP

[Lorikeet]

I use "rightside out" and "inside out" and "backwards" but I never heard "back to front". (Learn something new every day!)

[KazAV]

Sounds like my husband. He has a tendency to wear or do things inside out, back to front and upside down

Maybe back to front is an English English saying then? I know it's the one I'm used to.

[CP]

Two nations separated by a common language, as George Bernard Shaw is supposed to have said.

[MrPedantic]

I'm reminded of Strong's parody of Hiawatha:

He killed the noble Mudjokivis.
Of the skin he made him mittens,
Made them with the fur side inside,
Made them with the skin side outside.
He, to get the warm side inside,
Put the inside skin side outside.
He, to get the cold side outside,
Put the warm side fur side inside.
That's why he put the fur side inside,
Why he put the skin side outside,
Why he turned them inside outside.

MrP

[leslie]

Hi,

A related question of getting dressed: what do you say when you put the sock on wrong foot? Do you say: you put the right (sock) to left?

Thanks!
_________________
Less Is Blessed

[CP]

You would just say, "You have your sox on wrong" or "on the wrong feet." There is no "inside out" for sox and shoes on the wrong feet.

Yours truly, CP