*Hazmat Training Required*

   I bought shirts for my son this morning because he’ll be going to a high school where he is required to dress every day in dress shirt, dress pants and tie.  That means a lot of IRONING among other things, and since we all live in jeans and t-shirts around here, it’s a new thing on my list and I’m not feeling the love.

   Is it me, or is the packaging of those shirts UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS?!   I mean.. it’s starts out innocently enough…

   And then you get the thing home.
Right out of the gate you have to unbutton the ribbon-wrap-around.  Not sure what it’s purpose is other than to advertise the fact that it’s NON-IRON. 
You’ve got the price tag that needs to be cut off with a scissor. You can’t pull it off with your bare hands because the nylon that string is made out of will slice your finger deeper than the famous crevices of Venezuela if you’re not careful.     Don’t ask.
 
 Then there’s the plastic button protector on the top button…
yeah, THAT thing…
and the square tab at the back of the neck that announces the size…
(Umm.. the inside tag just inches away does the same thing….kinda redundant, just sayin)
Let us not forget to remove the cardboard collar AROUND the collar…
or those little tabs that keep the points pointy.. (are you kidding me?) …
There’s a cardboard “back” along with tissue paper for extra ..what?… protection? Cushion? For WHO? The SHIRT??  And that little recycle symbol should be a Hazmat sign…
…for the next obstacles you come across…
…are the @$#!%  PINS
Lots of them, and not always the same amount.
It changes from shirt to shirt!
So how do you KNOW if you GOT THEM ALL???
Here’s the carnage from just one shirt.
And the irony in all this packaging for protection
of the fine no-iron garment…
 Is that they still need ironing.
Now there’s irony for ya.
You know… my wedding dress didn’t get all the fanfare of this one $49. dress shirt. 
No… my wedding dress was handed to me on a hanger with a plastic drape over it,
 no dis-assembly required.
*sigh*
It’s a man’s world after all.

12 thoughts on “*Hazmat Training Required*”

  1. Great Rant! These look just like Davis and Walter's shirts. You'd get a little less packaging (but not much) if you ordered from Lands End.

    How about photos of your wedding dress (with you in it) for your next post?

    Vickie

  2. It is so true that they put way too much stuff in those shirts. Look at all the wasted paper and plastic and pin pricked fingers, too. I hate when my husband gets new shirts and takes them all a apart and leaves the pile of stuff for me to clean up.

  3. Why can't they just put the stinkin' shirts on hangers like in the womens' department?? Sheesh. Men's dress slacks for office wear are just as bad!

    Ya, I'm with Vickie… let's see the wedding dress with you in it.

    Di

  4. As you remove all of that stuff!, just think someone had to put all of that stuff on the shirt by hand. Job security for someone:) Still, why do they do all of that just to make sure all of the shirts, no matter the size, fit on the same size shelves?
    Buy a steamer, like they use in boutiques…will save you so much ironing!
    Wedding picture, please!

  5. I totally agree with you on this rant! Fortunately, since my husband has retired…we haven't put dress clothes on in well….probably over a year!! There's that to look forward to!!

  6. Over-packaging … Under-statement!
    When asked what would be torture for me, I'd have to say that it would be "ironing in a laundromat". Enjoyed your post, but with my sympathy. Happy ironing!

  7. My hubbins wears dress clothes to work and I HATE when we get him new dress shirts. Waaaaaay more high maintenance then anything I buy!

  9. I work at a private school where the boys must wear khaki slacks, a certain color choice of shirts and a nice tie. My sons both went there and I will honestly tell you that there was hardly any ironing. I don't know why and they always looked nice. But the packaging? It's just insane.

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