I have to get this burning issue off my chest, for you see, it concerns the chests of others.
I’m sure you’ve all been in this situation: you go to a conference or something where everyone is wearing name tags. So instead of asking someone’s name, you look at the name tag, which is normally pinned to the chest, correct? And this is true for both men and women, thus creating a dilemma for the men: how to read a woman’s name tag without it looking as though you’re staring at her, erm, chest assets.
How to deal with this dilemma?
Option #1: Look her in the eyes the whole time. I mean, it’s not as though her name is important, right? (Heh.) But hang on here; what if it is? Shouldn’t you be addressing her by name in any case? You will look awfully stupid not knowing her name when she’s wearing a freaking name tag!
Option #2: Make it obvious what you are doing. As in: “Hi there …” *looks down* “Sandra. Nice, er, name you’ve got there.” Not sure I like this option either. Too stupid, too awkward. Not the best first impression.
Option #3: Just look as quickly as possible and hope noone notices. They will notice, though; you know they will.
But then I realise something. I had assumed that this conundrum simply hadn’t occurred to most women. What if that isn’t true? What if this is by design? Do the women concerned want you to learn their name and gain an appreciation for their *cough* figure at the same time?
I want your opinions. All of you. Now.
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June 21, 2007 at 11:46 am
benjamin
What about guys? Is it fair to say that maybe women are checking out guys chests when they read their name tags?
Anyhow, I pretty much always go for option 2. It may be awkward, but I don’t know how meeting someone with a nametag can not be at least a little awkward.
I think the clothes a woman is wearing will probably tell you a little bit about whether or not they want you to notice certain things. If they have some way low cut top and the sticker is just hovering around that area, then it could be that noticing is what is wanted. But how much noticing is wanted? Is it preferred that you act like you aren’t noticing when you actually are?
Man, people are crazy.
June 21, 2007 at 3:52 pm
markk
I go for option 2 more often than not; you do have to know the name, after all.
But I think the male equivalent would be wearing it on your butt, rather than your chest.
June 21, 2007 at 9:09 pm
SaRz
Slogans are worse…takes more time to read it all!
That’s all I wish to say on the matter :p
June 22, 2007 at 7:51 am
themolk
If I am going to talk to someone in a name tag environment, I try to view their name tag as I walk up - the distance can mean they don’t think I am checking them out, as I could be looking at the chihuahua behind her.
Chest tags and name stickers are easy like that. The tough ones are the lanyard/conference name tags, which are inevitably turned the wrong way around and ladies with overly-adequate chest bumps end up having it hang at chest height. The “lesser” ones (no offence intended) end up having it hang somewhere much closer to a lesser-appropriate area to stare at… and then this whole problem starts again.
I’m with SaRz - logos and slogans on shorts can be even harder to read without seeming like you are staring.
Even with name tags, I find the easiest approach often is to walk up - look them straight in the eye, hand out and start with “Hi - my name’s Steve…”. As long as they shake my hand I don’t end up looking like I am gonna feel them on the butt… oh crap… another problem…
June 22, 2007 at 10:35 am
Pete Aldin
I’m with The Molk … I think.
June 22, 2007 at 12:56 pm
markk
Molk, it seems as though you have put a lot of thought into this. Maybe too much?
But yeah. Slogans are the worst for this. I hadn’t thought of that when writing this post, but at least you don’t need to know what the slogan is. Must … resist … reading slogan …
Reading the name tags as you are walking towards them ain’t a perfect strategy, but its better than nothing.
June 22, 2007 at 2:20 pm
themolk
I always try an wear my name tag at such events in an extremely prominent position that is as inappropriate as I have the backbone for at the time… usually quite inappropriate. The sticker ones are the best for that.
I love looking at women as they search for, and finally see my name tag to read my name… “Hello! My eyes are up here!!”.
June 23, 2007 at 4:57 pm
markk
Molk, you are a stirrer!
June 24, 2007 at 12:17 pm
SaRz
Lol, Molk.
Walk up, shake hands, say name. Much better strategy for the self-conscious. Even though you would look rather silly…
“Hi, I’m Sarah.”
“I know. Are you saying I can’t read?”
I, however, do not have this problem of feeling embarrassed by reading name tags, wherever the placement. Seeing as 98.99% of the time I have to look up anyway, nobody notices! XD
June 25, 2007 at 4:47 pm
markk
I think you would have to be a Napoleon Dynamite personality to say “I know. Are you saying I can’t read?” in response to that.
SaRz sees all! (Literally.)
June 25, 2007 at 10:02 pm
ironic1
I read recently that men and women check each other out equally on the whole, but that men are worse at hiding it because of their relative lack of peripheral vision. Don’t know how true that is, but that’s what I read.
I’d still go with option two. Just read the damn tag and get on with it. If it’s a lovely tag you may want to refer to it often. You may even want to comment on the size and firmness of her tag. Then again, maybe not.
Oh, and when you get tired of putting your name on your nametag, let me suggest this.
June 25, 2007 at 10:46 pm
markk
I’ve heard that women check out men more than men check out women, simply because they can get away with it, for the same reason.
Liked that link. Princess Bride was a classic.
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