Excuse me, your fly's open
By SaintAnne
@SaintAnne (5453)
United States
August 31, 2008 3:17pm CST
I'm the type of person who tells friends or family if they have something stuck in their teeth, nose or face. I tell them this because I, myself, would like to be told rather than go around and embarrass myself even more. A friend took the bus and noticed a lot of people giving her odd looks and she finally realized she had her blouse inside out. A cousin was walking around a mall and some stranger started smiling at her and she thought she knew this person but can't place her. Finally, the stranger approached her and told her her zipper was open. In high school, a teacher started our class with her bangs still wrapped in curlers until a student pointed it out to her.
So are you like me? Do you tell your friends/family? What about strangers or acquaintances? Would you want to have others tell you if this happened to you? The only thing that I don't do is tell a male stranger that their zipper's open because then they would wonder why I was looking at that spot in the first place.
4 people like this
10 responses
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
31 Aug 08
YES, I ALWAYS tell them just for the same reason you quoted...i want them to tell me!!! I worked with 8 girls who wouldn't say anything for fear of hurting your feelings. I tried telling them it hurt my feelings MORE to let it go instead of telling me. Finally one got to where she'd sneak in my office & whisper it to me. I didn't care as long as she told me!!! 
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
31 Aug 08
At least she told you. To me, people telling me I got something in my face is a sign that they care enough to tell me. And of course, we have to do this in a discreet and least embarrassing manner.
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Oh me. She probably felt that she would be way out of line if she told you. But even if it took 5 years, at least she finally told you.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
1 Sep 08
I will definitely tell my friends and family if something like this were to happen. As for strangers? I think I would yes. I honestly can't recall an opportunity that confirms if this would be the case or not but I think that if I saw a complete stranger with their zipper open or something like that I would discreetly point it out.
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
1 Sep 08
Regarding zippers, I won't hesitate to tell a female stranger if her zipper's open but with a guy I don't know. Thanks for posting!
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
1 Sep 08
Well, a friend just recently told me I've got good observational skills.
@myfanwy65 (1030)
• United States
1 Sep 08
I would much rather be embarassed for a few minutes than realize I had been doing something like that all day. It would be horrifying to know that I had had my shirt on inside out all day or been walking around with my zipper open that long. I always tell people if I know them. But, if I don't, I don't tell them. I guess I should. LOL
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
1 Sep 08
I am very much paranoid about the zipper. Every time I used the ladies room, I have to check more than three times if I'm decent to go out into the world. And even when I'm already out there, I still take time to check if I'm zipped up.
@hellcowboy (7374)
• United States
1 Sep 08
I can honestly say that I am usually like you if I notice something about one of my friends I will tell them because I do not want them to embarrass themselves because I would hope that if I had something in my nose or my teeth they would tell me so I would not embarrass myself because I feel that that is one of the things friends are for,so that way they keep each other from getting embarrassed.
1 person likes this
@hellcowboy (7374)
• United States
2 Sep 08
You are very welcome my friend and I was happy to remind you,and that is cool that you and your boyfriend use each other as a mirror when you are out eating somewhere, have a great day,good luck in your life,and Happy Posting.
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
1 Sep 08
Thanks Cowboy for reminding me that friends can also be our mirrors. I often use Boyfriend as my mirror after eating out together. I smile at him and he tells me if I'm clean or not. I do the same for him, whether he likes it or not.
1 person likes this
@3cardmonte (5098)
•
1 Sep 08
ha! Yeah i tell people because i too would like to be told, i went round the town the other day and people kept smiling at me and i was like "wowi've pulled" and i went into a shop and the girl behind the counter told me i had a twig in my hair!1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
1 Sep 08
Nice of that shopgirl to tell you. The other people probably thought the twig was an accessory.
@susanspeaks (7)
• United States
31 Aug 08
I would tell someone if something wasn't right because I would want someone to tell me especially if it was something that was going to embarrass me, I think epple today for the most part don't care enough about other people to care if they got embarrassed or not but I think NOT to tell someone is wrong is cruel.
People are mean and they don't care enough to make the effort to save somene a little humiliation.
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Thanks susanspeaks. I'm still thinking whether I would react differently if some stranger tells me something's up my nose. I might get defensive and say it's there for a reason. But I think I would be a little embarrassed but thankful that he/she pointed it out to me. I think some people also opt to not tell others because they worry they might either offend/upset/hurt that person. Thanks for posting!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Rfl, sometimes I wonder if people do not have mirrors by the door to check themselves going out. I have done that bit with the blouse inside-out before, and was saved by the mirror! But my favorite T is made on purpose with the seams on the outside as part of the design. It is so comfy and chic.
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Uh, my friend did it again when she went to the airport. I advised her to invest in a body-length mirror or take more time in getting ready to go out.
1 person likes this
@sutanhartanto (4122)
• Indonesia
31 Aug 08
hi saintanne,
that's so kind of you to always tell someone if he/she have something 'wrong' with him/her. i also usually do that. but there are times when i prefer not to tell them, pretending that everything is all right. it's usually because if i tell them what's wrong, he/she won't be able to fix it soon. suppose my friend have an unpleasant body odor, i prefer pretending that everything is alright.
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Thanks for the post.
Just kidding, I replied to your "thanks for responding" discussion and I couldn't help it.
When and how we tell our friends is at our discretion. Every incident is different so we have to figure it out ourselves how to tell them without embarrassing them even more.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
1 Sep 08
Hey anne, I'm not sure. It would depend on what was open
or wrong and if I thought that the person should know
or if they were approachable. I really can't say. It
would have to depend on the situation. I probably would
say something. I think I have done so in the past, but
I can't think of a situation in particular at this moment.
I am pretty outspoken and friendly so I can definitely
see myself going up to someone and trying to "save the day"
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
1 Sep 08
The line "what was open or wrong" had me smiling. Thanks for the post and I also agree that a lot of our reactions do depend on that one unique situation.
@jde005 (64)
• United States
1 Sep 08
Yes I always tell them but I try to do it in a sly way for the simple fact that Im not sure if it's something that would they would be embarrassed about. But just as everyone else has said I would like to know if it were me so like the old saying says 'treat others as you wish to be treated'.
1 person likes this
