One of the biggest disagreements my wife and I have is over what to do with the security tags that seem (or seam) to be working their way into the clothing we buy. The debate: cut them off and set them free, or keep them on and keep them close.

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out just about anything from Old Navy, Gap, Ann Taylor and many other retailers that use these things. They’re little tags (usually a very flat square or a long rectangle) that are actually stitched into the fabric. They’re used either for security and/or inventory purposes.

You might even be wearing something with them on it right now! (Note: if you’re in a public place, you might not want to check until you get home … your call)

Personally, I choose to cut them off. They’re not part of the designer’s intent for the clothing. They affect the balance of the clothes. They’re less aerodynamic. But mostly, they poke you! And because they’re usually in the lower-left seam (under your arm, straight down to the bottom of the shirt), they’re in a perfect spot to really be anoying.

My wife, on the other hand, feels that they should stay. They are part of the overall outfit that she purchased and it should stay intact. So she just “deals” with them. Besides, over time (read: several washings) they either get softer, change shape and become more anoying, or break through the fabric (in some cases) and then you have a little piece of plastic stabbing you as if to say “Hey, remember me? That’s right, when you bought me, I was the thing keeping someone from stealing this fancy shirt to which I am affixed. … You’re welcome.”

As you can imagine, its caused quite the debate. And any time my wife and I have a “debate” I always do the same things:
1. Use “I feel” statements
2. Ask an objective 3rd party
3. Give up. Possibly blog about it.

Step 1:
“Honey, I FEEL like I’m being stabbed by a Keebler Elf each time I wear this shirt if I don’t take off the tag … and I FEEL that we should make it a practice to remove these things prior to their first use.”

Step 2:
I consulted with two friends (one dude, one chicka). After looking at me like I was crazy (I’ve gotten used to that) I got a reaction like I was bringing something to their attention that just didn’t register on the “things in my life that are important” scale for them. (Sidebar: a few days later, I got an email from one of them saying that the irony was that she was wearing something that still had the tag on it while we were talking about it and didn’t know.)

Step 3:
Done.