Do You Ever Wear a Bib While Eating?

April 24, 2008

51 Comments

It depends on whether you consider wearing a paper napkin tucked in your shirt collar is the same thing as wearing a bib. When I was growing up, my step dad always made us tuck a paper napkin in our shirt collars during meals, so it became a forced habit that has become hard to break. To me, a bib is more like plastic that is tied around your neck like babies wear. A paper napkin is more of an absorbent paper shield for your shirt and is not the same as a real bib. Seems like when I eat a meal without my napkin tucked around my neck, I always manage to at least get a small stain on my clothes. My shirts and ties are expensive and I hate ruining them so unless I am really offending someone, I typically will tuck my paper in around my collar. I have three boys who are somewhat messy eaters, so tucking their napkins in is not only a must, but a requierment as long as I am paying for their clothing.

saunasuitdude 1 year 5 weeks

i wear a plastic bib every time i eat. i can be messy. I work as a barber and will wear a bib or a vinyl cape from the barber shop since it covers more.

saunasuitdude 1 year 5 weeks

i wear a bib every time i eat. i can be messy at times, so i usually wear a bib. i work as a barber and either wear a plastic bib or a vinyl cape from the barber shop. they both work great.

2 years 7 weeks

I am currently sat a the computer reading these and having a coffee. And yes, I am wearing a bib.

2 years 16 weeks

I got to 40 a bachelor, however I always wnate dto get married and when the oppurtunity came I popped the question and now I am very happliy married, however the morning after we were married my wife made it clear that she would be takng me in hand and there would be no further little boy behaviour. i.e getting food stains on my clothes. She was impressed from te out set of our dating that I dressed smartly, particularly when I wore a suit and tie it made her fell special but she had noticed that I was not veru careful when eating. She decide that now we were married that she would have to take me in hand, consquently at all meals untill she told nme otherwise she would put a bib on me until I learned to be more careful. We have been married severak years now and as I have been promoted I wear a suit and tie everyday and I hav elearned to be more careful although whe eating messy foods at home she still pits a napkin bib on me. When we are out I tuck a napkin in my shirt collar. I am to old to worry about what others may think. The important thing is that I dodo not have food satins on my clothes any more. I have told our baby son (to young to understand yet), but he will get the same treatment as I if he does not shape u and be more careful.

2 years 16 weeks

Bibby, I am one up on you... I wear a bib in bed to stop the 'Sleep dribble' from going on the pillow.

2 years 17 weeks

I always do. My Wife will say 'You need to wear a bib' and tuck the napkin into my shirt collar.After we got married, I got up for work, put my uniform on,went downstairs & my wife had put my breakfast on the table. I sat down and was just starting to eat it when she came in from the kitchen and tucked a napkin into my collar.Since then I have always worn a napkin as a bib at mealtimes.I often wear a bow-tie so I wear one when I eat.My Wife wears bow blouses so I tuck napkins into her collar as well

2 years 27 weeks

I have taken to putting a bib on my husband even if he has a snack. I also make sure that we wear bibs to clean our teeth for obvious reasons. My Husband looks so lovely when I tuck a napkin into his collar and fan it out. I love my Husband wearing a bib and he is the same when he tucks a napkin (After Praying before our meals) into my blouse collar. We look so smart.x

3 years 11 weeks

When I was fifteen I was out with my father and we saw a young couple with a small boy of about seven. He was smartly dressed in a blazer shirt and tie (the way they were dressed suggested they had been to a wedding) The small boy was getting a telling of from his mother for getting ice cream down his tie, my father said it was the parents thought because they should have made sure the boy had a cloth of some sort tucked in his shirt collar because you cannot expect a boy of seven not to make a mess when eating from an ice cream cornet. I turned my attention back to the ice cream sunday my father had bought me as a treat and was about to start eating when I heard him say!, son hav'nt you forgotton something! I looked at my father and said "beg your pardon dad" and he said best tuck the napkin in your shirt collar you will not want to get any of the ice cream sunday down your best clothes (I had on a new shirt and tie and my best suit) (I blushed a bit beacuse I should have known better as a napkin in my collar was normal for me) I did as I was told because I knew that it was the sensible thing to do as I was still a bit careless when eating. I have never forgotten the lesson I learned that day and even now when I am eating messy foods and I have my best clothes on I tuck a napkin in my shirt collar as do my sons. While I am aware that some people particularly ladies consider it to be poor dining etiquette it is a lot more embarassing and offensice to be sitting there with a blob of something on your clothes that you are unable to get off, at the end of the meal the napkin gets removed and you can leave the table looking as smart and presenatble as when you came to it.

bibby1 3 years 12 weeks

fancyme - i totally agree, would love to have my waiter out on my bib for me!, i think bibs should be more acceptable and one should be supplied in restaurants/cafes if u choose to wear one- it should be put on you too as a complete service! maybe the waiter could then feed me too, but then i am lazy! what do u guys think?

3 years 16 weeks

I agree with the above statement. I have recently bought some hairdressing capes to use as bibs instead of napkins. It's lovely to fasten the massive bib around your neck and let it drape nicely over your clothes. Restaurants with huge napkins are good as well because they tie nicely as a bib. I am wearing one now which is covering my Blouse with has a bow tie at the neck. My Husband is also wearing one to cover his dress shirt and bow tie.

3 years 18 weeks

I frequently tuck a napkin in my shirt collar when eating both at home and when dining out. Showing respect for your clothes is something my father taught me at an early age and I have always tried to do that. When you have on a smart suit, good quality shirt and a silk tie the last thing you want to do is get something down them (even the best detergents or dry cleaners will not remove some stains)In my experience people rarely take any notice, if they do they will put it down to you being a bit eccentric, off course it helps that I am past fifty but I have always done it when there has been a need (white shirts and silk ties are a magnet for pasta sauce and soup)My wife has got used to it and understands that it is less embarrassing for me than making a mess and besides we are talking spots here not large drops of food, I am just a bit careless that's all.

3 years 19 weeks

Further to my post above. Its great when you go into a fast food chain and tuck a serviette into your collar to wear as a bib. You get some strange looks but at the end of the day, it is your decision and nobody else's. BIBS RULE..........

3 years 19 weeks

I don't think there is any problem wearing bibs. My Husband and I also wear them whenever we have meals. We both wear posh clothes. I wear blouses with a bow and I make sure my Husband wears a bow-tie to go out even just to go shopping so wearing a bib is second nature to us.We like to look immaculate. We pray to the Lord Jesus before a meal and before I put the bib on husband I then put mine on.Our Kids have also adopted the same thing. We like using linen napkins as they are bigger and hang nicely from your collar. I think more people should be encouraged to wear a bib at mealtimes wherever they are.

4 years 1 week

Some of the answers seem a bit weird to me although the idea of wearing a bib is nonetheless a great idea. My sister bought a huge box of disposable plastic lobster bibs from Costco for me since she knows I'm a clumsy eater and I've been a happy camper every time I eat since I know my clothes will remain stain free and pristine. I am officially "pro-bib" and it would be nice if every restaurant provided them. Until then, I have to always BYOB (bring your own bib).

4 years 3 weeks

i really need to wear a bib while eat. i always get food all over me

4 years 3 weeks

i will wear a bib sometimes while eat but very often

4 years 3 weeks

i will wear a bib sometimes while eat but very often

fancyme 4 years 37 weeks

Like bibby, I enjoy wearing a bib while eating and find that it relaxes me. A plastic bib is the best since any mess can be wiped off. I usually wear a Whinnie the Poo toddlers bib with the strings for the arms cut off. The bib then covers my entire front. I too, often wear the bib in a restaurant. The waitress usually laughs at me. I eat breakfast often in a particular restaurant and the waitress ties the bib on me as soon as I sit down. I'm a little crazy but have dun wearing my bib.

bibby 4 years 40 weeks

i wear a bib all the time, i am 44 and i sit and wear bibs all the time. I have done since i was little. most of the time i put my bib on for my tea and leave it on all night! in fact i am wearing one now and i haven't eaten yet. i don't always use a bib, i sometimes use a towel, depends what i am eating. my husband is fine with and sometimes puts the bib on for me. I have worn bibs in restaurants and even at work. it's nothing to be ashamed off! i just love wearing bibs!

Tom W 4 years 43 weeks

I have three messy boys ages 10, 12, and 14. All three are required to wear their napkin tucked in their collars during meals because all three manage to get food stains on their shirts. It is really no big deal. Paper napkins are there for a reason, to prevent ruining your clothes. Spaghetti sauce looks better on the paper napkin than it does your shirt or tie. When I was in high school, our ROTC instructor insisted we wear our napkins tucked in around our necks or we would get in so much trouble not to mention demerits. He did not allow us to get anything on our uniforms.

helenh 4 years 44 weeks

Bibs look stupid. That being said, it seems that no matter HOW careful I am -- if I am eating anything (pasta, for instance) with red sauce in it, it never fails -- I have been known to move the fork too fast or innocently knock my elbow on the table or something, and the teensiest splatters will go all over my blouse, or an unfortunate big blob of whatever. And even if the stain may be the size of pindots -- *I* can see them. And it takes forever to get all those teeny spots when I go to wash it by hand. Or, something greasy will fall on my blouse, and it takes forever and a day to get it out of my blouse that evening. Therefore, I have decided that looking stupid for one hour during lunch, beats looking stupid for the rest of the day and possibly into evening if I don't get a chance to change.