Spectacles,-Testicles,-Watch-&-Wallet

Spectacles, Testicles, Watch & Wallet

[It’s History & Meaning]

“Spectacles, testicles, wallet, and watch.” If you’re like any other man to exist since the 1700s, this adage likely rings a bell. But, believe it or not, the saying has a second side to it than merely being a catchy rhyme that helps you remember all your necessities before heading out the door each morning.

The popularized motions that come alongside the saying are an interesting consideration, reflecting a “cross” shape that deeply corresponds to Christianity. The 90s favorite Nuns on the Run isn’t the only comedic depiction of the adage; even Austin Powers offers a bit of humor around the expression. The Sign of the Cross, however, is a sincere ritual that is no laughing matter. So, how did the saying ever connect with the Sign of the Cross?

To give you some insight into the well-known phrase, let’s look at the historical evidence that seemingly combined the religious practice with the humorous saying, to begin with. 

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Fashion: The Primary Culprit

Fashion has had a broad, colorful history. Throughout the years, men’s fashion has changed significantly. Times have changed since its initial debut. Dating back to when the popular saying came to light, style preferences were far from what we typically see today. Men wore suits and formalwear most of the time. And, the accessories they carried along for the ride every day were certainly different than our current necessities—the modern saying might fall more along the lines of, “contacts, testicles, wallet, and phone.”

That said, fashion played a considerable role in where a man held his things in proportion to his body. And, although we don’t follow the same customs in modern society, a man’s accessory placement inadvertently corresponded to the “cross” shape, which ultimately related the two. 

All items had their place, so let’s dive into each one to better understand the expression’s relationship to the Christian ritual.

The ‘Spectacles’

Spectacles run the game, marking the opening of the ritualistic phrase/saying. Before the modern era of Lasik and contact lenses, glasses were the only solution to a lack of eyesight. Since glasses generally rest on the bridge of a nose or gently on the top of a head, it only makes sense that the symbol for “spectacles” is a hand gesture pointing to the eyes or forehead. 

To run alongside this article, we’re also going to provide some additional links to help you discover the best places to discover the very best, in this case, spectacles/glasses, if you’re looking to update your look and find new appeal with a basis on independent brands. 

Our top website for discovering the very best independent wallet brands has to be Just My Glasses. This website has a hard stance against mass-produced eyewear and showcases some of the very best small glasses brands from across the world.

The ‘Testicles’

Directly following the “spectacles” movement, a man’s, well, manhood takes its place as the. Fortunately, testicles haven’t changed over time as the fashion industry has. In the past, however, testicles have always been an obvious sign of patriarchy, symbolizing the superiority of the man of the house who worked to pay the bills. It would be a catastrophe to leave the house without them. 

Today’s world is much more inclusive of both men and women, and men often take on additional roles as fathers, providers, and all else. In general, the ideology of men needing balls has taken a turn, and men are much more likely to act and, rather, be more emotionally intelligent and empathetic in modern society. Nonetheless, a hand gesture pointing to the “testicles” likely derives from the common belief that a man’s balls are his masculinity, serving as the second movement in the expression.

The ‘Wallet’

The third gesture concerns a man’s wallet. In formal clothing, including suit jackets and other dress shirts, the wallet was generally held on the left—above the heart. That said, when referencing the wallet, the proper movement is a hand gesture pointing to the left shoulder. It makes sense considering that the majority of people are right-hand dominant, which makes it easier to reach over and grab a wallet from the left chest. 

It’s not common for men to keep a wallet in their coats these days; most of us tend to hold it in our pants pockets. And, whether it’s the back or front pocket, it’s often held on the right side. Once again, the difference in past fashion plays a key role in the “wallet” gesture toward the left shoulder.

It would be hard not to recommend our own website, this website, for people looking to discover wallet brands that aren’t mass-produced or mainstream. Wallets are often overlooked in the men’s fashion space and we wanted to compile the very best wallets, focusing on quality and uniqueness, in the world. Check out our range of articles on the very best wallets (by type) if you’re interested in more information.

The ‘Watch’

The “watch” is the final gesture to close out the expression. Although, many of us modern-day folk likely don’t understand why the corresponding movement is a hand gesture toward the right shoulder. 

Today, we wear watches on our wrists (if we wear them at all). Watches aren’t uncommon per se, but smartphones act as great timepieces to let us know when we need to roll out of bed in the morning. But, pocket watches were all the rage back in the day, and most men held a watch in the right breast pocket of their suit vests. Rather than buckled safely onto the wrist, pocket watches connected to chains to avoid falls.

As the most popular men’s fashion accessory your choice in discovering a place to find the latest and greatest watches is vast with hundreds, if not thousands, of watch blogs existing across the website. The most popular of these, and my personal favorite, is Hodinkee. Although mainstream they provide some of the very best, in-depth, and impartial reviews on all things watches. 

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