What is the etiquette to follow when reading the literature on somebody's t-shirt?

I don’t think so. If someone has a problem with it, they shouldn’t be wearing a shirt with a lot of words.

If it says, I’m with stupid or I’m too sexy for this shirt, then I believe the correct procedure would be to poke them in the eye with a blunt instrument, or a finger, whichever is readily available.

Stare, put on your bifocals and if that doesn’t help, try your binoculars.

Anyone who wears a t-shirt with print on it expects the public to try to read it.

Stalk away. They put it on for a reason.

I imagine they expect people to read it, if they see someone staring that their chest for a few seconds it’s not a problem.

There was a flame war here on Fluther some time ago about merely instinctively glancing at women’s chests. But if you’re wearing a shirt with a catch phrase on it, expect people to read it (which may take a couple of seconds of prolonged looking).

Aren’t words on a T-shirt just a form of advertising or self expression in public? They are meant to be seen. You’re supposed to read them. If you don’t want them read, don’t wear them. If someone is reading yours and you’re embarrassed, pull the front down and out, away from the body to obscure the outlines of what you don’t want to be seen.
As for the shirt you couldn’t finish reading, you can call out, “Wait! I haven’t finished reading your shirt!”

Go ahead and just read. I read people’s shirts all the time. They put it on for a reason, that reason being for people to read it.

People often approach me about what is on my t-shirt. They’ll ask me to straighten it so they can read it, or they’ll want to talk about what it says. I have one t-shirt with no words but isntead a beautiful colorful drawing of a jellyfish. Sometimes people will come up to tell me how beautiful it is. It’s my favorite t-shirt, and not just because it’s about fluther.

I was at a sporting event where a very heavy set girl with huge boobs walked by with a t-shirt that said, “I give good head.” Everyone in the stands read it, which I’m sure is what she wanted.

I learned a painful lesson. It is not proper to lift a woman’s breast to read what lies beneath.

@ratboy Did she kick you in the nuts?

@wundayatta, no—she was a lady. She merely shot me in the groin with her Taser, and followed up with pepper spray to the face as I writhed on the ground. Women are a hoot!