Why are men's and women's shirt buttons on opposite sides?

The reason has its roots in the time, a few centuries ago, when both men and women wore more clothes than they do today and when it was common for those in middle- and upper-class households to employ servants. In such households men generally dressed themselves, whereas women did not. Instead, maids and servants might spend an hour or more dressing the lady of the house. Clothiers soon realized that reversing the buttons on women's clothes made the job faster and easier for all involved. Because men were not dressed by servants, there was no need to reverse the buttons on their garments.

More Info: www.livescience.com

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40 Comments

Janet Crew

I used to teach history of costume and when I explained the buttoning history of the servants to them they were always amazed that this custom is still the rule when making buttoned garments for men and women. Women right over left. Men left over right. STILL.

Steve Tingle

I didn't know that, but will remember it as long as I live - or until dementia sets in.

Fred Keogh

I thought it was because of how men drew their swords in time gone by. We learn something new(ish) every day.

Keith Richard Mears

A statue of 19th century British prime Minister, Robert Peel, in Bury, greater Manchester, has the buttons on the "wrong" side, it is reputed locally that the sculptor committed suicide after this was pointed out.

Carolyn Brior

It was also an indication of class standing. Maids' buttons were the same way as men's buttons because they dressed themselves. One could look at a dress and see if a lady was rich enough to have a maid.

Naked Kitty Slave

Heard so many theories. I don't think anyone REALLY knows the reason. The answer should be so the dry cleaners can charge $5 for buttons on the left and $1 for buttons on the right.

Kath Thomson

Upper Class men did not dress themselves entirely, their valet dressed them. The point is that men's garments did not have buttons down the back, only on the front which men could do up and undo themselves.

Steven DeVries

This factoid once came up at a dinner in Florence. An Italian gentlemen agreed that it made it easier for another to dress a woman but also easier for someone to undress that woman.

Sergey Arustamov

Fred Keogh, You actually right but real reason why man buttons their battle armored jackets from left to right is because when they got hit by enemy's sword, normally is the right to left trajectory opposing yourself, sword glides on the overlapping side of your armored jacket without causing any harm.

Leona

Janet Crew, now that makes sense, because I remember my grandmother told me that, but I could never remember the order.

Bank-Robber

I knew they were on the oppsite side but didn't know why!!!

patrhea

tbear, Me tooI agree!🙌

patrhea

Steven DeVries, ☆Gold star for best answer😉

patrhea

Men are from mars. Women are from Venus. Buttons right/left were so we could tell them apart! 😉😉😂

Jenny Devereaux

That’s very interesting, I always wondered what that was.

Carroll Price

Excellent trivia question that I missed.

Peter de Loriol

A good question but bad answer: there are three possible reasons: 1) for the ease of a man undoing them 2) for breastfeeding 3) enabling servants to dress the mistress more easily. Another might be for ease of getting to your sword when attacked half dressed - but that has been largely discounted. There is no hard and fast explanation, although the explanation lies in the mass production of shirts/ tops.