I don’t button up very often. Thankfully, hoodies don’t have buttons. But here is something. When I do wear a shirt or blouse, I see that women’s shirts have buttons on the left, while men’s have them on the right.
The question is. Why? Oh, why?
Once upon a time, genders were determined by fashion choices. For most of the last few hundred years in the Western world, women wore dresses and skirts, and men wore pants. Except for the Scots and their kilts and all.
Thankfully, fashion has evolved. As such, both men and women are now free to wear anything they please. In most places, most of the time.
But still. There are a few gendered fashion trends that persist. And one of these makes women’s dressing just a little more difficult than it needs to be. Buttons.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of all humans are right-handed, only men’s shirts have buttons on the right side. Go figure. And that leaves the left. Yes. Women’s shirts have buttons on the left side. Sure. This is wonderful for lefties. But it is somewhat awkward for everyone else.
The question is? Why?
The origins of this whole deal have been lost over time. But of course, historians do have theories. The most recognized theory is as follows:
A long time ago, like way back to the 13th century, buttons were only for those who could afford them. Everyone else simply tied their clothes with strips of cloth, or fastened them with wooden toggles.
So yes. The wealthy had clothes that buttoned. But middle- and upper-class women also usually had maids to help them get into and out of their complicated outfits.
We’ve seen the movies. It’s difficult to get into corsets, bustles, hoop skirts, and several layers of petticoats by yourself.
Knowing that someone else would be doing the buttoning, dressmakers sewed the buttons onto the left side of women’s garments to make it easier for the maid to do them up right-handed.
And then, once clothes started being mass-produced, those buttons remained on the left side of the shirt.
I think they should start putting all the buttons on one side or the other. Men’s and women’s alike. Equality for all, I say. Right down to our buttons.
“””””””
“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”
— Rachel Zoe
“””””””
“Customs and fashions will change, even though our buttons may not.”
— Virginia Woolf
“””””””
“Clothes are never a frivolity. They always mean something.”
— James Laver
“””””””
