People floored after learning why men and women's buttons are on different sides – Express
Buttonholes were invented in the 13th century and by the 14th century, buttons had become a symbol of affluence, according to Encyclopedia Britanica. The site states: “The wearing of gold, silver, and ivory buttons was an indication of wealth and rank.”
However, the twist came with the fashion habits of the elite. Wealthy women, often assisted by maids in dressing, prompted tailors to sew buttons on the left side, facilitating the right-handed servants.
Natalie Hicks, a designer at Our Visn, told HuffPost: “Noble women wore heavy textiles and gowns could have up to six layers, so they would have a servant or attendant assisting them into their multi-layered garment of petticoats, bustles, a corset and other undergarments.
“Buttons were therefore installed in the opposite direction of what was standard for men’s clothing as the attendant would stand in front of her mistress and quickly dress or undress her.”
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However, a Reddit user contested the notion that button placement is solely for ease of dressing, pointing out: “Men were dressed by squires back in the day but that was for armour. Same concept still, some armours would have buttons, latches, knots, etc that couldn’t be put on easily by oneself. I’m sure at some point in fashion men needed help to get dressed too.”
They further explained: “The most common theory is based on where men holstered their sword or knife […] The holster theory dates back to the first armies such as the Romans. Nobody actually knows the true answer to this question, we only have theories.”
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Another contributor chimed in with a tidbit from academia: “In a fashion history class, we were told that women (wives) dressed men, and themselves, therefore the buttons were on opposite sides so women would be able to easily fasten both.”
Yet another participant suggested the reason might be more straightforward – it’s simply to distinguish between men’s and women’s clothing. Meanwhile, one user offered a tongue-in-cheek explanation: “So men can unbutton their blouses more easily.”
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