Why Are Women’s Buttons on the Left?
Why Men’s and Women’s Shirts Button Differently
If you’ve ever shared a closet, you might have noticed: women’s shirts button on the left, men’s on the right.
This small detail has roots in centuries-old customs.
In earlier times, wealthy women were dressed by right-handed maids, so left-side buttons made dressing easier.
Men, who dressed themselves, found right-side buttons more practical — especially soldiers, who needed quick access to weapons on their left.
These practical reasons became lasting fashion norms.
By the 19th century, button placement clearly distinguished men’s and women’s clothing, even though the original logic had faded.
Today, the rule endures mostly out of tradition.
Designers keep it for continuity, reminding us that fashion often carries echoes of history.
That simple row of buttons isn’t just style — it’s a glimpse into society’s past, stitched into every shirt.
