Many people have noticed women’s clothes have buttons on the left side while men’s shirt buttons on the right side and wondered why are they installed on opposite sides.
There is no confirmed reason to explain but some theories about it.
Easier for men to reach weapons
It was easier for men to reach weapons with the dominant hand which is most cases the right one, according to many historians. Buttons installed on the right side of the shirt made it easy for men to slip their hands into the shirt for pulling out weapons
Women dressed by their maids
Another reason for installing buttons on the left side of women’s shirts is that the upper-class women were dressed but by their maids. It makes it easier for maids to close the button while dressing the women.
Holding babies using left hands
Women are usually holding their babies with their left hands and they needed their right hand to open the shirt buttons for breastfeeding.
Wealthy women during horse riding
It is considered a fashion symbol for wealthy women who ride horses as they rode horses with legs on their right side of the horse. Moreover, it reduces the amount of air entering their shirts while riding horses.
Napoleon’s hand-in-waist pose
Some people theorised that Napoleon Bonaparte had a habit of sticking his hand between the buttons of his shirt. Napoleon Bonaparte had apparently been trolled by women who criticised his famous pose. After
Napoleon had ordered that women’s shirt buttons should be installed on the opposite side so they could not mock him.
However, there is no certain reason for installing shirt buttons on the opposite sides for men and women by the fashion companies.
