Why are women's blouses buttoned the opposite way from men's shirts?
ANS: According to the book 'Evolution of Fashion', both men's and women's buttons were on the same side until 1625. Buttons on jackets, rather than shirts, started to appear on opposite sides about 1635. The reasons for the switch are obscure.
One theory is that men wanted their right hand free to have immediate access to a weapon, such as a sword, and preferred to open and close their jackets with their left hand. Women, generally holding children on their left arm, preferred to button and unbutton their clothes with their right hand. It was also easier for maids to dress women in clothes that buttoned in the back. Try reading 'The Little Button Book' by Diana Epstein for facts and trivia about buttons.
One theory is that men wanted their right hand free to have immediate access to a weapon, such as a sword, and preferred to open and close their jackets with their left hand. Women, generally holding children on their left arm, preferred to button and unbutton their clothes with their right hand. It was also easier for maids to dress women in clothes that buttoned in the back. Try reading 'The Little Button Book' by Diana Epstein for facts and trivia about buttons.
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