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TIL that shirt buttons are on the right for men, but on the left for women. (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Men’s buttons are on the right to make it easy to do up with one hand for right-handed people.

When buttons were invented, only the wealthy wore them. Wealthy women had maids who would do the buttons up for them, and so the buttons are on the left so that they are easier for someone facing you to do up.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

I've heard this and wonder why don't they just change it? Do women prefer it this way now?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (2 children)

There's a lot more demand (or at least much more vocal demand) for women's clothing to have pockets. You can see how far that's gotten.

I presume the buttons are just something you get used to.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Tbh I wouldn't even want to get the button side changed. After buttoning my shirts one specific way my entire life it'd be such a pain in the arse to have it mirrored.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

The easiest way is to not care and just buy the clothes that benefit you the most.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It would require changing the entire womens clothing industry, machines would need to be replaced, the entire global workforce would need to be retrained, same for designers, then it would take decades to for women to relearn the technique of doing up buttons on all clothes.

All changes to the design and production processes would cost billions, and annoy their entire customer base, all of that for a relatively minor issue.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You replace the machines when they wear out. If they need to be replaced at all, I doubt they have machines specific for genders. I expect it's just a setting.

Relearn how to do up their buttons? It would be easier.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I am not saying that relearning to do up buttons is hard, but have you ever tried to relearn a basic skill in a different way, it can be surprisingly annoying.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

...this literally makes it easier.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Not in the short term, but in the long term, absolutely.