Right Handed Buttons Vs. Left Handed Buttons

A men's dress shirt with buttons on the right front.

Traditionally, the buttons are placed on the left fronts of women's garments and the buttonholes are placed on the right front, and vice versa for men's clothing. There are many theories as to why and how this difference was established.

History

According to La Couturiere Parisienne Costume and Fashion site, buttons were rare on women's clothing until the late 18th century. In the early 19th century, buttons were usually on the right side of women's clothes, which we now consider the male side, but by the late 19th century, buttons appeared mostly on the left.

Speculation

It is believed that both men's and women's clothing had buttons on the left sides until the middle ages. Then, men's buttons were moved to the right to allow them to open their coats with their left hands and draw their swords from their left hip side with their right. Another theory is that buttons on the right are easier for right-handed people to manage, and that buttons were inverted on women's dress for the convenience of the maid helping the woman.

Potential

In her 2006 book "Knitting Rules!" Stephanie Pearl-McPhee suggests that buttons on the clothing of babies and children, since they are usually dressed by others, should go on the right and buttons on adult clothing should go on the left.

References

• University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service: Buttons & Buttonholes
• La Couturiere Parisienne Costume and Fashion Site: Buttons Right, Buttons Left
• "Knitting Rules!"; Stephanie Pearl-McPhee; 2006

Resources

• The Yarn Harlot: The Button Thing