If you’ve ever noticed that men’s and women’s shirts don’t fasten on the same side, you might have assumed it was random. In fact, it’s anything but. This tiny detail has a fascinating backstory that reaches back centuries—when clothing was more than fashion, it was a signal of wealth, status, and even practicality.
Buttons as a Medieval Status Symbol
Back in the 13th century, buttons were not everyday items. Long before cheap plastic and mass production, buttons were luxury objects crafted from precious metals, polished shells, or even decorated with pearls. Wearing them was a privilege reserved for the wealthy, and the very placement of those buttons often carried meaning.
Why Women’s Clothing Fastens on the Left
For women of high social standing, dressing was an elaborate ritual. Layered gowns, tight laces, and detailed fastenings meant they rarely dressed themselves. Instead, right-handed maids and attendants assisted them.
To make this process easier, dressmakers placed the buttons on the left side. Standing face-to-face, a servant could button her mistress’s dress smoothly and efficiently. Over time, left-side buttons became an almost hidden signal of privilege: the wearer was wealthy enough to have help getting dressed.
Why Men’s Clothing Buttons on the Right
For men, the reasoning was more practical. Many carried weapons, most often a sword hung on the left hip for easy access with the right hand. Clothing that buttoned on the right allowed them to keep their sword arm free while adjusting their coat with the other.
Equally important: men typically dressed themselves. Placing buttons on the right simply suited the majority right-handed population.
A Tradition That Survived the Centuries
Fast-forward to today: swords are relics and personal maids are rare. You might expect the distinction to have disappeared—but the rule still lingers. Many fashion houses continue the tradition either as a nod to history or simply as a way to differentiate men’s and women’s lines in stores.
More Than a Design Quirk
In the age of unisex fashion, the old rule is slowly eroding, but for many designers and enthusiasts, the button placement is still a symbol of identity and heritage. Each time you button up a shirt, you’re participating in a ritual that began hundreds of years ago, carrying with it echoes of social customs long gone yet still stitched into our everyday lives.