You’ve probably asked yourself this question: why do women’s shirts usually button on the left side and men’s on the right? This clothing tradition goes back a long time…
You’ve probably asked yourself this question: why do women’s shirts usually button on the left side and men’s on the right? This clothing tradition goes back a long time…
Spring also means the return to the street of all kinds of shirts: white, coloured, floral or patterned, relaxed, “casual” or a little more dressed up. But if you’re shopping for a shirt this time of year, you may notice that the buttons are often on the opposite side, depending on whether you’re a man or a woman. This difference isn’t just a matter of style, it’s actually historical, Reader’s Digest reports, and actually stems from a practice so ancient that it can seem downright anachronistic today.
In the 17th century, dress habits were simple: the vast majority of the population covered themselves to the best of their ability, while tailored clothing was the norm among the bourgeoisie. Rich families, who ruled the world of fashion, had servants who helped them dress. But the servants very often helped the women. To make it easier for these ladies to dress, women’s shirts would be designed with a series of buttons that could be manipulated by another person at the front. This is how the buttons were on the left side.
The men were mostly right-handed and apparently preferred to button and unbutton their shirts themselves, which explains why the buttons were placed on the right side this time, so they could be easily manipulated. The eyelets, which were the height of elegance at the time, were placed on the left side, because they look better from the front, but also so they don’t interfere with acne-prone hands.
Over time, clothing has obviously evolved and shirts have become popular in all types of homes. However, the tradition of buttons on the left for women and on the right for men continued in most haute couture and ready-to-wear brands. So much so that this difference is still used today to differentiate men’s and women’s shirts.
Now that you know the true origins of this distinction, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of fashion and history.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: newstars.edu.vn