# Why are women's buttons opposite men's?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 5, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793 "2002-12-05T22:38:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/1 "2002-12-05T22:38:15Z")

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I was wondering if there’s really any reason why women’s buttons on a shirt are on the opposite side from men’s buttons? Would it hurt anyone if it were standardized? - Jinx

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**Author:** ![tmwster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/57b2e6/32.png) [@tmwster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tmwster)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/2 "2002-12-05T22:40:35Z")

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Yes, it would hurt the garment retailers and dry cleaners who charge more to provide and clean the exact same shirt that is a “woman’s” rather than a “man’s.”

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**Author:** ![friggae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/45deac/32.png) [@friggae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friggae)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/3 "2002-12-05T22:44:16Z")

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[The Master speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_023a.html)

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/4 "2002-12-05T22:52:13Z")

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\*\*

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> Cecil said: I thought everybody knew this, but then again you’re from Baltimore…\*\*

Hey, thanks Friggae! Hmm… I’m originally from Baltimore! Maybe this ignorance on buttons and garments simply runs rampant through Charm City! - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/5 "2002-12-05T23:00:38Z")

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The Master notwithstanding, let me suggest that left over right on men’s clothing makes it easier to mount a horse—left foot in the stirrup—when wearing a long coat and weskit, and make it easier for a right handed person to draw a sword hanging on his left side.

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/6 "2002-12-06T03:44:35Z")

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It’s to facilitate undressing each other when face to face, silly!

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**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/7 "2002-12-06T04:42:01Z")

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> [@](#):
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> Cecil said: I thought everybody knew this, but then again you’re from Baltimore…

That so reminds me of an SNL skit I saw a long time ago…

…but then again I’m from Baltimore.

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**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/8 "2002-12-07T00:23:25Z")

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without a super long explaination. It has something to do with servants dressing their “masters”. It help the female servant dress the male faster. Something like that.

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**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-womens-buttons-opposite-mens/140793/9 "2002-12-07T03:48:23Z")

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Because women just **love** to be contrary.

😃