The button placement on men’s and women’s shirts—right side for men and left side for women—may seem like a small detail, but it reflects centuries of cultural tradition and practical considerations that have influenced fashion design.

For men, buttons are typically placed on the right side, a feature rooted in functionality. Most people are right-handed, so this arrangement allows men, who historically dressed themselves, to fasten shirts with greater ease.

This design became standard, especially in military clothing, where a right-side opening made it simpler to reach for a weapon or tool on the left side. Over time, this practical design became widely adopted for men’s everyday clothing.

Women’s shirts, however, feature buttons on the left side, and this is generally thought to be linked to social customs of the past.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, upper-class women often had maids or servants who helped them dress, especially given the complexity of women’s clothing at the time.

Buttoning on the left was more convenient for a right-handed maid standing across from the wearer, allowing faster and easier dressing.

Another theory, though less documented, is that left-side buttoning helped keep a garment in place during horseback riding.

High-society women would ride sidesaddle, facing the left, and buttons on the left side could prevent the garment from catching wind and exposing layers underneath.

Although these historical needs no longer apply, the left-right button distinction remains a subtle gender marker in fashion, embedded in clothing design as a nod to tradition.

While modern designers sometimes break with these conventions, especially in unisex fashion, the traditional button placement continues as a historical detail preserved in men’s and women’s clothing.