Clothes buttons - different sides for doing up!

[taffinnorfol]

A family debate - not sure which category to list it in!

Is there a 'rule' about the different sides on which a male / female has his / her buttons? My clothes seem to all fasten left over right (buttons on the right hand side of the garment); my wife seems to have all her buttons on the left hand side. My younger son has just bought a waistcoat with buttons on the left hand side and is 'taking stick' from his brother who claims it is a 'lady's' (said in the style of Little Britain!) garment.

Is it a standard 'rule' that male and female garb buttons up in opposite ways? What is the origin of this? How come ladies are able to buck nature by doing / undoing buttons the wrong way round??? My wife says (a) because they are the superior gender and (b) so they can open men's flies!!! Disgusting (and worrying as mine are all zippered!)!!!!!

[lotdot]

One answer suggested

is in 19th century, well-heeled Victorian women generally didn't dress themselves, so their buttons were designed to be handled by right-handed servants. Although wealthy men may have had servants to lay out their clothes, they generally dressed themselves, and so the buttons on the right side of men's garments made more sense.

[JK2]

I worked in fashion manufacturing for many years and there is definitely a rule that ladies buttons are on the left and mens on the right. Jeans tend to be unisex and mostly have the fly going to the right these days but this same rule usually works on ladies trousers too with the fly & waistband buttons to the left.

Also with belts, the buckle should always be on the left (as worn) with the other end of the belt being passed through from the right. Wide belts that are usually made in a curved shape are always made so that the belt sits with the buckle on the left as worn.

[funkymoped]

i wish i could remember this one !!!
its a Victorian thing,something about the right hand but thats all i can remember !!! LOL
:-)

[chakka35]

lotdot has it. A right-handed man dressing himself needs the buttons on his right. A lady's maid dressing her mistress needs the buttons on her right, the lady's left.

[taffinnorfol]

Thank you all for such helpful answers. It also explains why we men find it easier to undo women's clothing (when a women is wearing it of course) than another man's (who'd want to anyway?!!!).