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TIL that shirt buttons are on the right for men, but on the left for women. (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by sjmarf@sh.itjust.works to c/todayilearned@lemmy.ml

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Men’s buttons are on the right to make it easy to do up with one hand for right-handed people.

When buttons were invented, only the wealthy wore them. Wealthy women had maids who would do the buttons up for them, and so the buttons are on the left so that they are easier for someone facing you to do up.

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[–] stoy@lemmy.zip -3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It would require changing the entire womens clothing industry, machines would need to be replaced, the entire global workforce would need to be retrained, same for designers, then it would take decades to for women to relearn the technique of doing up buttons on all clothes.

All changes to the design and production processes would cost billions, and annoy their entire customer base, all of that for a relatively minor issue.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.ca 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

You replace the machines when they wear out. If they need to be replaced at all, I doubt they have machines specific for genders. I expect it's just a setting.

Relearn how to do up their buttons? It would be easier.

[–] stoy@lemmy.zip -2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I am not saying that relearning to do up buttons is hard, but have you ever tried to relearn a basic skill in a different way, it can be surprisingly annoying.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.ca 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

...this literally makes it easier.

[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 1 points 11 months ago

Not in the short term, but in the long term, absolutely.