for women’s clothing, there isn’t one universally accepted historical reason that definitively explains why men’s buttons ended up on the right.
Fashion Has a Long Memory
Once a convention becomes established, it can be surprisingly difficult to change.
Tailors, clothing manufacturers, and consumers become accustomed to a particular arrangement. Eventually, the difference becomes part of the visual language of men’s and women’s clothing.
Modern clothing doesn’t necessarily require buttons to be placed on opposite sides.
Yet manufacturers continue to follow the tradition because customers expect it.
In other words, the button placement has survived partly because fashion traditions tend to reproduce themselves.
Is There a Practical Difference Today?
For most people, not really.
A shirt with buttons on the opposite side would still function perfectly well.
The difference is primarily conventional.
In fact, some modern garments ignore the traditional arrangement altogether. Unisex clothing, specialized workwear, sportswear, and contemporary fashion can
