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.
There are many theories about why, but nobody knows for sure.
It is very well known…
It was common for richer women to have chamber maids helping them dress, so clothes were designed to accomodate them, putting the buttons in the reverse, makes the chamber maids work easier, then it just stuck.
That’s just one theory.
Another theory is that it isn’t about the buttons or the ease, but actually the direction of the topmost fabric.
Men having a sword on the left side could draw the sword with the right hand without getting caught in the shirt.
Women breastfeeding with the baby on the left arm could more easily cover up when the shirt opening over the baby. Women riding a horse in sidesaddle style would also avoid the wind blowing their shirt open when buttoned that way.
Is this to do with being right-handed?
Yes, most men are right handed, and most maids who helped women dress in the past were right handed.
That’s interesting. I never would have thought of this. I use two hands to button and never considered what side anything was on. Perhaps because I have both men’s and women’s shirts?
It makes women’s blouses more expensive to dry clean, because they can’t be pressed on the same machine that does men’s shirts without breaking the buttons.
If you think about it, you’ll see how little sense it makes. Back before things like cars, motels, and telephones, having an affair was complicated. You couldn’t just pop over for a quickie. On the other hand, servants were cheap. Even a cop or a school teacher could afford at least one maid.
Your head’s in the right place. A lady was expected to be dressed and undressed by servants. But even a non-aristocratic woman would want to dress the same as the courtly ladies, and not wear men’s clothes so women’s’ shirts got buttons on the left side, regardless of the wearer’s class and the idea just persisted through to the present.