Braingle: 'Buttons' Brain Teaser

Buttons

Trivia brain teasers have some element of trivia in them, but they are not just pure trivia questions.

Puzzle ID:	#2328
Fun:	(2.97)
Difficulty:	(2.27)
Category:	Trivia
Submitted By:	ChuckieChen
Corrected By:	boodler

There is a reason why men's clothes have buttons on the right while women have buttons on the left. What is it?

Answer

Most people are right handed and find it easier to fasten a button which is on the right through a hole which is on the left. This is why men's buttons are on the right. When buttons were first used it was rich people who could afford clothes with buttons. Among this class the ladies were often dressed by maid servants. The servant would face the lady and so it was easier for right handed servants to fasten buttons which were on the lady's left.
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Comments

captbob61 Mar 26, 2002	Very interesting!!!
emilymonkeymaia Apr 14, 2002	Cool! That is NEAT! Thanks for sharing that with us!
jeanray Apr 15, 2002	I was told it was the contrary! The MEN were dressed by their butlers... Maybe different in US?
bighippo4 Apr 15, 2002	interesting!
Mogmatt16 Apr 15, 2002	Right from a book so i knew it of the bat
nanand Apr 16, 2002	i thought it was men who always unbutton clothes hihihi...........
setzerknight Apr 17, 2002	living and learning...
fatlingon Apr 17, 2002	I´ve heard another story/reason why the buttons are on diffrent sides. When a man and his woman should be seated at the table the "opening" should be turned towards eachother. Although I admit the story you said makes more sence! =)
boost Apr 21, 2002	This is more trivia than a puzzle, but still very interesting G
GoldieLuvNeopets Apr 24, 2002	WOW! I didn't know that. Thanks for another useless peice of infomation!
dtwazere Apr 25, 2002	thanx for the history lesson, i get enough at school!
O_wise_one May 19, 2002	Very....uh...interesting? but why do you know that?
andy1608 Jun 08, 2002	This was easy. My servant told me the answer.
andmar22 Jun 13, 2002	That is a good bit of imformation.
odcsurferchick Jun 17, 2002	that was the kewlest history lessen i have had! that wasnt a bad thing! i like this 1! me putting it on my favs
dumbell Aug 21, 2002	My husband tells me the 'real' answer is that it makes it easier to get a womans clothing off when it's dark!! I'm going to have words with him! much prefer your answer
jimbo May 06, 2003	I was sure it was because the men's clothes have the button holes on the left and vice versa.
tigershelton Aug 31, 2005	Really original!
irishthistle Sep 04, 2005	Very interesting. You got me, I never thought of that.
smarty_blondy Oct 01, 2005	Actualy i was asking myself the same question yesterday, but never had the time to look it up. That you for the interesting fact.
Kalliann Jan 05, 2006	Now here is something that I never knew! Thank you for teaching us something.
SPUTNIK2 Feb 12, 2006	that was very interesting, I've learned so many interesting tidbits on this site! thanks for the teaser
mitzimesser May 04, 2006	I think I like the "easier to get the clothes off" answer best.... I learn something new everyday on this site...
OldChinaHand Aug 09, 2006	This is why I must employ left handed servants.
eyenowhour Dec 14, 2006	Interesting. Did not know that.
dutchymonster Dec 16, 2006	I knew that one and got it right - Damn I'm smart
dutchymonster Dec 16, 2006	I knew that one and got it right - Damn I'm smart
cloughme Jul 13, 2007	Excellent!! One learns something new everyday!
cooltigerr1 Jul 13, 2007	awesome i learned something new!
jennrenee23 Jul 13, 2007	Very interesting....
anion Jul 13, 2007	Awesome!!! Thanks for the trivia. I can use it on my friends today and seem very wise...hehehe
udoboy Jul 13, 2007	I'd have thought it's because, if a man is properly escorting a woman on his left, he cannot see into her shirt.
lmurray Jul 13, 2007	I AM VERY PLEASE TO SEE SOMEONE SHARE A LITTLE OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE. GOOD JOB YOU HAVE MADE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAPPY AND MORE INFORMED.
puttumup Jul 13, 2007	fun and enternaneing.and educatioel.
bradon182001 Jul 13, 2007	I knew this. Don't know how I knew it, but I did. Good bit of interesting information. Thanks.
doehead Jul 13, 2007	I really never thought or cared about this,but it was an ok trivia.
solotravlr Jul 13, 2007	RIVETING!!!! DUH
Yorkshire-Boy Jul 13, 2007	I knew that , so it was easy...If its more difficult for women to fasten/unfasten the buttons, why has it not been changed over the years, so all buttons are on the right? it would have been difficult if I didn't know it...but that's always the case I suppose !
Brock Jul 13, 2007	nice teaser
dcsprouse001 Jul 13, 2007	i seriously didn't know that, but i always wondered why. nice teaser though!
RRAMMOHAN Jul 13, 2007	Another good explanation for a thing we take granted! But I wonder if this reasoning has any support from old writing or other source.
phyllisa Jul 13, 2007	I heard this from my Mom too, many years ago.
J4nu5 Jul 13, 2007	In current times, it makes it easier for the guy to take of his ladies shirt and get thigns going...
JKnightD Jul 13, 2007	I had always thought the same as udoboy; that the reason the women's blouses had the buttons on the opposite side was to protect her dignity when a man escorts her in the proper manner. The proper manner, btw, has the woman on the left arm so as to keep the man's sword arm free.
guitargirl55 Jul 13, 2007	I would never have guessed that...but good teaser
hradilv Jul 13, 2007	Here's the description of a Trivia Brain Teaser: Trivia brain teasers have some element of trivia in them, but they are not just pure trivia questions. Well, I think this is pure trivia.
jabdr Jul 13, 2007	I loved learning something new. Good one
Harmony_Girl Jul 13, 2007	That was awesome! I didn't even know they were on different sides...
Shikamaru Jul 13, 2007	ACTUALLY, i believe that it was because men wore swords, and they had to have it so that your sword didn't get caught in your coat or anything else with buttons while drawing it - you would easily get killed if you couldn't draw your sword.
Stupidenator Jul 13, 2007	sword, button hole WHAT?! i dont get that comment
2ndhandrose Jul 13, 2007	I enjoyed all the other comments as I am late looking at this. It wasn't a true teaser but the person who said "just another piece of useless info." is wrong. You should never stop learning & at my age it keeps me sharp to learn & try new things all the time. THANKS FOR THE INFO
2ndhandrose Jul 13, 2007	SORRY, 2nd posting but: I didn't understand that sword thing either????????????
mondayschild59 Jul 13, 2007	Yes! I knew that little bit of trivia would come in handy one day. Thanks for the post. It was fun. Monday~
saltydavid Jul 13, 2007	I've got a new small talk topic.
Infinitoid Jul 13, 2007	i always thought everyones buttons are on the same side weirdness yo
sbuske Jul 13, 2007	I read these aty lunch time at work, and when the situation warrents it, i share them with my co-workers. They will enjoy this one.
timon_dmlybots Jul 13, 2007	data save!
speedqueenkmw Jul 14, 2007	fun fact
mmmcla01 Jul 14, 2007	Are we talking about buttons on shirts or pants?? Because although some pairs of women's pants (not many that I've seen) have buttons on the left, most of them, including all jeans that I know of, have them on the right... Not sure about men's, but I'm certain about the women's. Also, although this is good trivia, I don't know if I would consider it a brain teaser..either you know it or you don't...or you look it up. There's really no way to figure it out unless you know it beforehand.
Blondie100 Jul 15, 2007	I have NO CLUE what this meant hehe , but i'm young and don't understand much.hehe
Blondie100 Jul 15, 2007	Funny thing my mom didn't have a clue either hehe and she's old! WOW Nice teaser though....I think hehe
liv-laf-luv Jul 25, 2007	wow! i never new - i love interesting facts like that - thanks!!!
hotboxed Jul 25, 2007	Very interesting! I love learning new things!
craniac Jul 13, 2010	Hmmm ... I'm very skeptical about this bit of trivia. I believe in past centuries, rich people, both men and women, had servants to help dress them. so that wouldn't explain the difference in where buttons are located on men's and women's clothes. This sounds like the result of mere speculation. Just because an explanation sounds initially convincing, that's no reason to assume it's correct. Speculation isn't a valid method for determining questions on fact. Only solid, hard, historical evidence can confirm or deny the truth of an explanation. I searched Snopes.com for an answer to this question and didn't find one, so I emailed them to ask that they research the matter. If they do so, I'll be back to post the results of their research.
craniac Jul 13, 2010	Butterfingers this morning ... the phrase in par. 2 above should read "questions OF fact," not "questions ON fact."
doehead Jul 13, 2010	This trivia was interesting when it was first published, but it's time to button it up.
crazy10man Jul 13, 2010	Interesting! Here's an article explaining the history of the different buttons: http://www.ehow.com/ facts_5923894_do-women-button-shirts-left_.html (no spaces)
antlerlady Jul 13, 2010	Well that's one thought. My research shows that there are several ideas about this but no definitve answer. Answers on origins of words and practices are often like this -- nobody knows for sure but here's a thought. Things happen gradually anyway. Most likely nbody ever stood up and said "from now on we'll do it this way." Enough babbling.
auntiesis Jul 13, 2010	I knew this, don't know how I knew, just did.
MajorAlan Jul 14, 2010	Actually, the comment about drawing a sword is correct. Most men wore their swords on the left hip, and if the coat opening was facing left, the action of drawing a sword could be interfered with by the coat. (not the button holes).