Brain Teasers
Buttons
Trivia
Trivia brain teasers have some element of trivia in them, but they are not just pure trivia questions.Trivia
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.Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
Very interesting!!!
Cool! That is NEAT! Thanks for sharing that with us!
I was told it was the contrary!
The MEN were dressed by their butlers...
Maybe different in US?
The MEN were dressed by their butlers...
Maybe different in US?
interesting!
Right from a book so i knew it of the bat
i thought it was men who always unbutton clothes hihihi...........
living and learning...
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! =)
This is more trivia than a puzzle, but still very interesting *G*
WOW! I didn't know that. Thanks for another useless peice of infomation!
thanx for the history lesson, i get enough at school!
Very....uh...interesting? but why do you know that?
This was easy. My servant told me the answer.
That is a good bit of imformation.
that was the kewlest history lessen i have had! that wasnt a bad thing! i like this 1! me putting it on my favs
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
I was sure it was because the men's clothes have the button holes on the left and vice versa.
Really original!
Very interesting. You got me, I never thought of that.
Actualy i was asking myself the same question yesterday, but never had the time to look it up. That you for the interesting fact.
Now here is something that I never knew! Thank you for teaching us something.
that was very interesting, I've learned so many interesting tidbits on this site! thanks for the teaser
I think I like the "easier to get the clothes off" answer best....
I learn something new everyday on this site...
I learn something new everyday on this site...
This is why I must employ left handed servants.
Interesting. Did not know that.
I knew that one and got it right - Damn I'm smart
I knew that one and got it right - Damn I'm smart
Excellent!! One learns something new everyday!
awesome
i learned something new!
i learned something new!
Very interesting....
Awesome!!! Thanks for the trivia. I can use it on my friends today and seem very wise...hehehe
I'd have thought it's because, if a man is properly escorting a woman on his left, he cannot see into her shirt.
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.
GOOD JOB YOU HAVE MADE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAPPY AND MORE INFORMED.
fun and enternaneing.and educatioel.
I knew this. Don't know how I knew it, but I did. Good bit of interesting information. Thanks.
I really never thought or cared about this,but it was an ok trivia.
RIVETING!!!!
DUH
DUH
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 !
nice teaser
i seriously didn't know that, but i always wondered why. nice teaser though!
Another good explanation for a thing we take granted! But I wonder if this reasoning has any support from old writing or other source.
I heard this from my Mom too, many years ago.
In current times, it makes it easier for the guy to take of his ladies shirt and get thigns going...
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.
The proper manner, btw, has the woman on the left arm so as to keep the man's sword arm free.
I would never have guessed that...but good teaser
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.
Well, I think this is pure trivia.
I loved learning something new. Good one
That was awesome! I didn't even know they were on different sides...
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.
sword, button hole WHAT?!
i dont get that comment
i dont get that comment
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
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
SORRY, 2nd posting but:
I didn't understand that sword
thing either????????????
I didn't understand that sword
thing either????????????
Yes! I knew that little bit of trivia would come in handy one day.
Thanks for the post. It was fun.
Monday~
Thanks for the post. It was fun.
Monday~
I've got a new small talk topic.
i always thought everyones buttons are on the same side
weirdness yo
weirdness yo
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.
data save!
fun fact
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.
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.
I have NO CLUE what this meant hehe , but i'm young and don't understand much.hehe
Funny thing my mom didn't have a clue either hehe and she's old! WOW Nice teaser though....I think hehe
wow! i never new - i love interesting facts like that -
thanks!!!
thanks!!!
Very interesting! I love learning new things!
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.
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.
Butterfingers this morning ... the phrase in par. 2 above should read "questions OF fact," not "questions ON fact."
This trivia was interesting when it was first published, but it's time to button it up.
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)
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)
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.
I knew this, don't know how I knew, just did.
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).
There are a lot of different stories about this, but what I am trying to figure out is what makes this a brain teaser?
Interesting piece of information, but it's not a brain teaser!
I always was under the believe that it was so a man could undress a woman easier.
lol cutebug! I agree that though this seems to be the prevailing school of thought about the reason behind buttons on different sides of clothing, who can say for sure this is correct? IT does make a lot more sense than other explanations.
The prevalence of right-handedness is also the "reason" behind watches being worn on the left wrist ,so you can use you right hand to wind them (yes children, once upon a time watches had hands on them, and were required to be wound on a daily basis).
I am also among those who do not see this as a brain-teaser. It is a trivia question, a slight difference.
The prevalence of right-handedness is also the "reason" behind watches being worn on the left wrist ,so you can use you right hand to wind them (yes children, once upon a time watches had hands on them, and were required to be wound on a daily basis).
I am also among those who do not see this as a brain-teaser. It is a trivia question, a slight difference.
The greatest reason is to #distinguish men's clothes to those of women
.I think everyone failed!!! Whoever agrees with the above reason. If it is so, then how will u explain the reason why men put a watch on left hand and women put on the watch on right hand...
.
I personally think, whatever is important to a man(right hand) has to done by a powerfull hand ;
.
For ladies; all arms are equal becoz they were nt born to be or do heavy hardwork.
.
So The great reason for buttons was to #distinguish women clothes to men clothes .
.I think everyone failed!!! Whoever agrees with the above reason. If it is so, then how will u explain the reason why men put a watch on left hand and women put on the watch on right hand...
.
I personally think, whatever is important to a man(right hand) has to done by a powerfull hand ;
.
For ladies; all arms are equal becoz they were nt born to be or do heavy hardwork.
.
So The great reason for buttons was to #distinguish women clothes to men clothes .
I never even noticed men's and women's clothes had buttons on opposite sides. Fascinating, but not really a brain teaser. Just trivia.
Actually, this is just 1 of many theories, that I was already aware of!
Where are the editors on this; out to lunch?
Where are the editors on this; out to lunch?
The given answer is what I had always heard and believed. It was categorized as a trivia teaser, so I have no problem with it. The fact that it generated interesting discussion is positive. Clear people had opinions and thoughts to share. That makes it more a brain exercise of interest.
I am curious: where are the buttons on women's clothing that buttons up the back?
I am curious: where are the buttons on women's clothing that buttons up the back?
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