Not News

Yes, I knew this. It’s common knowledge.

It has been an interesting year of discovery for women – more specifically, women’s clothes – as two stories emerged explaining why they are different to men’s clothing.

Now internet sleuths have turned their attention to shirts, and why the buttons on women’s are on the opposite side to men’s.

As the Daily Star reports, there are a variety of theories as to why this may be the case, and one dates back to when men were locked in battle, and another theory is to do with child-rearing.

Melanie M. Moore, founder of women’s blouse brand Elizabeth & Clarke, has a different theory and thinks she may have unearthed the reason once and for all.

Sorry, Melanie M. Moore, but I’ve known for years why this is so. It’s because a lady was dressed by her maid who, usually, would be right-handed. Not exactly news and not exactly a mystery, but…

“Wealthy women back then did not dress themselves — their lady’s maid did. Since most people were right-handed, this made it easier for someone standing across from you to button your dress.”

Yeah, you’re late to this party. Must do better.

13 Comments

  1. The big question according to my daughter is why don’t women’s clothes have useable pockets? It would seem that there is a business opportunity for anyone who wants it.

    • That’s a common complaint. Even women’s jeans tend to have pockets which are just sewn on, rather than being functional. It’s a conceit of the designer, of course. ‘Dear lady, if you have pockets you will put things in them, which would destroy the line and the drape of the garment!’ But that LBD would look lovely when accesorized with this darling clutch purse. And these shoes… just so perfect! And perhaps a… no, not a Persian cat, not a Chihuahua, OH, here it is! A silky snow-white Maltese!
      See, guys, that’s why women take off with your face shirts.

  2. The pocket thing was a clever ploy to ensure that wimmin never had to put their hand into their pocket and the blokes picked up the bills.

    ‘Sorry dear but I don’t have any cash on me’ Points to lack of pockets.

    Purses are for when they go out on their own for a shopping spree.

  3. OT really but this post reminds me of an old shibboleth of mine – that the right preposition to follow ‘different’ is ‘from’ not ‘to’.; so something is similar to another but different from another. The fact is though that I’ve pretty much given up on this; these days people seem to choose their prepositions by throwing a bunch of them up in the air and choosing one at random. In a world where ‘different than’ is apparently acceptable, ‘different to’ seems almost elegant.

    • I think that you have to accept that language evolves. The one that always grated for me was adverts that claimed to offer customers something for free. The word for is redundant, they are offering customers something that is free. But this one is so embedded into common usage now that I even say it myself sometimes.

        • Red cloud of blood! I have been known to carry a roll of broad masking tape and a big marker to the shops, correcting ‘LESS’ to ‘FEWER’. It’s as they don’t even try. God, I need a drink. Oh, that’s right. I’m at home. I will have a drink. Maybe 8. It’s early yet! Cheers!

  4. I always thought that the button thing was to help gentlemen, who as any lady will tell you are never very good with their fingers.

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