The Myths (and why they’re wrong)
You’ll often hear these explanations online, but they’re not the primary reason:
- “Women held babies on the left arm to keep the right arm free” → No historical evidence supports this as the origin.
- “So they could breastfeed more easily” → Nursing openings were separate slits or flaps; button direction was unrelated.
- “Napoleon changed it because women mocked him” → A fun story, but completely made-up.
Today
The tradition is purely historical inertia. Modern clothing manufacturers keep women’s buttons on the left side simply because “that’s how women’s clothes are.” Switching it would confuse customers and require retooling entire production lines.
So in short: Women’s shirts button “backwards” because, hundreds of years ago, rich women were dressed by servants who faced them — and the habit stuck.
