I presume this has to do with how one should draw the buttons on a woman's dress. I know they're on the 'opposite' side compared to mens clothing but I have no idea why this is so.
Wow you at least had a guess -- I had NO IDEA what it was.
I should know, too -- I work giving clothing out to the needy and I have to be able to tell what is what, but I always have to pick up something I KNOW and compare it to the unknown. I so fail at buttons. :(
I've heard it explained that it's because well-to-do men would dress themselves, but women would have a servant to help, so the buttons were reversed to make it easier.
Curious, I did a search, and found the following, which gives a couple possibilities:
Come to think of it I think I heard that explanation long ago as well (the women having a servant dress them vs men who dress themselves). I never heard of the 'breast-feeding' explanation before.
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-19 11:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-19 11:58 pm (UTC)I should know, too -- I work giving clothing out to the needy and I have to be able to tell what is what, but I always have to pick up something I KNOW and compare it to the unknown. I so fail at buttons. :(
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-20 12:23 am (UTC)Curious, I did a search, and found the following, which gives a couple possibilities:
http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20031205.html (http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20031205.html)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-20 11:16 am (UTC)