Buttonhole - Aspects of Buttonholes

Aspects of Buttonholes

Buttonholes often have a bar of stitches at either side. This is a row of perpendicular hand or machine stitching to reinforce the raw edges of the fabric, and to prevent it from fraying.

Traditionally, men's clothing buttonholes are on the left side, and women's clothing buttonholes are on the right. The lore of this 'opposite' sides buttoning is that the practice came into being as 'women of means' had chamber maids who dressed them. So as not to confuse the poor chamber maids, the wealthy began having women's garments made with the buttons and holes 'switched'; the birth of the modern ladies' blouse. It is interesting to note that the chamber maids themselves, as did most all the common class, both male and female, actually wore 'shirts' with buttons and holes placed as on men's clothing. There appears to be no concrete reference to prove or disprove this story, but its plausibility bears noting.

There is also the theory that if a Man is driving his ox cart or carriage or car, he can see inside her blouse and she can see inside of his. (Of course this assumes the driver is on the left hand side)