Conference quark::mennotes-v1

    
    	In the olden days, men (who were mostly right handed) dressed
    	themselves, and (upper class) women were dressed by maids, 
    	(who were mostly right handed).
    
    	Jane.

    If women's buttons were on the same side as men's buttons, then men would
    be fumble-fingers undoing them for women!
                                                    

    Women's buttons aren't on the wrong side --- they're on the OTHER
    side!
    
    Sheila
    
    

        I'm right handed... my buttons are on the right side (well,
        they're also on the *correct* side).  My wife happens to
        be left handed... hers are on the *correct* side, too.  Works
        out very well... except when she borrows my shirts.
        
        	/dave

    One legal note.
    
    The import duties for mens' and womens' clothes differ; sometimes,
    the mens' is cheaper.  A manufacturer was shipping over both types
    of shirts, differening only in which side the buttons were on. 
    They got wise and started shipping only mens', and added the buttons
    (to half of them) once they got stateside.

    The history that I heard:
    
    Originally, the convention was for buttons on the left side,
    as is now standard for women's clothing. During the era of sword
    fighting, the reverse standard was developed for (right-handed)
    men to permit them to open their coats with their left hands,
    freeing the right hand to draw the sword.

    There is no good reason, except it is one of those dippy historical
    leftovers that has persisted.
    
    Why are men's and women's clothes so different? (Other than the
    obvious differences based on anatomy/physiology.)
    
    Why do women have so much more freedom and variety in the clothes
    they wear? Women, for instance, can wear pants, suits, dresses,
    etc. 
    
    Men are much more restricted in what is considered suitable
    apparel. (And it is only part of the answer to say it is "one of
    those dippy historical leftovers.) Why?
    
    -bs

I, for one, really like the look of a man in a long, flowing garment.
Well, maybe not so flowing, but roomy enough to permit ease of movement.
Dunno why, just do.

CQ

    
    RE: .9  "long and flowing"
    
    I don't know about the long and flowing part, but for ease of movement,
    and access, you can't beat a kilt, which, by the way, also fastens
    on the right.  To put one on, you hold it behind you, waist high,
    with hands outstretched to either side.  Then you bring the unpleated
    flap in your right hand across in front of you and sort of hold
    the upper edge against your left hipbone while buckling the small
    leather strap at the waist and the bringing the flap in your left hand 
    across to the right and buckling another strap.  Then you fasten
    the lower right (your right) flap with an ornamental kilt pin.
    
    A woman's kilted skirt (they do not, strictly speaking, wear kilts)
    is put on in the opposite order and is pinned on the lower left
    flap with an ornamental pin.

    Re: .9
    
    	I know what you mean.  I wear a long flowing trench coat with
    	nothing under it and I've got ease of all kinds of wierd and
    	nasty movements.  I just love it.  I can party almost anywhere
    	at any time and nobody even knows it.  The hardest part is
    	keeping that silly smirk off my face.  Maybe I need a long
    	flowing hat also, huh?
    
    	Jake

re .11:

	Have you considered wearing false arms and hands?

    	Back to the base note...like reply #6 I was told that buttons
    that button the garment to the left was the way it was. Men changed
    it so they could draw their swords.
    
    _stew-

    RE.10  Kilts are fine, but that wool sporran is a
    
    bitch.

    Gee, and I thought this note was about buttons...you know, like
    Death to All Fanatics, Save the Humans, Coito Ergo Sum...
    
    :^)
    
    Elizabeth a-e

I love 'em.  Now, where can I find one that says "Coito Ergo Sum" !?

CQ