The reason that was given to me at one time was that women of means in the old days had someone dressing them, and it was supposedly easier to button for the servant.

Hmmm...

I thought guys had someone dress them too? At least that's what I seem to recall from Edwardian House.

Well, I think men could dress themselves easier; aristos may have had valets for men as a matter of course, but even middle-class ladies had to have had someone to help them into their corsets. Whereas middle-class dudes could dress themselves; they just had to learn how to manage the collars and ties themselves.

Course, I'm extrapolating so this could all be so much BS.

I was told the "women buttoned by someone else" thing too because women couldn't lift their arms high enough in old-fashioned sleeves.

I've not found that buttoning my own women's shirts is that difficult, which makes me wonder why someone else buttoning men's shirt had enough hassle that they switched it for the ladies.

I agree. I'm not very dextrous, but I don't think it'd ruin my day or anything.

People. People are weird.

I always heard that the button thing was so a gentleman could unbutton his coat/whatever for ease of movement while drawing his sword.

OK, so there's apparently been a high incidence of sword references in my life.

makes me wonder why someone else buttoning men's shirt had enough hassle that they switched it for the ladies.

I think the argument would be that it wasn't the buttons in the front, but the dresses/shirts for women often buttoned down the back.

Of course, there's at least one person on the Internet who says the "maid" theory is hooey. And only experts post on the Internet.

Hmm. It appears that the theories are indeed servants, side-saddle riding, mass production and some sketchy "historical custom."

but the dresses/shirts for women often buttoned down the back

If I'm the maid, the buttons aren't down my back, so whether my left hand is on the button side or the right--still makes little difference.