India, Oct. 19 -- Have you ever borrowed a shirt from someone of the opposite sex and noticed that the buttons were on the other side? You're not imagining it. Traditionally, men's shirts have buttons on the wearer's right, while women's shirts have buttons on the left. But why do two garments serving the same purpose follow different conventions? Let's find out. (Also read: Everyday explained: Those little ribbons inside your tops and dresses help prevent them from stretching. Here's how )

One of the most widely repeated explanations concerns the clothing worn by wealthy European women in earlier centuries.

During the Victorian era and other periods of European history, fashionable women often wore complicated outfits consisting of mul...