If you’ve ever wondered why men’s and women’s shirts button on opposite sides, you’re not alone. It’s one of those curious customs that seems random, until you dig into its history.
According to History Facts, this difference goes all the way back to when clothing was a marker of class, gender, and practicality. Men’s garments were designed for those who wielded swords, right-handed soldiers who wore weapons on their left and needed quick, unhindered access to their coats. Women’s garments, on the other hand, were designed for those of wealth who often had attendants helping them dress. To make life easier for the dresser (facing the woman), the buttons were placed on the opposite side.
Centuries later, very few of us are fighting duels or employing dress maids, yet the tradition remains stitched into every seam of our wardrobes. Why? Because once something becomes habit, and especially when it gets wrapped in cultural identity, it becomes very hard to change.
The “button story” perfectly captures one of the most enduring human tendencies: doing something a certain way long after the reason for it has disappeared. The original logic fades, replaced by comfort, repetition, and the fear that changing might somehow unravel what’s familiar.
We see this everywhere, in schools, organizations, and communities. A pep rally schedule that no longer energizes students but continues because “that’s how we’ve always done it.” A leadership lesson that once spoke to a generation but now misses the mark. A tradition that’s become more ritual than relevance.
Change is uncomfortable, even when it’s necessary. It often means challenging the ghosts of the past, questioning the familiar, and confronting the possibility that the way we’ve always done it might not be the way we should keep doing it.
Yet leadership, true, courageous leadership, isn’t about preserving comfort. It’s about asking:
“Does this still serve our purpose today?”
That’s the real test. The button placement didn’t change because no one had a reason strong enough to challenge it. The same goes for many outdated traditions. Without reflection, habits quietly harden into norms, and norms eventually disguise themselves as truths.
As Activities Directors, we hold the thread that connects our school’s past with its evolving present. Our role isn’t to cut it, it’s to weave it forward, respecting where we came from while ensuring that what we do still reflects who we are now.
Sometimes, that means keeping a beloved tradition alive. Other times, it means re-stitching it into something new.
Leadership Lesson: “Question the Tradition When the World Has Changed”
Objective:Help student leaders recognize when traditions have outlived their purpose and develop the courage to evaluate, adapt, or retire them respectfully.
Discussion Starter:Show students the article or the question: “Why do men’s and women’s shirts button on opposite sides?” Let them share guesses before revealing the real historical reason.
Key Points:
Understand the “Why.”Good leaders know the story behind every rule or ritual. Without context, we mistake habit for necessity.
Evaluate Relevance.What once made sense may no longer serve the same purpose. Ask, “Does this tradition still bring value to our school culture?”
Be Willing to Adapt.Leadership requires bravery to suggest improvements, even when it means altering something that’s always been done a certain way.
Balance Respect and Renewal.Traditions build identity, but they should also reflect current values. The goal isn’t to erase history, but to evolve it.
Communicate the Change.When change is needed, leaders should clearly explain why, connecting the update to a shared vision rather than making it seem arbitrary.
Activity Idea:
Have student leaders list three traditions or practices at your school that exist mostly because “we’ve always done it that way.”
In small groups, discuss the original intent and whether that reason still applies.
Decide together: Keep it? Modify it? Retire it?
Share back as a class or leadership team and reflect on how change can strengthen, not weaken, school culture.
Final Thought
Like the buttons on our shirts, traditions hold stories of the past, but great leaders ensure those stories still fit the present.Change doesn’t erase legacy; it keeps it alive.