Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 3 min read
Which side do buttons go on a women’s kurta?
Which side are buttons on women’s shirts? On the wearer’s left, with right over left. Kurta plackets are less strict, so here is how to state the side you prefer.
InspirationThe short answer
In the Western convention, the buttons on a women’s shirt sit on the wearer’s left and the right front laps over the left, the mirror image of a men’s shirt. Many women’s kurtas follow the same habit, but there is no strict rule for kurtas: plackets are often short, centred or hidden, and tailors cut them either way. If the side matters to you, say so when you order.
The convention in plain words
Put on a women’s shirt and look down. The buttons are on your left-hand side and the buttonholes are on the right panel, which crosses over the top. Men’s shirts are the other way round: buttons on the right, left panel over right. That is why the convention is often summed up as “right over left” for women.
Even in Western clothing this is a habit rather than a law. Some brands ignore it, and garments sold as unisex often use the men’s layout. Coats and jackets usually follow the same split, while knitwear and casual tops vary more.
Why the sides differ
Nobody knows for certain. Popular explanations include servants dressing wealthy women and finding the reversed side easier, men needing to reach a weapon with the right hand, and mothers holding a baby on the left arm. None of these is proven, and fashion historians tend to treat them as stories. The practical point is simply that the convention exists and most ready-made women’s shirts follow it.
Kurtas are less strict
A kurta placket rarely behaves like a full shirt front. A short half placket or a concealed one at the centre shows so little overlap that the direction is hard to see, and an opening with a band collar is often finished either way. Direction matters more on these:
- Off-centre or side plackets: the opening sits to one side of the neck, and the side it falls on is part of the design.
- Full-length button-front kurtas: the overlap runs all the way down, so it is as visible as on a shirt.
- Wrap and [angrakha](/styles/cuts/angrakha) styles: the panels cross and tie at one side, and the direction varies between designs.
- Matching pieces: a waistcoat worn open over the kurta looks tidier when both overlap the same way.
Choosing a side and saying so clearly
Some left-handed wearers find the men’s layout easier to fasten, and asymmetric embroidery or a print can look better with the opening on one particular side. Whatever the reason, write it in words rather than relying on a picture: a photo taken in a mirror shows the placket the wrong way round. A phrase such as “buttons on my left when I wear it, right side on top” leaves no room for doubt. Our guide to kurta plackets and buttons covers placket lengths and fastenings, and briefing a tailor with screenshots has more tips on reference photos.
Add your preference to the notes on your custom stitching order and we confirm it in the written quote, along with the rest of the design. Start your quote whenever you are ready.
Common questions
Is it wrong if my kurta buttons like a men’s shirt?
No. It is a convention, not a rule, and plenty of women’s kurtas and unisex shirts close that way. Choose whichever you find easier to fasten.
Do decorative buttons follow the same rule?
Buttons that do not fasten anything can sit wherever the design needs them. The convention only matters where one panel actually laps over another.
Why does my reference photo show the buttons on the other side?
It was probably taken in a mirror, which reverses left and right. Check the photo against any text in the picture, or simply state the side you want in words.
