Sainsburys unisex school shirts....

[BertrandRussell]

...are, in fact, boy's shirts. Of course.

I agree with bertrand

My children have blazers, the girls button the opposite way to the boys but they are absolutely a boys blazer which buttons up the "wrong" way

I would be annoyed by unisex (boys) shirts and dd wore "boys" shorts throughout infant and most of juniors

Unisex always means "like men".

Yes. Posters who go on about "unisex clothes" for children mean trousers and anything else which is considered currently socially acceptable for male children.

If a man wants to do "woman things" there's something wrong with him.

Oh it sometimes goes further than that. If a girl or woman wants to do "girly" things that's wrong too.

But, but, but! It makes no sense to have unisex school shirts for teenage boys and girls! They have different bodies!

Why did yoy need different tops for your twins? Couldn't they all go in a school shirt box together?

Especially when they are primary age.

I agree that it is silly to call it unisex when it won't fit girls. Who have breasts.

But the button thing, I think all clothes should be made the way men's clothes are with respect to buttons. After all, it is not like many women require help dressing themselves, nowadays. It's a relic of times gone by.

(Except if this is just a rumour and it is easier to close buttoned shirts the "woman" way round - there should be a study on this.)

Isn't the way of buttoning something to do with swords? Rather than anything to do with what is easier?

So we should work out which way round is "easier for right-handed people" and pick that.

Sorry lefties.

I find that lots of women's shirts button the 'make' way. It's become the default because it suits right-handlers who dress themselves.

Unisex shirts are a good idea for pre-pubescent children as sex differences are not pronounced at that stage.

Not a good idea once breasts have appeared. And I wish there were more school shirts cut for larger cup sizes.

Maybe they tossed a coin in the boardroom as to which way they buttoned.

'make' was of course meant to be 'male'

Sorry

But, but, but! It makes no sense to have unisex school shirts for teenage boys and girls! They have different bodies

When I first saw the OP I assumed it was about primary school sized polo shirts, for this very reason.

My apologies, I assumed primary school children, of course post puberty they will need different clothes so unisex wouldn't really work for a fitted shirt regardless.

Women tend to need a dart and more material on the breast and some now come with a modesty cover to stop gaping at the bust. Women's collars are also narrower and the shoulder measurment smaller, and arms shorter.

There is no way that they tossed a coin. They chose the "male way".

I think all clothes should be made the way men's clothes are with respect to buttons.

Why ? I've got 2 button through dresses and a coat bought in Denmark which button the men's way. I am right handed and find it really inconvenient.

Would it not make more sense to do something like cut? Men's shirts come in standard - unfitted and tailored - cut to fit male shape.
Going by numbers I should fit DP tailored shirts, in practice they don't close over my tits and I can't do up the bottom button. If they were not tailored I suspect they would fit, or at least cover.

Unfitted shirts, I suspect manufacturing costs are kept down by just labelling the boys ones in 2 different packs. Zero difference in manufacture.

It is male as default though. Can't see it changing though due to costs.

I don't understand your point NotAnother Shirts already exist which are designed for female body shape.

Boys' and men's uniform / smart shirts are not " unfitted" - they are fitted to the shape and proportion of men's bodies.

There was a thread a while back berating a horrible , sexist work wear manufacturer for offering a range of lab coats for women, which was apparently, patronising (as opposed to recognising a chest 36' man's lab coat will be too wide in the shoulder, too narrow in the hips and too long in the sleeve for a woman with the same chest size)

I suppose it would be possible to make a loose, shapeless, unstructured , unisex , sack like garment which would fit all body shapes.

Ime of unfitted man's shirts they are pretty shapeless allowing those large of gut to still fasten them, as opposed to tailored ones which would go nowhere near a chunky bloke. Flattering on anyone regardless of sex? Probably not. But not everyone wants fitted. My point is that shapeless is already manufactured - for men. So manufacturing costs dictate that rebranding the same cut as unisex is not going to alter which way it buttons up.

As a tall long limbed woman with a big difference in bust/waist/hips for something like a lab coat I'd have to choose between sleeve length and the rest of it fitting. I'd probably go for fitting with too short sleeves.

And FWIW I got through high school in my brother's old shirts. They didn't flatter but they covered. Non-tailored standard white school shirts.

They didn't flatter but they covered. Non-tailored standard white school shirts.

I usually apply a bit more to the selection process than "do they cover me" when choosing clothes.

Shapeless is not manufactured for men. Men's clothes are shaped to male body proportions.

My husband's pyjama jacket is not tailored or obviously shaped. Our chest sizes aren't wildly different his pyjama jacket is still too big at the neck, shoulders and sleeves.

So maybe what we're saying here is that "unisex" doesn't work because we're different.

I don't think I've ever come across anything called "unisex" which didn't mean "male"

Gunny yes, I think small children are fine in unisex but one puberty rears it head best stick to sex specific tailoring for comfort and fit.

Hum... The buttoning is just social convention. I lived in the US for a while and IIRC they used the same 'right handed' side for all.

Bert toothbrushes? They are unisex I wouldn't class them as "male" there are thousands of day to day items that are "unisex" and not male, or do you mean specifically clothing?

I don't think toothbrushes are specifically called "unisex" are they?