The short answer
- A button fly is the original; a zip fly is faster to use and lies a little flatter.
- Button flies can't jam or slide down, and they create their own fade pattern on raw denim.
- Zip flies are easier with cold hands, limited dexterity or a quick bathroom stop.
- At Jeanszilla a zip fly is standard and a button fly is +$10, on any adult style.
It's one of the few details on a pair of jeans that changes every day you wear them. Neither is better in every way, but each suits a different person. Here's the short history, then the practical differences.
A short history
The first riveted blue jeans, patented in 1873, closed with buttons. Zippers came later: the interlocking-tooth design was refined in the 1910s, and jeans began to adopt it from the 1920s onward. One of the best-known denim makers didn't add a zip fly to its jeans until 1947, partly to appeal to women customers, according to the company's own history of the debate. The button fly never went away, and it's kept a following among people who like original details.
Side by side
| Button fly | Zip fly | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Slower, several buttons to do up | One pull |
| Feel | A little more bulk at the front; buttonholes are stiff at first and ease with wear | Flatter and smoother |
| Failure | A button can come loose, but it's easy to sew back | A zip can jam, split or slide down; replacing one is a tailoring job |
| Fading | The buttons create a ladder-like fade on raw and dark denim | A cleaner, single line of fade |
| Look | Heritage, workwear | Neutral, works with anything |
| Ease of use | Harder with cold hands, arthritis or limited dexterity | Easier for most people |
Which to choose: a simple rule
- Choose a button fly if you're ordering raw or selvedge denim, love the heritage look, or have had zips slide down on you. It pairs well with straight and relaxed fits and with mom jeans in rigid denim.
- Choose a zip fly if you want speed, a flat front under a tucked shirt, or you find small buttons fiddly. It's the standard for a reason.
When not to choose a button fly
- You have limited hand strength or dexterity, or you're buying for someone who does.
- You wear jeans with tucked-in shirts at work and want the flattest possible front.
- You're in a hurry most mornings and know you'll resent it by Wednesday.
And if a zip has failed you before, it's worth knowing whether the problem was the zip or the fit. A zip that keeps sliding down often means the jeans are tight across the hips, which puts strain on the fly; see signs your jeans are too tight.
Three questions to decide
- How often will you be in a hurry? If the answer is "most days", zip.
- Is this a heritage pair? Raw or rigid denim, classic gold thread, a straight leg: button fly finishes the story.
- Who's wearing it? For anyone who finds small buttons hard to grip, a zip is the kinder choice.
If you're torn, choose the zip for your first pair and try a button fly on the second; once a fit is right, reorders use the same pattern, so the only thing that changes is the detail you chose.
Wearing in a button fly
New buttonholes in rigid denim are tight. They loosen within a few wears. Do the buttons up from the top down, and if the top one is a struggle, that's normal for the first week. For care, button flies need nothing special; wash them done up, inside out, like any jeans (how to wash jeans without fading).
Ordering
On every adult Jeanszilla style you pick the fly when you configure the pair: zip as standard, or button fly for +$10. Combine it with a thread color, hem and monogram; personal details covers them all, and what is selvedge denim explains the fabric that button-fly fans usually pair it with.
Or browse women's styles.
Questions
Are button fly jeans better than zip fly?
Not better, different. Button flies are the original, can't slide down and are easy to repair; zip flies are quicker and lie flatter.
Do button fly jeans stretch out?
The buttonholes ease with wear, which is normal and makes them easier to do up. The waist itself behaves like any pair in the same fabric.
Why do people like button fly jeans?
Tradition, the heritage look, and the distinctive fades the buttons create on raw denim. Some people simply prefer no zip.
Are button flies uncomfortable?
They add a little bulk at the front, which most people stop noticing after a few wears. Stiff new buttonholes soften quickly.
Can I get a button fly on women's jeans?
Yes. At Jeanszilla the button fly is available on every adult style for +$10, including women's straight, mom and barrel jeans.
