# Why do women's pants have so many fastenings?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 17, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510 "2013-01-17T14:59:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/1 "2013-01-17T14:59:50Z")
Seriously, this is a thing I’ve noticed. Currently I am wearing a nice pair of khakis. These have a zipper fly. A button at the top of the fly. And TWO metal eyelet clasps just above the button. That’s four fastenings every time I go pee.
Why is this the case? Is there a preponderance of women’s pants falling down? Do they not trust me to keep my pants up? Funny how the really nice pair of slimming black pants I own don’t have any clasps at all. However shall I manage those?
---
### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/2 "2013-01-17T15:01:40Z")
Goddamn speedbumps, is what they are.
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/3 "2013-01-17T15:14:07Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Goddamn speedbumps, is what they are.
🙂
---
### Author:  [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/4 "2013-01-17T15:19:05Z")
For pants with a zipper the more fastenings the more likely the pants will lay flat without pulling on any one particular location. Women seem to either buy clothes too small or grow out of them without giving up so the extra clasps near the button keep the waistband flat instead of pulling on the button.
Your slimming black pants have enough stretch in the fabric that it’s all cut and not connectors that make them fit properly.
---
### Author:  [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/5 "2013-01-17T16:43:27Z")
_Why do women’s pants have so many fastenings?_
Defense. Same with all the other hooks and straps and belts, buttons, etc etc.
---
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/6 "2013-01-17T16:45:01Z")
It’s to make it easier for ladies to resist the temptation of flinging all their clothes off when they gaze upon me.
---
### Author:  [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/7 "2013-01-17T16:45:25Z")
I think it has to do with the fact that it’s so difficult to tailor pants to a generic woman’s figure, and then past that, to a specific woman’s figure. We’re all shaped differently, so if I wore similar pants, different points on the seams and fasteners would be stressed. Having several fasteners spreads out the stress.
---
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/8 "2013-01-17T16:46:58Z")
Yeah, or it might be that too.
---
### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/9 "2013-01-17T16:50:21Z")
1…2…3…4…5… OMG! I’m wearing women’s pants!!!
---
### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/10 "2013-01-17T17:18:11Z")
Plenty of men’s pants have the same thing. As said upthread, the extra little metal clasps help the front of the pants lay “flatter”.
The “fanciest”/“dressiest” pants I own are sort of like this They have a button on the inside of the “left flap,” a metal clasp in the middle where the button would normally go, and then another clasp on the outside of the “right flap.” And they’re tailored paints, too.
---
### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/11 "2013-01-17T17:22:01Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#):
>
> For pants with a zipper the more fastenings the more likely the pants will lay flat without pulling on any one particular location. Women seem to either buy clothes too small or grow out of them without giving up so the extra clasps near the button keep the waistband flat instead of pulling on the button.
>
> Your slimming black pants have enough stretch in the fabric that it’s all cut and not connectors that make them fit properly.
Moon first with an actual factual response. 🙂 So basically it’s all our fault!
---
### Author:  [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/12 "2013-01-17T17:31:49Z")
Most of my pants don’t have any fastenings. But then I’m lazy and I don’t like tight-fitting clothes, so I tend to buy pants with an elasticized waistband instead of a “regular” waistband and front zipper.
---
### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/13 "2013-01-17T17:32:15Z")
> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> Moon first with an actual factual response. 🙂 So basically it’s all our fault!
Oh, I didn’t think this was GQ. IMHO, they’re goddamn speedbumps.
> [@artemis](#):
>
> Most of my pants don’t have any fastenings. But then I’m lazy and I don’t like tight-fitting clothes, so I tend to buy pants with an elasticized waistband instead of a “regular” waistband and front zipper.
Seen on Facebook or somewhere: You know you’re a mom when ‘getting dressed’ means changing from pajamas to yoga pants.
---
### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/14 "2013-01-17T17:44:45Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Oh, I didn’t think this was GQ. IMHO, they’re goddamn speedbumps.
> .
Oh no, I thought your response was amusing. I put it in IMHO for a reason. I was just kind of surprised that she came out with a good, reasonable answer.
---
### Author:  [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/15 "2013-01-17T17:48:59Z")
> [@bouv](#):
>
> Plenty of men’s pants have the same thing. As said upthread, the extra little metal clasps help the front of the pants lay “flatter”.
>
> The “fanciest”/“dressiest” pants I own are sort of like this They have a button on the inside of the “left flap,” a metal clasp in the middle where the button would normally go, and then another clasp on the outside of the “right flap.” And they’re tailored paints, too.
Well waddyaknow!
I always assumed having a metal clasp **and** a button was for redundancy. You know, so if the button fails the clasp will be there to hold them up and vice versa.
---
### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/16 "2013-01-17T18:08:24Z")
> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> Oh no, I thought your response was amusing. I put it in IMHO for a reason. I was just kind of surprised that she came out with a good, reasonable answer.
I know, I was just being cheeky.
It’s not just women, either…I have a few pairs of pants purchased in the ‘Big and Tall’ section. Though they are a 34" waist, they have elastic hidden in the waistband that makes them comfortable up to easily 40". So there are lots of guys who are walking around claiming that they are wearing the same size pants that they did in college!
---
### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/17 "2013-01-17T23:41:07Z")
Because nobody likes that weird corner thing at the top of the fly poking out and making you look like you have a very small and oddly high up penis. That’s why.
---
### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/18 "2013-01-17T23:48:34Z")
I’d like to know why some women’s pants have a fly that opens to the right, and some open to the left. I’m right-handed - I hate the couple of pairs I have that open to the left! It’s like I’ve forgotten how to dress myself when I fumble with the button and zipper.
Life would be a lot easier if I just wore muu-muus all the time!
---
### Author:  [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/19 "2013-01-18T00:25:54Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#):
>
> I’d like to know why some women’s pants have a fly that opens to the right, and some open to the left. I’m right-handed - I hate the couple of pairs I have that open to the left! It’s like I’ve forgotten how to dress myself when I fumble with the button and zipper.
>
> Life would be a lot easier if I just wore muu-muus all the time!
I never knew that you ladies had pants that zipped from both sides! I knew that your shirts we’re opposite from guys but I knew nothing about this zipper issue.
---
### Author:  [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510/20 "2013-01-18T12:50:01Z")
Most of my suit trousers have multiple fastenings, and I’m a guy. I’ve come up with several theories:
Redundancy.
Having multiple fastenings takes the strain off a single point of contact on the trousers, making them last longer.
One pair of trousers has a button fastening right off to the opposite side of the fly, which allows the wearer to unzip wider to pee without risking the trousers falling down.
It’s more comfortable when the trousers start getting tight.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-womens-pants-have-so-many-fastenings/647510.md?page=2)