Zipper or button fly jeans?

In My Humble Opinion
1

(FWIW, I’m a guy. I don’t know the prevalence of button flies in women’s jeans, but I’m putting it in the poll anyway.)

I first wore button fly Levi’s 501 jeans in the early 90s (when they were still made in the USA–fuck Levi’s). I could be wrong, but the button fly really seems to have increased in popularity after 2000. A lot of my pants now have them.

And I prefer the button fly. Reasons:

• The button fly seems to pucker less. A zipper seems to naturally form a bulge, especially on jeans for some reason. This can overly emphasize the, um, package in some cases. A button fly seems to lie neater. This is a not insignificant fashion detail.

• I am an over-the-top-of-the-underwear pee-er (my undies don’t even have dickholes). Contrary to possible expectations, for the over-the-top peeing maneuver, the button fly is actually easier to use. At least to me. You don’t have to take off all the buttons, and the ones that remain buttoned give you a kind of platform to rest the apparatus upon. Further, the two sides of the jeans don’t come apart widely. I don’t find the button fly any slower to use, either; again, contrary to what one might think.

• Zippers can get stuck on stray threads or even on the underwear, or they can just get jacked up. A button fly does not have this issue.

• The button fly is tactilely pleasing to fasten.

• In a sex situation, especially that first time, the button fly is sexier.

• And though most people won’t see it or notice it (outside a sex situation), the button fly simply feels more premium and cool and badass.

Those are my thoughts! What do you think?!

2

I’m an old woman, and I have to go with zipper.

My reason? Speed.

3

Zippers are only for tents and the cuffs of ski pants.

4

I’m an old man, and need speed for the same reason. But after a little breaking in, button flies can be opened even faster than a zipper. Been wearing 501s since the '70s.

5

Do you have any of those pants with a zipper down the ass? I remember those were a thing in the 70s. Kinda scary.

6

After not just one but a couple of accidental, mortally embarassing open fly-incidents in my teenage years (the zipper working itself open, not me forgetting to zip up), I seeked out button fly jeans and never looked back. Zipper flyes feel cheap, and zippers in general are prone to failure, whereas button flyes never fail, and feel badass (ooh). Easy choice for me.

7

I think that’s another good point: though you said you didn’t forget, I have forgotten to do a zipper, but I’ve never forgotten to do a button fly. And yes, a zipper can come undone by itself at times, whereas buttons will not (I will certainly wear the ass out of a pair of jeans before the button holes get worn out).

8

I own both, but it seems like the 501’s always get worn when it’s a night at the bar. Nope, nope, nope; zippers are the way to go.

9

I went with zipper, since Velcro wasn’t an option.

Talk about sexy. RRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

10

I’m in full agreement with the OP, and I’ll go further and say that many of my non-jean trousers also have fly buttons. Given the choice, I will always prefer buttons to zippers.

11

I didn’t vote, no option for no preference:(

Levis have to be 501 because it seems that Levi-Strauss uses the shittiest zippers they can find. Lees and Wranglers don’t use shitty zippers that fail unless worn with age and use, and I’m pretty rough on jeans and never had any make it to old age.

12

I use to wear button fly jeans. The only problem I found with them is just about the time the jeans were nice and broke in, the button holes had become big enough for the jeans to unbutton themselves. Seems I had to sew up the holes a bit every few months. Switched over the Wrangler jeans with zippers and have never had an issue with them. Plus they are half the cost of the brand name button fly jeans.

13

I prefer button fly, but my body hasn’t need the right share to wear 501’s since my early 20’s. I wasn’t aware that button fly jeans were now more widespread; I may have to look a bit more closely next time I’m shopping.

14

I remember growing up that girls and women’s pants had zippers on the side or in the back. The front was always nice and smooth.

I only started wearing pants with zippers in the front when I started wearing boys’ Levi pants in the 60s.

Although I do have a picture of my brother and me when I was about 3, and I was wearing front zip jeans, but I don’t remember any of my play clothes when I was school aged having front zippers.

15

I’ve been wearing Levi’s 501s since I was a kid. (Except when mom bought me bought me Toughskins from Sears.) I still wear 501s.

16

I don’t care one way or another, but it’s green decades since I saw a pair of pants with a button fly. I’m sure they make them, buy not where I shop.

17

I wear button-fly trousies; I get BDU (battle dress uniform) type cargo-pocket pants at an Army Surplus store. But I prefer zippers. (The same pants, with zippers, cost three times as much.)

18

I drink too much and I’m too old to be fumbling with buttons. When I need to go now I don’t need any complications.

19

I’m not old enough yet to have to go with elastic waist, but they would probably be the quickest.

Hope I don’t ever have to.

20

You didn’t have an option for “no preference”.

Dudette, here, and honestly, I have no preference so long as the closure device remains closed when intended and also opens easily when needed.