Zip It Up Essay, Research Paper
Clothes are important in presenting a good first
impression and have become a necessity for life.
They can also be a great form of embarrassment.
A popped button might expose a pale stomach.
A skirt not done up properly may expose undergarments,
or worse, fall down. So much for a good impression.
As well, tripping over shoelaces makes one look like
they have the grace of an elephant. Perhaps this is
where Whitcomb Jackson came up with his great
invention. A fastener was created in 1891, later
named the zipper. This creation revolutionized
the fastener and clothing industry.
The zipper contains two separate rows of
teeth that can be interlocked to close a garment.
The slide of the zipper, used to open and close
the device, consists of three wedges. One, at
the top, is used to detach the teeth and force them
apart. The bottom two force the teeth together so
they intermesh closing the fastener. Without the use of this slide it is p
The zipper was not a very popular device u
ntil the beginning of the Great War. It was
originally used for doing up boots, since the
buttonhole boots were too much of hassle. The
US Navy realized in 1918 what an asset it would
be as part of their flying suits. The suits
became easier to put on, decreasing the preparation
time of the soldier. From then they began to
appear in the garment industry. They first appeared
in men’s pants in 1920, to zip up the front.
They did not appear in women’s clothing until the
late 1920’s. Now they appear in most articles
of clothing because they are so convenient.
Zippers have become a great convenience as
far as getting dressed is concerned. They cut
time off dressing and neither breaks like buttons
nor poke like pins. They only become a nuisance
when someone walks up to you to quietly whisper in
your ear that you are “flying low.”