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 practically impossible to open or close the zipper. This quality makes it a fabulous fastener.

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.”