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Can anyone explain to me the appeal of a button fly (pants)?

The BDUs we wore in Nam had buttons on the fly, and it was no big deal once you were used to it. I wore 501 Shrink to Fit Levi's back then too. I have been told the current BDU has velcro for all the fasteners. That would really bite. :D
 
Could have been worse fashion statement.
I had an uncle who worked for an accounting firm that somehow did a fair amount of venture capital stuff. He told me this story about a guy who came in showing how two pieces of fabric could be connected without buttons or metal fasteners. He was asked for a user case scenario. He said, "for the fly on men's pants".
My uncle's firm passed it up. They lost what became the Velcro account.
 
I gave up years ago. One very drunkin night and desperately needing a waaz - couldn't find the little suckers let alone unbuttoning them.
 
I've never even tried on a pair of button-fly jeans. I would imagine I wouldn't like them too well, and since I'm in the habit of wearing underwear, I don't see any "mink trap" issues in that area
 
I never understood it either, but then I got a pair of button-fly 501s. Most. Favourite. Pants. Ever. I love the button fly, I can't go back to zippers. Also, the system is totally easy. You undo the top button, and the rest goes in one quick motion. Plus, it's easier to keep the top button (and only the top button) open after a huge meal.
 
One advantage I can think of is that there is almost no chance of accidentally flying low as doing up the buttons is a process you can't really forget.

The disadvantage though is that if you're in a hurry you might do up the buttons in a staggered manner, leading to odd crotchage.
 
NC MacGuy said:
I used to wear them in the 70's. They were cool. I had more control then. I'd hate to have one of my older guy "gotta' go now" moments with them. Now I like sweatpants and shorts with elastic so I can have quick over the fence moments.;)
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I simply love "over the fence moments".
Wait...that wasn't supposed to be dirty was it?
calculus said:
I like them. They look much better than a zipped fly.
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I agree. If you're wearing basic jeans and the zipper is cheap the zipper can bunch. I've tossed jeans on account of this. Plus, if you don't wear panties all the time and you're not completely bare then the zipper for a lady can indeed pose a problem as it does for men. ;)
 
come one guys, its that magically feeling you get when you REALLY have to take a piss and your only 8, no wait, 7 buttons away from not pissing youself:p
 
Sesshi said:
One advantage I can think of is that there is almost no chance of accidentally flying low as doing up the buttons is a process you can't really forget.
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Having said that, I've had a mixture of jeans with buttons and jeans with zips in the past, and if you get used to doing up button ones from the bottom up, and then go back to zips, there is a chance you can do up the button before the zip, and then think "right, that's me done", and have an open fly for the next few hours.

I mean, that could happen, if you were a bit of an idiot. :eek:
 
There was a time in the 1980s when wearing jeans with a zip fly meant one of the following:-

  • You had no idea how to dress
  • You were prepared for people to laugh at you
  • Your mum bought your clothes
 
I have a pair of button fly shorts and I hate hate the fly. It has 7 buttons (2 that are inside, not on the front, whose function is beyond me) I wind up forcing them to slip off, which has ripped off the top button a couple of times. :rolleyes:
 
I have a few pair of button fly jeans. It's much safer, if you get my drift (Yes, that actually happened t me once).

I'm not a huge fan of them - I mean, I don't insist on wearing them, but if the jeans look nice and they happen to have a button fly I don't mind. I think cosmetically the difference is they add a bit more to the crotch bulge... at least, that's how I had it explained to me. I don't look at other guys and have no clue what style the chicks I see wear so I couldn't vouch for this myself.
 
levi's 501 jeans do last a very long time (i think my oldest pair lasted well over 20 years). levi's are still my favorite. i hate paying for a stylish pair of jeans only to lose them to a shoddy zipper that either gets stuck or simply gives out. :(
 
hm...yeah i agree. why do they make the jeans w/ buttons. " zipper is one of the greatest inventions. "
 
My ex-girlfriend (well a couple of girls ago now) requested that I not wear them anymore because she uh, couldn't undo them quickly...for me...


heh.. but either way, I didn't (or don't now) care.
 
  1. I like the styling
  2. Less chance of "that" happening
  3. Zippers are not hardwearing enough for jeans, and tend to give out. Remember, jeans are work wear.
  4. My wife likes opening them one by one ;)
 
By pants/shorts with button flies.

More than 1/2 my pants/shorts have that.

Or buy elastic waistband clothing.

I don't see the big deal here.
 
It seems like some prefer buttons because they're easier to open, and some dislike buttons because they're harder to open. Well, count me amongst the dexterous :)

Eventually, all zippers fail. Buttons are forever!

But most importantly, when I've been driving, whenever the pretty girl sitting next to me has wanted to express her desire to communicate orally with me, I've been glad to not have sharp little metal teeth anywhere in my vicinity.
 
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