FREE ESSAY ON ZIP IT UP

ZIP IT UP

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.