We received another question from a reader asking if the latest trend of sewing zippers exposed on the front side of garments is something that is modest.  Here is our answer.

Exposed Zipper on Front of Garment | image from morningbymorningproductions.blogspot.com

In our humble opinion, an exposed zipper is unsightly when sewn on a garment exposing its teeth and tape.  The only reason it is sewn like this is to draw attention.  Anything that draws attention is immodest. A modest item can be modest yet attractive, but when it is attracting, it is beyond the spirit of modesty.

Unfortunately,  like it has been for centuries, the trend of today’s retail clothing market is not to cater to the modest crowd since it is dictated by the fashions of Paris.  Thanks to the modest communities of the world who do not submit to the impurities of fashion, sewing has become a household necessity and that’s why KosherPatterns.com is here.

The modest way of sewing a zipper is to have it hidden as much as possible.  That’s why modest zippers exist and modest techniques are used to sew them.  There are two types of zippers that can be used when sewing for modesty.

Invisible Zipper

The invisible zipper is used in formal garments but can be used in your regular sewing as well.  When sewn correctly, the zipper is hidden from view when closed, except for the tiny sliding zipper pull.

Invisible Zipper is the most modest zipper, hidden when closed. | image from thegirlinspired.com

Basic Zipper

The basic coil zipper is easier to sew relative to the invisible zipper and is still hidden when closed.

The Basic Coil Zipper is hidden when closed | image from Nancy Zieman

Exposed Zippers

Exposed zippers tend to have metal or plastic teeth in them with larger sized zipper pulls. They are used mostly in non-garment items, such as bags, pillows, and furnishings, but they are also sewn in retail jackets.

Comparing the three zipper types below, the coil zipper (the middle one) looks the most modest as the color of the teeth and zipper pull blends with the zipper tape, while the other two zipper’s teeth are meant to stand out.

Metal, Coil and Plastic Teeth in the basic zipper | image from Wikipedia

Take a look at this travel bag that is covered with zippers everywhere.  Imagine you have a garment that is also decorated with many zippers, exposed zippers, that is.

Bag with Many Zippers | image from Morguefile