Repair > ClothingMarch 25, 2010

Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

If you have a pair of jeans that fit well, but has a zipper that just won't stay up, try this tip before getting rid of them.

Get a small, thin ponytail holder, like the ones used for little girls. (The wider ones for large amounts of hair are far too long.) Covered hair elastics, close to the colour of your pants, work best.

Push one loop through a hole in the zipper tab, then slip it through the loop at its opposite end. Pull it firmly to tighten it around the zipper pull. Then when you zip up your jeans, slip the open loop over the button, and do up your jeans as normal.

Unlike using a safety pin, this method is not visible, and allows you to quickly (and safely) hook and unhook your zipper.

If you find your loop is too long, just tie a knot in it to shorten it.

Leave the hairband on the zipper and launder it with your jeans. Then it is there and ready to go the next time you want to wear your jeans!

You'll love your jeans again, now that you can wear them with confidence. Keep your money in your pocket instead of buying new clothes!

Source: I saw an ad for a device to hold up a difficult zip in an online "cool new products" page (sorry, I don't know where I found that link). I thought, "That's an awful lot of money to spend on a hair elastic!"

By MotherOfTwelveCats from Red Deer, AB

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By
09/28/2011

I have tried hair elastic, but I had a problem with them stretching out so my zipper would come down an inch or so. But I did give a product I found on the internet a chance called Zipperade, and was delightfully surprised. The band had the perfect elasticity and kept my zipper right up to my button. Well worth the $1 or so a piece.

By
04/01/2010

This is a great idea for those of us who just aren't handy.

By
03/27/2010

If you take a pair of pliers & very gently squeeze the metal slide on either side of the zipper pull, it will tighten it so that the zipper won't fall anymore. Just be careful to squeeze a little on one side, then a little on the other side then try the zipper-repeat if needed. Remember, squeeze a little at a time or you could break the slide. If you end up with the zipper so tight it won't slide easily, just use a screwdriver or table knife to pry the slide up a tiny bit.

By
03/27/2010

A school friend of mine used to zip up her jeans , then turn them over at the top and use a safety pin to make a bar under the zip tag at the back. The safety pin did not show much on the right side. The zip could not come down.

By
03/27/2010

Love it! And definitely much better than poking yourself with a safety pin ;-)

By
03/27/2010

I could not count over the years how many pairs of jeans this has happened to. Makes ya mad. Best Idea I have seen in a long time! Thanks

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(Archived Mar 25, 2010)Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

Request: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

I have a favorite pair of jeans but the zipper will not stay up. It goes up but when I move or bend down it goes down. I did see a post here that suggested to paint the zipper with clear nail polish. If I do not get any other solutions I may try that. Thank in advance.

Sandi from IL

Feedback:

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

This has happened to me. Here's a simple and cheap idea.

I've used a medium sized safety pin to close my jeans. Put the open side of the pin through the hole in the zipper pull, then through the buttonhole and shut the pin. Button your pants normally.

Practice a few times, to make sure the pin is hidden as much as possible.

Much - much cheaper than having a seamstress replace the zipper, or just tossing the pair away.

Give it a try. (02/17/2009)

By KJ

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

Take them to a tailor or a cleaners that has a seamstress and have a new zipper put in them. It's not that expensive and being that they are your favorite jeans it's money well spent :-) (02/17/2009)

By Deeli

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

Sounds like your zipper doesn't have a "lock". If you don't want to get the new zipper, what I have done is to loop a rubber band in the zipper pull, then before I button or snap the jeans, put the rubber band around the button or snap, so that when closed, they hold the rubber band up, which in turn, holds the zipper up. You could use a hair rubber band that would match the jeans, but I have never had one that showed. (02/17/2009)

By Jilson

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

I agree about your zipper lacking a lock - or perhaps you haven't been locking it - the tab which you use to pull down the zipper also moves back to lock the zipper in place when fully zipped. Are there any teeth missing at the top of the zipper? if there is not a "stopper" then the zipper won't lock. I have sewn in a stopper with thread. Also check the teeth at the top of the zipper and see if they have to be re-aligned. (You can do that with a pair of pliers.) (02/17/2009)

By pamphyila

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

Try taking a pliers and squeezing the metal slide around the zipper to make it snug around the teeth. This should help. (02/17/2009)

By guest

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

I have one pair like this that I wear out to the clubs and this always happens, I simply spray the zipper with hairspray and that seems to help. (02/17/2009)

By KATHY

RE: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

Thanks to everyone for all the super ideas here. I will try them all and see which one works the best for me. If none do, I will have the zipper replaced. (02/17/2009)

By Sandi

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