A button fly is a closure for the front opening of jeans that uses a row of several buttons, usually four or five, instead of a metal or plastic zip. Each button fastens through a matching buttonhole, and the layered fabric behind the buttons covers the gap between them when closed.
Compared with a zip fly, a button fly takes a little longer to open and close, and some wearers find it less convenient for quick use, but it has no metal teeth or slider that can jam, catch on fabric or break outright. Button flies are strongly associated with traditional and raw denim styles, partly for historical reasons, since early jeans predate the reliable zip, and partly because the visible buttons are considered part of the classic denim look.
Buttons on a fly can be replaced individually if one is lost or damaged, which is usually simpler than replacing a broken zip. See our jeans repair and patching guide for how to fix a fly closure, and raw denim guide for more on traditional denim construction.
