I’ve posted about two-way zippers before, but it bears repeating in case you’re unsure how they work. I often see an aha moment when I show my clients and friends how to use and style a two-way zipper. They are most common on coats and jackets, and occasionally also included on knitwear and other tops. 

To recap, a two-way zipper can be opened from both the top and the bottom. It works like a regular zipper thereby opening and closing the garment completely. It also allows you to unzip the bottom part of the garment while the top part stays zipped up. The picture shows a two-way zipper in action on a shorter jacket.

Unzipping the bottom of a two-way zipper gives you room on the bottom of the jacket or coat, which facilitates movement. It comes in handy when you’re striding, driving, sitting or taking public transport wearing outerwear. On a short jacket, it can be comfortable to keep your chest insulated while the lower part of your torso is ventilating. Visually, it looks interesting by allowing the bottom part of a top to peek through the front of the jacket.

I like two-way zippers, and prefer them to one-way zippers on zipped outerwear and tops. I like to have the option of unzipping the bottom if I need a little extra room, and visually I like the effect of the upside-down V. I haven’t found two-way zippers less robust or more finicky than one-way zippers, nor have I found them to unzip from the bottom when you want them to stay put.

So far my experience with two-way zippers has been very good. It’s not a deal-breaker if my zipped outerwear has a one-way zipper, although I’d prefer a two-way. How about you? Do you use the two-way zippers on your clothing?