plackets

Plackets are fabric openings that form a finishing edge and provide a mechanism for fastening a garment. They are typically implemented as strips of fabric sewn along a garment edge to create a reinforced opening for closures such as buttons, buttonholes, zippers, or snaps. Plackets appear on the fronts of shirts and dresses, on cuffs, pockets, and trouser flies, and in outerwear.

Common types include button plackets (a visible fabric strip with buttonholes and sometimes interfacing); concealed or invisible plackets (a narrower strip hidden between garment layers to give a flat front); French plackets (an integrated front that uses the garment’s edges rather than a separate strip); zipper plackets (a fabric extension housing a zipper, often with a facing to conceal it); fly plackets (used in trousers and skirts, formed by two facing strips around the fly); and cuff plackets (opening at the end of sleeves for fastening the cuff).

Construction notes emphasize that plackets typically require interfacing to provide stiffness; they may be single- or double-layer; ends are reinforced with backstitches or bar tacks; topstitching secures the edges; and precise alignment is important to ensure symmetry, durability, and smooth closure.

Plackets are a standard feature in ready-to-wear and in hand-sewn garments. Their design influences garment fit, drape, and ease of wear, and fashion trends can make certain placket styles more or less visible. In pattern design, choosing the type and placement of plackets affects construction complexity and the final appearance of the garment.