Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read
What is a hook and eye? Where it goes on a kameez or dress
A hook and eye is a small two-part metal fastener that holds two edges together. Where it goes on a kameez or dress, hook and bar, and thread loops.
InspirationThe fastener in brief
A hook and eye is a small two-part fastener: a bent metal hook sewn to one edge of a garment and a matching loop, the eye, sewn to the other. Slip the hook into the eye and the two edges are held together. It is almost invisible from outside, which is why it is used at points where a button would look out of place.
There are two kinds of eye. A round eye sticks out slightly beyond the edge and is used where two edges meet edge to edge, as at the top of a back opening. A straight eye, a flat bar, sits on the surface and is used where one edge overlaps the other.
Hook and eye or hook and bar
A hook and bar is the larger, flatter cousin: a broad hook and a straight bar, usually in heavier metal. It is made to take strain, so it is the usual closure on trouser and skirt waistbands, often paired with a button or a zip. A small hook and eye would bend or pull out there.
Hook and eye tape, a strip with many hooks set close together, is a different item again, used mostly on corsetry and some close bodices.
Where it goes on a kameez or dress
Three places account for most hooks you will find.
- The top of a zip. A zip does not reach the very edge of a neckline, so one hook and eye closes the last centimetre or so. It also takes strain off the zip pull and stops the top from gaping.
- A back-neck opening. A keyhole or slit at the back of a boat neck or high round neck often closes with a hook and eye, or a button and loop, so the head can pass through.
- Waistbands and wrap fronts. A hook and bar on trousers or a skirt, and sometimes a discreet hook inside a wrap or angrakha overlap to stop it opening.
The thread loop alternative
On fine or sheer fabric, a metal eye can look heavy and drag the edge. Dressmakers often replace it with a thread loop: a small bar or loop worked in thread, covered in close stitches, that the hook catches on. It is softer, nearly invisible on chiffon and lies flatter than metal. The trade-off is strength: a thread loop is fine at a neckline but not on a waistband.
Scratching, marks and how to ask
Hooks have a few habits worth knowing. A hook at the back neck can rub the skin or catch hair, especially under a dupatta. On a chiffon dupatta or net, an open hook can snag the fabric. Plated hooks may discolour with age and damp, which can mark pale cloth. Closing every hook before washing, and choosing a hook the same colour as the fabric, avoids most of this. If metal against the skin bothers you, ask for the hook to sit on a small underlap so only fabric touches you. Our article on embroidery and lining covers other sources of scratch inside a garment.
On a made-to-measure order you do not normally need to request a hook: it is part of how an opening is finished. If you have a preference, such as buttons instead of a hook, or a thread loop on chiffon, add it to the notes on the quote form or mention it when you describe your design through Send Your Design. Fastenings that show from outside are covered in kurta plackets and buttons, and the opening is confirmed in your written quote.
Common questions
Why does my zip have a hook at the top?
The zip stops just short of the neckline edge, so the hook closes that last gap and holds the top neatly together. It also takes some strain off the zip so it is less likely to slide down.
Is a hook and eye strong enough for a waistband?
A small hook and eye is not. Waistbands use a larger hook and bar, often with a button or zip as well, because they carry much more strain.
How do I close a hook at the back of my neck by myself?
Close it before the garment is fully on, while the opening is still at the front, and then turn it round; or ask for a button and loop, which many people find easier to feel for.
