Classic lacing
Zipper Lacing: Step-by-Step Shoelace Tutorial
Zipper Lacing creates a distinctive interlocking pattern running up the centre of the shoe, with each section hooking around the lace below before crossing to the next eyelet. The result looks remarkably like the teeth of a giant zip.
Itโs eye-catching, satisfyingly structured and a little more intricate than everyday Criss Cross Lacing. Once you've mastered the repeating hook, cross, feed movement, though, the pattern quickly finds its rhythm.
Difficulty
โ
โ
โ
Medium
Time
5โ10 mins
Best for
Trainers, boots and casual shoes
Lace length
120โ140cm per lace
Hook, cross, feed - repeat. Each new link builds that unmistakable zipper pattern up the centre of the shoe.
Watch the video tutorial
Overview
Watch Lindsay demonstrate Zipper Lacing from start to finish. Rather than simply crossing from one side of the shoe to the other, each lace hooks underneath the section below before travelling across to the next eyelet.
Repeat that movement on alternate sides and the interlocking centre begins to resemble the teeth of a zip. It takes a little more lace and a little more concentration - but the finished effect is worth it
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time required: 5โ10 mins
- Best for: Trainers, boots and casual shoes
- Lace length: 120โ140cm per lace
The Story Behind This Style
There are some lacing patterns where you have to squint slightly to understand the name.
Zipper Lacing isn't one of them.
Once those interlocking sections begin marching up the centre of the shoe, the resemblance to a zip is wonderfully obvious.
The clever part is how the effect is created. Before each lace crosses the shoe, it hooks underneath the section below. Repeating that small extra movement produces a series of linked shapes through the centre.
From a distance it looks complicated. Up close, you discover that the entire design comes from repeating the same three movements:
Hook. Cross. Feed.
And that's precisely the sort of lacing technique we love in the Lace Library - something that looks impressively elaborate but becomes wonderfully logical once you know the secret.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow each step to create this lace pattern.
1
Step One: Start Straight Across
Thread the lace straight across the bottom eyelets, feeding both ends from the 'inside' to the 'outside'. Adjust them until the two ends are roughly the same length.
2
Step Two: Hook Under the Lace
Take one lace end and bring it underneath the straight section running across the bottom of the shoe. This little hook begins your first zipper link.
3
Step Three: Create your second hook
Take the other lace end and bring it underneath the opposite straight section of the lace. So you now have two hooks.
4
Step Four: Cross to the Opposite Side
Bring that same lace diagonally across the shoe and feed it up through the next available eyelet on the opposite side.
5
Step Five: Repeat on the Other Side
Take the other lace end, hook it underneath the section below, then cross it diagonally to the opposite side and feed it up through the next eyelet.
6
Step Six: Hook, Cross and Feed
Continue with the same sequence: hook underneath the previous section, cross over the shoe, then feed the lace up through the next eyelet.
7
Step Seven: Keep Building the Zipper
Alternate between the two lace ends as you work upwards. The hooked sections will begin to form the distinctive interlocking zipper pattern down the centre.
8
Step Eight: Adjust and Tie
Once you've reached the top, gently adjust the laces so the zipper pattern sits neatly down the centre. Tie your usual bow and your Zipper Lacing is complete.
The History of This Style
Zipper Lacing takes its name from its appearance rather than from a documented connection to the invention of the zip itself.
The repeated hooked sections create a chain of interlocking shapes through the centre of the shoe, giving the finished pattern its distinctive zipper-like appearance.
It belongs to a family of alternative lacing techniques that use the eyelets and the lace itself to create structure as well as decoration. By adding one small hooking movement before each crossover, an ordinary diagonal lace suddenly becomes part of a much more intricate-looking design.
Itโs another reminder that changing the route of a shoelace can completely transform the appearance of a shoe.
Did You Know?
A modern zip works because two rows of specially shaped teeth interlock as the slider travels between them.
Zipper Lacing doesn't contain any actual zipper teeth, of course, but those repeating hooked sections create a surprisingly similar visual effect - two sides joining together through the centre.
Shop Laces That Work Beautifully
Choose a lace colour and style that helps this pattern look its best.
Laceologist's Style Tip
Choose a lace with plenty of contrast if you really want to show off the zipper effect. Bright orange against black works brilliantly because every hook and crossover is visible. And because this pattern uses more lace than a simple Criss Cross, give yourself a little extra length to work with.
Lindsay, Chief Laceologist
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to some of the most common questions about this lacing style.
Is Zipper Lacing difficult?
Itโs a little more involved than standard Criss Cross Lacing, but the movement repeats throughout the shoe. Once you've mastered hook, cross, feed, the rest becomes much easier.
Why is it called Zipper Lacing?
The hooked sections interlock visually through the centre of the shoe, creating a pattern that resembles the teeth of a zip.
Does Zipper Lacing need longer shoelaces?
Usually, yes. Each lace takes an additional route underneath the previous section before crossing the shoe, so the technique uses more lace than a simple criss-cross pattern.
What shoes work best for Zipper Lacing?
Trainers, casual shoes and boots with evenly spaced eyelets are good candidates. A simple shoe and contrasting lace will make the centre pattern particularly easy to see.
Do I need to pull each zipper link tight as I go?
No. Leaving a little slack while you build the pattern makes it easier to position the links neatly. You can gradually adjust the overall tension once the pattern is established.
Can I wear Zipper Lacing as an everyday lacing style?
Yes, provided you've adjusted the laces to a comfortable tension for your particular shoe and foot. The technique may look highly decorative, but the ends can still be tied normally at the top.
Happy Lacing!
And there you have it - Zipper Lacing!
What looks like a complicated chain of interlocking laces really comes down to three little movements:
Hook. Cross. Feed.
Once you've found that rhythm, just keep repeating it and watch your zipper grow up the centre of the shoe.
Try a bold contrasting colour to show off every link or experiment with something more subtle and let people work out for themselves how you did it.
I'm Lindsay, Chief Laceologist at Love Your Laces.
Until next time... Happy Lacing!