Help - zip stuck on dress!

[Battleshipgreen]

Hopefully some of you will have advice! Have a wedding on Friday, new dress bought a few weeks ago, tried on tonight to match with shoes and the zip is stuck! It goes up halfway when I'm wearing it then refuses to budge (it does fit, honest, but it seems to be sticking at a seam?). And goes up with a little coaxing when it's on the hanger but not on me. DH has tried. And tried. And tried. I'm afraid of pulling too hard and completely destroying it

I've put vaseline on it to see if that helps but no luck. I'm working all week and no time for shopping, it took me weeks to find this. is there an easy fix? If I could get it to a dressmaker could a new zip solve it, and can that be done in a day?

I know it's a first world problem but it's been a tipping point tonight to be honest

Thanks in advance

Sounds like the zip is stitched too close to the teeth, hard to advise without a pic though

Is there a loose thread that’s catching at that point in the zip?

Have a good look, or post a picture - maybe a thread you can unpick and sew up?

Oh and turn the dress inside out and look from the back

www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-fix-a-broken-zipper-263333

If the zipper is sick a lubricant like soap or oil should help loosen it.. I've attached a good link .. Good luck

Put a little WD40 in a tiny container, dip a cotton bud in it then gently wipe the bud on the zip to see if that frees it up . Take great care not to get the liquid on the fabric. This has worked for me

Rub wax on the zip closed zip teeth rub in with the open and do it on the side of the teeth close and zip up and down a couple of times. Tea light candle edges are good without getting it on the material.

• use a pencil and rub it up and down the zip

i dunno why but it does work and does the zip go "over" a seam? This is a common issue. The zip must be pulled very taught and straight at the "join" Try closing the hook and eye first if there is one! totally get you! So sweaty and frustrating getting a bad zip!

My bets on it being a concealed zip, they are buggers and I try to avoid them if I can. It will be where there's a seam going horizontal to the zip. Take it very slowly and try to make there as much slack either side as possible.

• i worked in clothes shop for years and was forever pencilling harassed woman into dresses. Also. Side zipping dresses are really bad for this. If you CAN, zip up yout front and shimmy it round

Try a pencil!

If it zips up when you aren't wearing it then try lifting your arms above your head when it's on and ask someone else to zip it up.

Doing that takes the pressure off the zip.

Unfortunately it does sound like the zip cant cope with being under a bit of strain (not suggesting the dress is too small - might just be a fault in the zip) which does put the zip at risk of spliting open even if you do get it on and zipped up.

It is a concealed zip with a horizontal seam @BusterGonad@BusterGonad

Sorry posted too soon, going to try all these and report back

I knew it. They are terrible, I took a beautiful dress back that had this. The sales lady implied it was too small for me so I put it on and showed her. I got my refund and surprisingly the dress went in the sale as no one could get the zip tobeork once it was on an actual body!

Thanks everyone, just tried arms above head but no luck and giving up tonight as I'm hot, cross and ready to cry. Pencil out tomorrow!

Reporting back!

Went belt and braces. Tried candle wax on one side and a pencil on the other, the sorcery worked! Zip glided up nicely and Friday is saved. Thanks to all of you, I'll raise a glass xx

Late to the party but I have a dress which is fighting me on this! Dress is plenty big enough but it's a concealed zip across a horizontal seam!! Will be trying the candle shortly 🤦🏻‍♀️