How to zip up your own dress

[Yourownpersonaljesus]

I bought this dress online and it arrived today. www.marksandspencer.com/floral-frill-detail-midaxi-tea-dress/p/clp22526074?color=BLACKMIX I really like it (even though it's longer than it looks) but I can't do the zip up at the back. I live alone so don't have anyone to zip it up for me. Any ideas? I thought about adding some ribbon to the zip but there's no hole to thread it through. I don't want to send it back for this reason. Please help.

If the zip is big enough, a traditional shoe mender might be able to make a tiny hole in it. Enough for dental floss. But as you say, you're managing by pulling it up anyway.

I must have t-Rex arms, I'm very flexible but just can't reach over my shoulder to reach a zip

Dress zippers make me grateful I'm hypermobile.

Doesn't matter now but I also do the same as @bigdecisionaboutwork if my husband isn't here

Paperclip and ribbon or long lace. There is a triangle shaped hole on zip on that link above solid zip pull.

I do the method you used with the pull up/wriggle/stretch to reach zip
Or bang on my neighbours door and look hopeless as he tuts at me and goes "spin round then"

It is a nice dress and I am not an M&S fan of late, possibly with the exception of lingerie.

The OP has resolved this now, l hope she managed to take it off again!

I would certainly post a review with an adverse comment.

Historically, the more expensive garments did up at the back because “refined ladies 😂” were expected th have a dresser or a maid to assist them. That was after they had been eased into their corset!

Oh, for the front zip! Which can look very stylish.

I'd like to think that they'd built a 'how to do the zip up' into the design, but know they don't. I too have experienced the stress of trying to get out of a dress in a changing room episode and never again! Luckily I didn't dislocate my shoulder trying to do this, but boy, it was a close run thing. There wasn't anyone either on the changing room duty or even someone in a next door cubicle to ask to help. Some dresses should carry a risk of physical injury warning!

@Iwantacookie

I always used to go knock on a neighbour to help me out.

Glad its not just me that does this but what do you do if the wife is out? Ask her husband?

@QueenPaw

I do the method you used with the pull up/wriggle/stretch to reach zip Or bang on my neighbours door and look hopeless as he tuts at me and goes "spin round then"

Is it embarrassing to have to ask a man?

Look for dresses with a side zip and buy those instead

@FluffyWhiteBird

Look for dresses with a side zip and buy those instead

Good idea but doesn't always work. Dresses like that often get stuck over my head when I try to take them off. Am I the only one this happens to?

I do it similarly to the way above but I use my second hand to pull the lower part of the dress, roughly from the top of the zip where's it's done up and pull my hands apart.

@MoltonSilver

Isn't it ridiculous. You never see men's clothes that don't allow them to dress themselves. Men wouldn't put up with it.

Not totally true. Watching DH try to get out of his compression shirt is really funny, Any other men examples?

@Jennyw12 no? I can zip it up half way so unless at 70 he's getting his rocks off seeing my upper back then no, not embarrassing

[quote NotMyCat]@Jennyw12 no? I can zip it up half way so unless at 70 he's getting his rocks off seeing my upper back then no, not embarrassing [/quote]
Wish I had a neighbour like that. Had to rely on my postman last week