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Style & beauty

Can you still use a back zip?

(9 Posts)
karmalady Mon 30-Jun-25 07:10:58

I am dithering about this, I have a lovely pattern of a dress I want to make. quite a fitted bodice with a 24" back zip. I have not had a back zip for years and don`t have shoulder problems

Do any of you have a reliable way of using a back zip on a fitted dress? I won`t know if I can do it up until after I have made the dress

Astitchintime Mon 30-Jun-25 08:41:05

Apparently there is some sort of pull gadget that you can buy…….personally, I insert dress zips in the side seam or if it is jersey fabric it doesn’t get a zip at all and I’m not keen on close fitting dresses anyway.

keepingquiet Mon 30-Jun-25 08:57:03

Years since I had a zip-up dress and they were usually side zips!

I usually try things on anyway to make sure I can get in and out of them!

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Jun-25 09:12:35

I am fairly flexible and have several dresses with back zips.

If you have a problem a wire coat hanger can be used to pull up the zip.

M0nica Mon 30-Jun-25 09:27:53

No idea, I cannot remember when I last had a dress with any kind of back fastening.

Elrel Sun 07-Sept-25 17:40:27

Only today I tried on a dress with a full length back zip. It had been in the wardrobe for a few years until I lost weight. No chance of my being supple enough to get the long zip up. The dress will go to the charity shop tomorrow!

Babs03 Sun 07-Sept-25 18:08:06

No, I have Ménière’s syndrome and for some reason that movement will set off a bout of vertigo, usually short lived but I don’t do anything these days that can set it off.

Graceless Sun 07-Sept-25 18:12:17

I second the bent wire coat hanger suggestion

NotSpaghetti Sun 07-Sept-25 18:21:52

I have seen lots of hooky things on a ribbon online to help do up a dress - but I want to know how you hook the hooky bit in again in order to pull the zip back down?

Maybe the assumption is someone will help you out of it?