Zippers: How To Zip Up Your Own Dress

Zippers

When God made man, He designed his arms for most all activities and chores.

Men, like women, can use their arms for just about anything in life except a few actions reserved for the opposite sex. One is zipping up a dress.

Zipping up your spouse's dress is simple. Zipping up your own dress can be discouraging, depressing, and stressful.

Women tend to be more flexible and have a greater range of motion in their joints, due to their smaller muscle mass. A woman's ligaments are also more pliable due to the influence of estrogen. This flexibility enables her to easily secure a bra, tie a bow behind her back, or zip up a dress. A man is lucky if he can touch his hands together behind his back at the line parallel to his broad shoulder blades.

I know some "girls" avoid buying a dress with a zipper. They would rather have a dress they can pull over their head or one that zips on the side (but those are few and far between). But don't be distressed. Help is around the corner—or to follow.

I love wearing dresses and didn't want to let a back zipper stand in my way. It only took a little bit of imagination and ingenuity to create the tool I needed to succeed.

For less than 50 cents, you too can make your own zipper puller, which will allow you to wear any dress you desire.

For years, I have used a strong metal hook, which I found in my workbench at home, tied to a long string, to pull my zipper into place. I have also used a safety pin (ouch on the fingers if you are not careful) and string, and a friend recommended a ring zipper pull device, similar to that used by people with disabilities. However, I have found my "homemade" device works the best.

Using any of the three devices is simple and should take no more than two minutes and minimal effort to complete.

The ring zipper puller retails for about $4, but if you are like me, why spend the money?

To Make Your Own Puller:

1. Buy or find a hook apparatus (one with a circular end) or a large, sturdy safety pin.
2. Tie a 3-foot or longer string or strong ribbon to the circular end of the hook or pin.
3. Secure the hook or pin through the hole in the zipper.
4. Put on the dress.
5. Hold the string with one hand over your shoulder and with your other hand, hold the top of the dress at the nape of the neck.
6. Pull straight up. The dress should zip itself completely up.
7. Remove the hook or pin and you are set to go.

You can reverse the process when taking off the dress.