Does the fashion industry hate single people? Insert flashing curser—so having a Carrie Bradshaw moment. But does it? No of course it doesn’t. However, unlike Marie Antoinette most of us do not have ladies in waiting on hand to dress us. And once we are above the age of seven or so we are expected to dress ourselves. Often this is a no brainer, but sometimes getting dressed can be a bit of a struggle. Or at least for those of us who live on their own.
There are items that I just don’t buy anymore, when shopping I make a point to look at how the fasteners are designed. Be it zippers or buttons I make it a point to look at how the garment is constructed with its fasteners.I have a dress from Zara that I love, I purchased it about eight years ago and I wear it all the time. I love the design and the cut of the dress, and I wear it often in the summer months. That said I do not look forward to putting it on, or taking it off. Ladies the struggle is real.
The zipper on this dress is one of those invisible zippers, which granted does look nice, but these zippers are often flimsy, and the design of this kind of zipper is clunky, and they do not zip as freely and easily as the more traditional zippers. With the dress in question the zipper is in the back. It is designed to zip up the bodice and it ends about two thirds of the way up the back. And every time I put it on the zipper gets stuck, and it gets stuck multiple times. In fact I cannot zip it up all the way and usually just end up wearing it that way.
So the question begs, why are so many garments designed in a way that requires another person to help the wearer put it on?
Now, if someone else were to zip it up for me it would most likely zip up with a lot more ease. However, I don’t have a lady in waiting to do this for me. So the question begs, why are so many garments designed in a way that requires another person to help the wearer put it on?
If this dress was designed with a more traditional zipper, yes you would see it, but it would not get stuck and it would be less of a struggle to zip it up. Or if the zipper was put on the side this would also make it easer. Though even with side placement these invisible zippers often get stuck.
When I am shopping if I see a garment with this kind of fastener on the back I do not even bother trying it on.
Another popular fastener is the loop pull fastener. These types of fasteners can be very tricky, often it is because they are very small, if they were larger perhaps it would be a bit easier. It is challenging enough to use the loop pull fastener when it is on the front of the garment. But on the back? It is almost impossible to close them on your own. And once again would require another person to close them in order to wear the garment. When I am shopping if I see a garment with this kind of fastener on the back I do not even bother trying it on. In my opinion if you are going to design a garment to button in the back it should be designed with traditional buttons.
I know first world problems, but the frustration is real. What say you? Have you encountered these problems? Do you buy garments like this? If so and you live with someone, do you ask them to help you? If not, how do you handle these types of garments? Do you buy garments like this, and if so do you keep them, or do you end up giving them away?
The dress in these photos is from the Massimo Dutti collaboration with Zara. It looks like it is designed in way that you just slip in on sans zippers or buttons. I love this. In fact I tried a dress on last week at a pop up located in the town in which I live. The dress I tried on was also designed without zippers or buttons. It was a breeze to put it on and take off—it was gorgeous. I almost bought it, but then I looked at the price tag and decided against it. But I am still thinking about it…
37 comments
What you wrote is completely correct. I also no longer buy items of clothing that I can’t close and open without help.
Ten years ago I didn’t care, if I liked something I still bought it.
Have a nice weekend
The fashion industry should pay a bit more attention.
I didn’t even think about this, but it is so true with zippers on dresses for example being at the back. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl
I don’t buy those clothes at all…too complicated for me.
It’s true, I also have problems with fastening or unfastening the zippers on my back…
Oh, such a catchy title (✿◡‿◡)
This is an elegant piece. But I don’t like hidden zippers. Great write up!
hahahahaha…I thought it would be the other way around..liking only single people.
Thanks for the post. This dress looks amazing, but of course, if I did own it..I would have nowhere to wear it. I’m from the heartland and we don’t exactly wear sexy other than tie-dye pajama bottoms and a spaghetti strap tank on occasion. Of course, recently while waiting for my Triple Berry Frosty I did see someone in her SKIMS bottoms..and that did look rather nasty instead of naughty.
I always take into consideration whether I can get a dress on without assistance as there’s nothing worse than trying to put on a dress and you can’t do the zip up on it! Don’t get me started on loop hole fasteners, they are THE worst! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I understand, I also suffer from the same problem, I have dresses that I can’t wear on my own, I have to get help from someone else. I think brands should rethink their designs because more and more women are living alone! I hope all is well with your health, have a great Sunday!
xoxo
http://www.marisasclosetblog.com
Hi!
This is really a struggle, now I love more dresses that has lateral zippers, the ones that goes below your arm.
xo
https://deiumjeito.blogspot.com/
Traditionally, those who wore high end fashion did have servants to help them dress. And sadly, they have not come into the current times where many do not have that assistance. I don’t see it as something that is going to change anytime soon.
I do not have these issues as I do not buy these kinds of clothes. These retailers don’t make fashions in my size (and they have no intention of ever doing so).
It’s frustrating when fashion choices require assistance to wear, making practicality as important as style. Brands like Massimo Dutti setting a standard for easy-wear designs give hope for a more accessible wardrobe.
Have a great week ahead, Allie!
Hi again, Allie! I use Copilot to generate my AI images.
Happy Tuesday!
Hey thank you for the information much appreciated.
I love this dress. I wish you would’ve gotten it for yourself.
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That dress from the Massimo Dutti collab with Zara looks very, very pretty –
and you have asked an excellent question about it!
I can easily sympathise, having experienced troubles in the past with zipper failures.
Although I think another person must be involved to help the wearers with corsets used in waist-training, (for those hoping to achieve a ‘wasp waist’), most of the time bustiers and waist-cinchers seemed to me to be possible to squeeze into without assistance.
Unless and until you are blessed with a lady in waiting I wish you the best of luck!
I concur that side zippers / fasteners are preferable to back zippers / fasteners.
With all that said, the dress shown above looks gorgeous. You must look amazing wearing it!
How frustrating that the pretty dress you found and liked had a too-high price tag!
Best wishes finding pretty high quality dresses at reasonable prices. xx
It’s an interesting reflection. I don’t buy complicated clothes.I hate to get help from someone else.
Have a nice week.
I had never really thought of it like that.. interesting take.
This is all so true! It can be such a hassle to find someone to help zip or button up the back of garments like this! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on all of this, what a great read!
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I haven’t thought about this before, but I do avoid purchasing clothes that are difficult to put on without the help of someone else. Even though I have a partner and daughter who could help, I prefer clothing that I can easily put on and take off on my own!
I wondered where you were going with that article title! But yes, I quite agree. I think designers forget that most of us don’t have a bevy of fitters to dress us – and while I’m on the subject of practicality MORE DRESSES NEED POCKETS please!
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Sometimes I think it has to do with the mass market. Where we go to what is fast, cheap, and easy put it out there. And this goes for high-end designers as well as the mass market industries. I think what was made years ago was more thought out, with better construction, and design, and handbags and jeans are the perfect example. When have you ever seen a good quality handbag on the market today unless it is by a brand you trust for quality and jeans that are real denim? But I loved this post and you gave the perfect examples that I find interesting. I hope you’re having a great weekend. https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2024/06/the-beauty-industrys-best-kept-secret.html
Yes so true. Any time you look at clothing from the 60s, 50s, 40s 30s 20s you really see how well the clothes were. I think it started to change in the 70s…
I hadn’t even thought of this! It definitely makes sense to only get items you can put on yourself though. The back zippers can be frustrating!
Ah yes. I find I have to ask my partner to help me a lot with my clothing, just with the zips on particular dresses or tops. I do find it’s a problem with wedding guest dresses too. I would find that frustrating if I was single and no-one around to help.
Zoey | http://www.zoeyolivia.com xx
This is so interesting. It made me think. I can only think of one romper with a zipper on the back that I have. I rarely wear it because I need someone to fully zip it up everytime.
http://www.fashionradi.com
I so agree with you, it can be very frustrating when the zippers don’t work smoothly or just with time, naturally they get a little more difficult to deal with. This reminds me of a dress I bought years ago and it is beautiful, but it has one of those exposed zippers (like you can clearly see it on the outside of the dress) all the way down the back. It’s super hard to zip myself, though I’m thankful my husband would help me now, but like you said, we don’t just have women in waiting to help with these things. So I rarely wear it because it’s annoying to deal with, even though it is a pretty dress, so I understand where you’re coming from!
Make Life Marvelous
I just wore a dress to a wedding last night and there was no way I could zip it alone. Sometimes I’m able to zip dresses up halfway with my arms down, then reach down to pull the rest of the way up, but this dress is too form fitting for that. I often struggle with bracelets that seem to require two hands to put on.
Yes exactly this was the problem I was having LOL.
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This is a very interesting thought! More than once I was alone in the store and had no way to try on clothes. I only buy such clothes for special occasions, I wouldn’t buy such things every day.
Coincido contigo, yo tambien odio las prendas que necesitas a otros para cerrarla o abrocharlas, me encanto tu post, creo que si se le deberia poner mas atencion a esto cuando diseñan la ropa, saludos:D
Great post Allie! I totally agree with you – there are some clothes that are just too fiddly to put on and I no longer buy clothes that I have to be a contortionist to wear!
Julia x
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What you wrote is completely correct. Amazing post really love your refection
Kisses
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Yes indeed very frustrating for sure.