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hard to take off dresses

anne

Veteran

Recently I have found that some of my new dresses which fit well when they are on are really hard to take off over the head. Sometimes I have had to ask for DH's help! These are sundresses with smocking or gathering that don't have a zip or buttons.

I suspect that while I mostly wear Aussie size 8 my shoulders are a bit bigger than this.
I don't really need advice on this as I am willing to take a few minutes of difficulty for what seems otherwise to be a good fit. Just wondered if I am alone!

Anyone else have this problem?

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17 replies

Latest reply was from Steph

April

Veteran

Yes.

And I think you're right -- it's the shoulders/upper back that create the difficulty.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Yes! I have small shoulders so I don't have the over-the-head problem, but I have some fitted bodice dresses with zippers that are darned hard to put on. I have a new CK woven dress with a very fitted waist and I have to turn the back zipper around to the front, zipper it, and turn it around to my back, then put my arms through. Taking it off is much easier!

anne

Veteran

bumping!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I used to have this problem; but now I just buy dresses with more stretch in them.

Maya

Veteran

I have tiny shoulders but still have this problem. In my case I think it's the bust area that makes it tricky.

This is most common in woven dresses with no stretch or dresses without a side zip. Happens to me in tops too. I have found that bending over and pulling the dress over my head as much as I can helps somewhat. Then I just need to shimmy my elbow around to get an arm out. Once I get one arm out, it's smooth sailing.

I have had more than one fitting room panic attack where I thought I might need to ask a SA for help to get out of something. How embarrassing would THAT be!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

OMG Maya! That would be terribly embaressing. Once I got stuck. And to avoid the SA help fate, I pulled a little too hard and knocked off my glasses. O-o;

anne

Veteran

And I trying to avoid having to ask SA help, broke a dress! (broke the zip or the catch at the top- can't remember exactly) So then had to make even more embarrassing apology

Kristine

Veteran

This is probably obvious, but how about taking them off over the hips instead of the shoulders?

anne

Veteran

Not a hope of them going over my hips Kristine

teri

Veteran

I too have had the dressing room panic attack.....lol

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I am a member of the dressing room panic attack club, too!

MsMary

Veteran

Me, too. And I HATE struggling with my clothes so for me, if a garment is hard to get on or off it's a deal-breaker. My husband travels a lot and I need to be able to dress myself! LOL

Maya

Veteran

Yes, I have heard seams rip before. Yikes.

Kristine, these are dresses with partial side zips. In other words, you'd have to be able to get your hips through the neck hole. Not happening.

Sheila

Veteran

This whole thread has me giggling...not because I'm laughing at you, but totally, like I have been there so many times in a dressing room...absolutely STUCK in some garment that was too tight to maneuver one way or the other!!! I usually end up laughing at myself and silently saying a prayer that I won't die in the dressing room before I figure out how to get out of the darned pickle I'm in.

Heather

Veteran

I think the panic attacks are the main cause for damaged garments (loose/broken zippers, loose seams, etc). Count me in as a member of the dressing room panic attack club.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

My main way to get out of things is...

1) Relax.
2) Breathe out all the way to make yourself as small as possible.
3) Bend over at the waist, and hike the bottom part over your shoulders first.
4) One arm at a time. Don't wedge both elbows in, or else you're stuck.

... if you're bent over all the way, your garmet will not go over your shoulders, and both elbows are tucked in and you're running out of air... you can curse me And it means you're stuck.

Steph

Veteran

Okay, I HAVE had to ask the SA to get me out of a dress. I tried on a formal dress at Nordstrom and I just could not get out of it--I tried for about ten minutes and was completely sweaty and bedraggled when I gave up. What's worse is that there were no SAs anywhere close by--she must have gone to another department--so I had to stand in the dressing room hallway saying "excuse me?" over and over. Absolutely awful.

My boyfriend has a rule of thumb about dresses when I'm trying them on: if I can't get it on and off myself, I really shouldn't be buying it. He's right.