Usually, when we want to use a zipper on a jacket, jeans, or bag, it’s easy enough to reach and move without damaging it, but on certain garments, such as dresses, the zipper may not always be within a comfortable arm’s reach. If someone is around, you may be able to ask them for help, but when you’re alone, you can use these tips for zipping hard-to-reach zippers without breaking or damaging them.
Perhaps the best way to pull up your zipper is to construct a small, simple device to attach to the zipper of your garment. You can use many materials to put this together, but you’ll mainly need some sort of clip and a long piece of string, ribbon, or thin rope.
For the clip, we recommend a safety pin or something similar that you can open and close without much effort. Safety pins are great because they come in a variety of sizes and have a small loop at the end that’s easy to attach to your string.
Once you have your small pulley put together, the next step of this tip for zipping hard-to-reach zippers without breaking them is to attach it to the zipper before you put the garment on. Then get dressed as normal and zip yourself up as far as your arms can reach without issue or the zipper becoming snagged.
At this point, you should still be able to grab ahold of the string or ribbon dangling off your zipper. Take firm hold of the string and use it to gently guide your zipper up its track. This process should put far less strain on the garment and your arms, neck, and back.
Once you’ve zipped yourself up, if you’re able, reach for the safety pin and disconnect it from the zipper. If it doesn’t stick out too much, some folks may choose to tuck the pin and string inside the dress and use it to help unzip their garment at the end of the evening. We recommend ensuring you can get your pulley system back on before taking it off.
A simple pulley system works wonders for getting your zippers where they need to be without damaging them or the items they’re attached to, but if you need a zipper slider replacement, FixnZip has the parts and pieces you need. Browse through our catalog or contact us for more information on how you can take care of your zippers.
