Zipping up of the dress...HELP???

Hi Guys,

I am on the Glory in 7 days and have 2 fabulous formal dresses to wear for the 2 formal night. I am going solo and was wondering how the heck am I going to zip up the darned things. I have tried the dresses on about 5 times in the last few days trying to figure out a good way to do this on my own.

Some non-cruising friends at work suggested using dental floss and a hanger to zip up on my own. I tried it in every conceivable fashion, and no luck. Since these are floor length gowns, the zippers are long and the thing you grab to zip up is quite slim.

After about 30 minutes of stuggle (and feeling like I have dislocated my shoulders) I can get the thing right.

Okay, so now, dinner is over and I want to be more casual and visit a bar or the casino. GETTING THE DRESS UNZIPPED IS EVEN HARDER.

Do I ask the room steward (doesn't feel appropriate), or do I just labor until I get a method down? I even tried zipping the dress up before I put it on, but it does not slide over certain parts.

What have others done?

I know it sounds silly, but I am worrying about missing dinner because I need an hour for "zip time."

Thanks

Tap, tap, tap.....is this thing on?

I guess I will also post on the fashion board

What about one of those long plastic shoe horns? There is usually a hole at the end and you could put a string through that then a safety pin which you would attach to the zipper. Then you could pull it "up" with the same motion you would use a back brush in the shower or "down" from the side.

There has to be a way.

GREAT IDEA!!! I can picture exactly what you are saying. I am sure I can find one of those long shoe horn things. I will give it a try. Thanks a ton.

I've seen other solo cruisers post that ask their room steward to zip them in. It must not be unusual to ask for help. Otherwise, make a lady friend in the cabin next door. Come that night....knock knock! :D HTH!

Thanks Lora. I was wondering if it was weird to ask the room steward. I also like the neighborly approach too.

Wonderful suggestion. Thanks

GREAT IDEA!!! I can picture exactly what you are saying. I am sure I can find one of those long shoe horn things. I will give it a try. Thanks a ton.

Good Luck Karen -- really hope you can find a long shoe horn and it works for you.

Have a wonderful cruise.

Kathy

A medical supply store carries all kinds of assistive devices..Also, a call to a local physical therapy facility will give you info on where to find a zipper pull..

hope that helps..

I'll be solo cruising this fall and plan to find some thing along the same line..

Carol

A medical supply store carries all kinds of assistive devices..Also, a call to a local physical therapy facility will give you info on where to find a zipper pull..

 

hope that helps..

 

I'll be solo cruising this fall and plan to find some thing along the same line..

 

Carol

This is precisely what I love these Boards -- great ideas and wonderful support from others. Carol, your response is so logical yet I wouldn't even have thought of it. Great stuff.

Kathy

I have had this same problem. On Seabourn, each room has a stewardess. I've called the concierge on a couple of occasions and asked that one of the gals stop by my cabin just for a minute to zip me up! Seabourn can't serve you enough, and they happily help out in this area too.

Jane :)

Maybe some kind of long-handled pliers-type thing, so you can let go of the zipper easily when you're done.

Boy, I could just see myself popping my head out the door and looking for a woman to walk by so I could ask her to help...

What do you do when you are home and no body is there with you, do you walk next door and ask your neighbor.

Hey, I'd offer to provide zipping/unzipping services (honest, no peeking!;) ) -- but I'm not sailing till October. Sorry (mostly, for me).

If all else fails... put the t-shirt and shorts back on, take the dress to a public restroom, and put it on in there. Then you just have to wait for someone else to come in and you can ask her for some help! (just in case the zipper pull/dental floss/shoe horn combo fails you at the last minute!)

This is cracking me up! Oh, the visions!:D

Well, if that little black dress was a shortie wet suit, I'd lend a hand....:D Our wetsuits have long strings on the zippers to solve the problem posed, but even then an assist is better because zippers can get stuck.:( Best find someone to assist.

Hi Guys,

 

I know it sounds silly, but I am worrying about missing dinner because I need an hour for "zip time."

 

Thanks

Hi Guys,

 

I am on the Glory in 7 days and have 2 fabulous formal dresses to wear for the 2 formal night. I am going solo and was wondering how the heck am I going to zip up the darned things. I have tried the dresses on about 5 times in the last few days trying to figure out a good way to do this on my own.

 

Some non-cruising friends at work suggested using dental floss and a hanger to zip up on my own. I tried it in every conceivable fashion, and no luck. Since these are floor length gowns, the zippers are long and the thing you grab to zip up is quite slim.

 

After about 30 minutes of stuggle (and feeling like I have dislocated my shoulders) I can get the thing right.

 

Okay, so now, dinner is over and I want to be more casual and visit a bar or the casino. GETTING THE DRESS UNZIPPED IS EVEN HARDER.

 

Do I ask the room steward (doesn't feel appropriate), or do I just labor until I get a method down? I even tried zipping the dress up before I put it on, but it does not slide over certain parts.

 

What have others done?

 

I know it sounds silly, but I am worrying about missing dinner because I need an hour for "zip time."

 

Thanks

You must be back according to my math. What was the Grand Solution to the dilemma?:D

You must be back according to my math. What was the Grand Solution to the dilemma?:D

And, c'mon, Karen -- a picture from formal night. Please?!

had this problem on caribbean princess march 07 ! paged cabin steward & no problem. ..once he understood what i wanted(his english a little bit less than fluent) dont let the small stuff overwhelm you before you even get started on solo cruise you will deal with stuff as it arises! besides -no one knows you so the "looking foolish" factor is nil! i find this to be the best thing-you can be yourself{or not) & really feel free to enjoy w/o the constraints of preconceived notions or fear of disapproval...go ahead dress to the nines & be that glam diva we all want to be!!

i had a cabin steward zip my dress as for who unzipped it... well... just kiddin! i was able to do it myself might have been a little more awkward asking that young lad to unzip it but i wouldnt have wanted to spend rest of cruise in a cocktail dress!! we do what we have to do in the name of fashion:rolleyes:

Thanks for your post.....I think of you every time I try on a new dress now...as in 'can I get this on by myself?":)

I lost my husband and travelling companion in February, so all these little things are now of great importance to me.....taking my first solo cruise in about 45 days. I have , however, met a great bunch of people on the Roll Call (Hi, any Mariner Pirates reading) , and would not hesitate to call any of those ladies to help me with any dressing dilemmas!

Cheers

What about one of those long plastic shoe horns? There is usually a hole at the end and you could put a string through that then a safety pin which you would attach to the zipper. Then you could pull it "up" with the same motion you would use a back brush in the shower or "down" from the side.

There has to be a way.

Just make sure you remember to take the shoe horn off before you leave for dinner. Might make for an unusual presentation with a shoe horn swinging to and fro!:confused:

This thread reminds my September 2006, sailing on the Rotterdam. I was doing some last minute ironing of my tuxedo shirt before dinner when a very nice lady came into the laundry room and asked me to zip her up. She said that she was not used to traveling alone and was anxious to finishing dressing. As a 49-year-old GWM, I was very happy to help her out and, as a matter of fact, very flattered that she would ask me for help. Ask away! You'll make someone else very happy to be of assistance! :)

You could take a long thin piece of wire, like a straightened out coat hanger. Put a little "U" shaped bend in one end, hook that into the zipper pull, bring the wire up over your shoulder, and pull. Kindasorta like the wetsuit thingy. Reverse the procedure to remove. A piece of coathanger wire will bend to fit into any suitcase. Next to duct tape, coat hangers are the handiest thing going...