Crossdressers-Haven.com

https://www.yahoo.com/style/zipping-own ... 00147.html

Saw this and it hit home.

I'm surprised sometimes in not getting the zipper stuck. And sometimes it seems more difficult to get the silly zipper back down after all that struggle to get it up in the first place.

I guess when we struggle so with the zipper that means the dress either fits perfect or too snug. Sadly for me it's usually the latter than the former.

Heather, yeah, very true.

I will add this to one of those phrases that, as a cd/tg, you tend to remember the first time you said it...

I had traveled to visit some friends in Minneapolis and we were going out for dinner. I was ready, and we went out and had a lovely time. When they dropped me off at my hotel, I said out loud for the first time in my life... "Before you go, can you please zip me down?" (Had never had the chance to say that to anybody.)

Goes along with the first time you say "Let me grab MY purse", or maybe the first time you are asked "What size does she wear?" when looking at clothes and you answer "I wear a size 2" (*laugh* - as if!!!)

Gaby

Gaby Romani wrote: "I wear a size 2"

Gaby

B1tch! And the best I can do is struggle my tushie into a size 3.

All joking aside I think we have all struggled with back zippers for whatever reason. I will admit though no one ever told me being a woman was going to make my life simpler.

These are good examples of what CDs learn over time. When I wear a back zipper dress I try to unzip it just enough to get it on and still be able to reach the zipper. Some use a safety pin or paper clip with a string attached.

Dresses come in single digit sizes? Except for fancy events, I rarely wear a dress that zips. And never while a single lady. Separates for me and hubby, fits our body shape better. Hubby does love the feeling of a nice fitting dress as the zipper closes up around her. I miss that. (sigh)

Relative to button placement is how we taught our son to tie a tie. Hubby can only tie on himself, so son stood in front of Dad facing a mirror. I can only tie on someone else, so son stood facing me.

Eileen

Interesting, Eileen. I've heard of women teaching lefties how to knit using a mirror. I know when I tie a bow in my apron, it doesn't seem to look quite right to me. I don't know if that's because I'm looking at it in a mirror, or because, as a lefty, I'm doing it backwards somehow.

Eileen (SO) wrote:Dresses come in single digit sizes?

Eileen

They used to! Everyone knows real women of today wear double digit sizes .

I have a friend in town who runs a semi upscale resale show and dabbles in vintage clothes as well. She and I have talked about it and she says today's sizes do not truly translate to the sizes of yesteryear. As time has gone on sizes have "grown" to accommodate today's woman. In other words a size 10 of say the 1960's is more like a size 8 or even a size 6 today. IMO it is at least partially our own fault as women are number obsessed when it comes to sizes. How many women have you heard say "I wear the same size as I did in college." The reality is she may wear the size number but there is no way she could ever get into those clothes.

It's not only time that has changed clothing sizes - I have 2 skirts that are exactly the same size when they are placed one on top of the other. The waist band is identical on both of them. But one is labeled as a size 8 and one is labeled as a size 14! Now, it's very possible that one, or both, are mislabeled but I've also got several size 12 dresses - some fit great while others are tight. Nothing beats trying them on before you buy them to make sure they fit!

April Rose wrote: I know when I tie a bow in my apron, it doesn't seem to look quite right to me.

Tying a bow behind your back can be tricky. Another fashion quirk where a partner is helpful. My knot expert husband explained that a proper bow looks much like a square knot, instead of a granny. Skip the mirror, you just confuse your hands. Doing your second loops opposite way around should fix things up. Left over right, right over left.


For gals that can't do try on's in store, or catalog order, it's best to stick to brands you know for consistent sizing. Yes, clothing sizes have changed and vary greatly, but none of you gals are helping my self esteem. Good thing I really don't care. My dress size is 18W to 22W. The 'W' stands for wide. So today's 20W would be what in 1960? 38WW? Good thing I was quite young then.

Eileen

Aly wrote:I have 2 skirts that are exactly the same size when they are placed one on top of the other. The waist band is identical on both of them. But one is labeled as a size 8 and one is labeled as a size 14!

Welcome to the wonderful world of women's sizes! The reality is women's sizes are so far from standard it is laughable. They are more a suggestion that cast in stone.

I think every woman has skirts, dresses, slacks, etc. in several sizes that fit "perfectly". What aggravates me is if I try on a dress in my "usual" size and it is too big and I go down a size and it is so tight I can't even get it zipped! The only way to truly know is try it on. For you girls who don't have that luxury I highly recommend you check the stores' return policy.

I have to admit that I take a certain amount of pride in being able to hook and unhook my own bras without turning them around, zipping and unzipping my own dresses, connecting my own necklaces, and otherwise being able to fully manage all of my clothing. And yeah, I do fully appreciate how insignificant that seems in the grand scheme of things but I don't care.