Zippers

[Meli]

Of the skating dress patterns I own, only one has a zipper (high necked dress).  I haven't sewn a skating dress with a zipper yet, but am considering it as I've found a regular dress pattern that could be modified for a skating dress bodice.  Has anyone had issues with dresses that have zippers?  Love 'em?  Hate 'em?

[Clarice]

I avoid zippers like the plague.  1) They can break.  I had a zipper on a bodysuit break at a competition once, and had to be sewn into the costume.  2) They don't stretch.  I find them uncomfortable because of that, and they can make the back of the costume pucker funny.  I only use designs that do not require zippers.

[TreSk8sAZ]

I have only used zippers on two dresses. One was a long sleeved, high necked dress for freestyle. I agree with Clarice - they do not stretch. I always felt like the dress was pulling just slightly one way or the other, especially the sleeves. Plus, since it isn't super flexible, paybacks and stuff could get weird as it would fold or bend sometimes. Plus, the back was nude mesh for a large part of it and there was lining sewn in to cover the majority of the zipper, but you could still see it.

The other is a dance dress. It's more hidden because it is solid fabric throughout. Since the pattern dances I wear it for aren't super crazy, it doesn't bother me. But I've always got a backup dress with me in case ithe zipper gets stuck or breaks.

If you can avoid a zipper. I definitely would.

[AgnesNitt]

Although I haven't seen it for decades, you don't have to put the zipper down the back. Back in the day before there were invisible zippers and stretch fabrics, they used to put zippers on dresses under the arm to just past the waist. It gives a beautiful fit, with stretch fabrics and invisible zippers it ought to work out great. Of course, you can't step into the dress with that. You'd have to have separate skate pants.

[DressmakingMomma]

I use zippers on clothing, but I've only added a zipper to a skating dress once - the first one I sewed. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist so maybe I'm pickier then most but if the zipper doesn't line up perfectly with the stretch fabric then the zipper looks wavy. I think placing zippers at the side seam under the arm as AgnesNitt suggests is probably less conspicuous then down the middle of your back. I've also seen dresses with hooks sewn in at the shoulder seam if the dress was high-necked and the design did't work with a keyhole or scoop back.

[Meli]

Hmm... so the consensus thus far appears to be a thumbs down...

I may try re-designing the back of the dress then (the pattern I was favoring comes up too high in back to be able to step into it).  I was worried about pucker/waves in the fabric depending on movement, even though I'm not really doing anything in the layback position yet, it could end up looking weird in a spiral.

[TreSk8sAZ]

Oh the wavy line look! Yep, happens on spirals and even crossovers sometimes.

What my dressmaker does for high-necked dresses is see snaps into the shoulders and hook at the neck. These make them invisible, gives you multiple so if one breaks you're still good, and can still step into the dress. It might be an option.

[AgnesNitt]

Rather than the back of the dress you could do zippers at a seam if it's asymmetrical.

[Kitten23]

I used to make my own skating dresses and have made one or two with a zipper.  If you're good with working with zippers and can make it look invisible, I say go ahead and try.  However, if this is your first trip to the rodeo with spandex AND a zipper, I say, avoid it.  With a turtleneck pattern, you'll have a lot to deal with anyway.  The zipper can make it even harder.  How about a keyhole back?  You can step into the dress.

[Loops]

How about putting hooks/snaps on the crotch?

So I just saw the prototype for our new synchro dresses.  They have a high neck and long arms (all stretchy material) and closure/opening at the crotch.  We were discussing other things, so I didn't see if there were additional hooks/snaps in the shoulders/neck.  But I would never have thought of putting hooks/snaps there, even though I've worn leotards like that. 

[Christy]

How about putting hooks/snaps on the crotch?

So I just saw the prototype for our new synchro dresses.  They have a high neck and long arms (all stretchy material) and closure/opening at the crotch.  We were discussing other things, so I didn't see if there were additional hooks/snaps in the shoulders/neck.  But I would never have thought of putting hooks/snaps there, even though I've worn leotards like that.

I thought a lot of dance dresses were designed this way?

This discussion has been really useful. I always thought it would be better to get a zipper as it would be easier to get the dress on / off, but reading about the risks of it breaking I'm quite happy with my pull-on dress.

[Loops]

I thought a lot of dance dresses were designed this way?

This, I couldn't tell you.  Perhaps others can? All my competition dresses (made by my mother) were either pull on or zip in the back.  I've had leotards (back in the early 90's that we wore as normal clothes, not for dance) that had the snaps down "there".  Personally, I'm curious to see how this works out.  Seems like it could be very practical and a rather good solution, but if there's a "wardrobe failure", horribly catastrophic.  Redundancy in closure units would be a must.

[Meli]

How about putting hooks/snaps on the crotch?

So I just saw the prototype for our new synchro dresses.  They have a high neck and long arms (all stretchy material) and closure/opening at the crotch.  We were discussing other things, so I didn't see if there were additional hooks/snaps in the shoulders/neck.  But I would never have thought of putting hooks/snaps there, even though I've worn leotards like that.

I might need take a look at some dresses in the shop to see how to make that work without risking a serious wardrobe malfunction.     Maybe a strip of hooks like you have on a bra closure coupled with a row of snaps?

[Loops]

I might need take a look at some dresses in the shop to see how to make that work without risking a serious wardrobe malfunction.     Maybe a strip of hooks like you have on a bra closure coupled with a row of snaps?

I'm curious as to what you learn.

When I think about it, my kids onesies (yet another example of such technology!) did quite well with three snaps, under lots of stress from being stretched over bulky cloth diapers and torqued from lots of leg action/belly wiggling.  Never had a failure, even when they were on the short side and held by just the middle snap.  Knock on wood that translates to a stretchy dress in a competition setting!  I don't know when it'll be, but when I get another look at our competition dresses I shall report back, if people are interested.  This wheel must have been invented already.

[Clarice]

I have never seen skating or dance dresses made with closures in the crotch.  (That doesn't mean they don't exist, of course, but I've never, ever seen it.)  Personally, although I think it would be convenient, I don't think I'd take the risk of costume malfunction.  And I fear it would look funny in certain positions, although I guess I've never felt that way about shoulder closures.

[Loops]

Super strong velcro, is what our dressmaker is putting in the crotch closure. 

She started off with hooks (I didn't see those details on that version), but our captain, who is the model for the prototype felt that they weren't secure enough.  She's much happier with this super-velcro version.  We had an interesting discussion about wardrobe malfunctions.  Apparently crotch closure is more common in either the Gymnastics or Rhythmic gymnastics community and there are some interesting YouTube vids out there.  Oh the potential mortification.  Thank goodness skaters wear tights at least.

But our captain really felt like the velcro wasn't going anywhere, and as an adult synchro team, we're not putting a lot of stress on that zone (no catch foot anything).  There may or may not be, I didn't catch that part, a second set of closures, just to be safe.

[Loops]

Ok, so in case anyone out there is interested, I thought I'd share my experience with having a dress secure at the bottom. 

The super strong velcro is secure, and it's supported  by two bra-style hooks on either side.  I have no fears on the ice.

However, one needs to bear in mind that the bodice needs to be super stretchy to get over the shoulders.  Granted, the choice we made in the crysal pattern could have been much better, but as it turns out we sacrificed a majority of the stretch when we crystalled things up.  The dresses look great, but now are a beast to get on (we have to help each other get our arms in and the dress over the head), and we lose a significant number of crystals in the putting on/taking off process.  Of course our coach sprung for real swarovski crystals (from the teams coffers), so we do a throrough sweep of the locker room after each dressing event, and will need to do a re-crystalling session before the next competition.  It's a pain in the bum.

A back zip would have been a much more practical solution on our case, and I noted that a lot of teams'dresses had that feature.

I'm not sure I'd write off the bottom entry design quite yet, but I would take into serious consideration the planned crystal design so that maximum stretch-ability remains in the fabric.