I have read all of these websites and am in the ongoing process of writing down notes.
Fashion Tips for Wheelchair Users:
Don’t wear anything long and loose as it can get caught in the wheels of the chair. Shorter items of clothing or more fitted clothing will prevent this from happening.
Draw attention to your waist as loose and long shirts and jackets can bunch up when you are seated. Solution: a belt or fitted clothing that are tailored at the waist. Also avoid thick fabrics and big buttons as they can create voluminous shapes around your torso.
Use your shoes to your advantage. You can wear shoes that may not be comfortable to walk in all day, just make sure to get the right size as it is easy to do serious damage to your skin before you realise it if you do not have feeling in your feet.
While you don’t want tops that are so long they bunch at the base of your seat, you also don’t want tops that are too short as they can make you look shorter as you are seated. A long top also keeps you from exposing skin when you lean over, if this is a concern.
Use accessories such as Necklaces, earrings and ties to draw attention to the face.
The Importance of Adaptive Clothing for Anthony Tipling-Bower
For many years he has attended dinners, weddings and awards evenings but had only ever been able to wear a smart jumper over a shirt and ‘endured the comments of friends who couldn’t understand why I hadn’t donned a suit with them.’
This was due to his disability, he has restricted movement in his arms and so never been able to fit a suit jacket over his shoulders and fit his arms through the sleeves without the jacket ripping.
When he discovered adaptive clothing he got a tailor to alter the blazer he had always wanted and was ‘ecstatic’ as ‘finally I felt like I could fit in more and it gave me such as confidence boost to be looking sharp and matching up with my peers at the next big do.’
‘When I wasn’t able to wear a jacket I felt like I stuck out from everyone else. I would literally be in situations where every other guy was suited and booted and I’d be the rogue chap with just a plain white shirt on. Being able to finally feel like I fitted in was amazing, not to mention I was also a lot warmer.’
To make the jacket suit Anthony’s disability the tailor ‘removed all of the unnecessary lining from the inside of the jacket and also repositioned the shoulders slightly so as to give me a little more room to move when putting it on. Furth to this, the length of the blazer was shorted so that it didn’t fold at the waist whilst I’m sitting in my wheelchair. Finally, the arm length was slightly shortened and re-cuffed so that it fit my arms better.’
Wheelchair clothing
‘Suitable wheelchair clothing for wheelchair users is a struggle to find’
‘Disabled people face huge discrimination in the fashion industry, not just as models, but as consumers too.’
A personal story: ‘When my sister was getting married I had the difficult task of finding a suitable outfit. One that had to meet many requirements such as being comfortable, easy to wear for a fair amount of time seated in a wheelchair, and also be suitable for a wedding at my age. Quite often I have had to resort to shopping in the children sections, as adult fashion does not seem to be inclusive and does not recognise that not everyone has the same needs. I had to go to several big department stores searching for this illusive outfit and at one particular shop I was told by a member of staff that she did not think there would be anything suitable for me, before even knowing what I was after. The real problem lies in the attitude and not in the fashion itself. This was proved when in another shop I was treated in an entirely different matter. Where I felt that I was valued as a customer. The shop assistant spent hours finding clothes that she thought were suitable and comfortable. She waited for me to try them on. It was in this shop that I found the perfect outfit for my sister’s wedding.’
Restrictions and Issues some disabled people face: ‘I personally struggle to find trousers that fit me as I am of a very petite size. Also I need trousers that don’t get creased easily from sitting in the wheelchair. They need to be fairly light so if I had to sit for a long time in the wheelchair it does not get too hot for me. My other dilemma is choosing the right coat as I need something that will protect me from the cold weather and is rain proof, but at the same time it has to be light. I often struggle to sit upright with the weight of the clothes. This ultimately makes sitting very uncomfortable and sore. Plus I am unable to take my coat off when outside, therefore a light coat is much more useful than getting too hot when out and about.’
Disabled Activist and Model Jillian Mercado, models in Beyoncé’s Ad Campaign
‘Rather than market the ads as a win for visibility, however, Beyoncé placed Mercado in the images without any major announcement or fuss, nailing diverse inclusion in a way that felt genuine.’
‘an entire subsection of people often get left out by both fashion and the media’
Mercado has previously been in a 2015 Diesel campaign, the 2015 face of IMG Models, was in a spread in the 2015 CR Fashion book, was in Vogue Japan in 2015 and i-D magazine in 2014.
https://www.spinalcord.com/blog/professional-stylist-still-making-others-beautiful-post-quadriplegia
Heidi Herkes is a professional stylist and is also a C6 quadriplegic.
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