I'm doing research on clothing/fashion...

what do you miss most when it comes to fashion??

What is the hardest thing for you to find when it comes to clothing??

Is there a type of clothing you prefer now vs. before injury??

I'm trying to work with some designers -- so any information would be great!

(This can go for guys as well -- not leaving y'all out. )

I miss funky shoes, .. I know heels are still an option but the arches arent.. and all my shoes were pretty high or arched.. too uncomfortable now!

I wear way more lounge pants than every before..

Its super hard to find a shirt that tight on the rack but doesnt crawl up all day long. Even the longest tanks tend to crawl up if they are tight.. Totally annoying.

And I always have loved baggy/lose fitting clothes.. still wear them but its seems like all my shirts just end up bunched up at the belly and it makes me look fat! too much material!!! Tell designers we need longer backs and shorter front on the shirts!

I started sketching a bunch of sexy shoes for ppl with disability few months ago.. I tried to think of all scenarios.. not just paralysis.. I came up with some decent ideas Id be willing to share with ya if youre interested!

Ches, I totally agree with you about longer shirts in the back and shorter in the front!

I still wear heels but not as often as I would like -- by the end of the night they are in my purse or in my lap LOL.

I've always been a T-shirt and jeans type of girl -- I loved it when no pocket jeans on the ass were in style because it didn't cause pressure marks. I can't find them anywhere anymore! Not only that but the lowrise cut is not wheelchair friendly! The back needs to go up -- same as the shirts!

Absolutely... I would love to see your sketches... oh and the designers I'm looking into... I have made very clear that I don't want to be just for paralysis, A.B. included!

I hate that because we sit down all the time, jeans are hardly long enough. Low rise jeans are also a pain in the ass. Jackets are sometimes too long, or too tight around the shoulder so it's hard to move.

Shoes are a big thing. I finally found a pair of heels I can actually wear, but mostly I can't wear them. Wide width is the key!

Jen, I can never find jeans that are long enough, in fact I'm still wearing my jeans from four years ago! When I do find long jeans I will buy at least three pairs! My weight fluctuates so much that sometimes they are too tight and sometimes too baggy!

Oooo good idea on the jackets! I can't move my arms so I never thought of that but when I do wear jackets they are tight around the shoulder area. I use my shoulders a lot -- almost like they are my hands. I used to talk a lot with my hands.

It seems we all agree on something... SHOES!

Keep the ideas coming --

Anybody have bra issues??

Nope - but thanks for asking. Tell ya' what I do have - a new appreciation for womankind. I used to get pissed waiting for my girlfriend to dress for a date.

Now, my daily routine consists of putting on 1) thigh-high Teds, 2) knee-high compression socks, 3) leg bag holder, 4) leg bag (19 oz), 5) undies, 6) pants, 7) T-shirt, 8) shoes. Damn! By the time I'm finished, my fiance is yellin' at me to get my butt in gear.

Some folks just learn the hard way. LOL

Murray

Keep up the sketching, Ches. You'll be a famous designer some day, and we can all say we knew you back then....

I miss super sexy stilettos! My feet will not sit right in them anymore since the heel is so skinny and the arch is so high It makes my ankle want to roll over every time i weight shift in my chair. As far as width goes though i have really narrow feet and they dont swell at all so my feet still look cute in these shoes, its just the lack of ankle support that gets me.

I also miss mini skirts...but thats just asking for a "wardrobe malfunction" getting in and out of the car lol. So I settle for skirts that hit just above the knee now.

As far as jeans go, length is a big deal, 1) because i'm sitting down, and 2) because i have really long legs. The best jeans I have are american eagle x-long, they have a 36inch inseam!

I dont really have any problems with shirts or jackets though. Of course, just have to make sure jackets arent so long that i'm sitting on them or getting them caught in my wheels.

No bra issues either...unless you count spending way too much money every time i find myself in a Victorias Secret store... lol

Hardest? Jeans and shoes. For sure.

I am about 5'7, and my legs are on the longer side. When I am sitting, sometimes my jeans rise up and are almost like "high waters". Also, the backs don't come up high enough. I can't wear a belt, because when I do, the belt goes past the jeans, and it rubs against my skin on my back. Hard to explain, sorry. Also, in the upper thigh/crotch area, it gets tighter and bunches up. I am afraid that it will cut off my circulation one day. Another one is shoes. My feet are more wide and can't fit into most shoes. I'm stuck with flats (but there are a lot of cute styles out there now ;)).

Jackets are a tad difficult, because I do have muscle in my arms, and jackets sometimes squeeze my upper arms/shoulder area, making it hard to wheel around. I have bony shoulders, but they are wide, and shirts sometimes squeeze my upper body and dig into my under arm area. Sooo irritating!

Hi everybody- Ditto on the too much shirt in front syndrome. I'm a quadriplegic, and my stomach does stick out some, so it's definitely not a good look. Clothes are generally made to look good standing up, and for us, that doesn't matter. Also, it 's about impossible as a quadriplegic not to slouch some, but that's a seating issue. I wear a lot of plain dark stretchy pants now that I would have not worn before my injury. Most pants have too much fabric in front and not enough in back. You end up looking like Urkel (remember him?) or like you've had a sex change LOL. I also don't bother with underpants because they don't work so well with a suprapubic catheter.

Also what about coats? I don't like to have someone have to help me get it on and off, so I wear a lighter jacket and cover with a nice knitted afghan that I can put on and off with my limited hand function.

doublelibra

I wish that pants were made with more slender legs and more generous around the waist and tummy area.
My arms and shoulders are bigger than those of an AB so sometimes for T-shirts I've bought boys before. (no not the most fashionable but they're comfy)
And yes things that look terrific while standing don't always look nearly as well sitting down.

I've seen some stuff "designed for those who use wheelchairs"......but I never got any of it cuz quite frankly the stuff I've seen was just either NOT something I'd wear OR it was to much money. Only having an SSI check......I don't have a lot of $ to spend on high-end fashion.

hi i've always been bit of a jeans and blouse type girl, i do find blouses a problem as they are often restrictive across the back and you need that bit of give for self propelling, jeans can be a problem those with rigid waist seem to rub the small of my back so i tend to go for pull ons, ok for everyday use but not so good for special occasions, skirt wise my fav skirt is one that was supposed to be high on one side long on the other but as its elastic wasted i turn it to be short at the back and long at front, this works well as it tapers to a point at the front keeping the sides clear of my wheels and looks great too, means much less material to try to tuck away. i have slight bra issue in that fashion seems to be making bras so the straps come right from (hard to explain) outside of bra, these really annoy me as i end up having to stop every couple of wheels to put straps back on my shoulders, so tend to stick to the not so glamerous cross over sports bras, would be nice to see fashionable bras that the shoulder straps will stay in place when self propelling. shoes wise i dont have a prob as always been a low heel pactical shoe type girl anyway, i just love the skechers shoes, they grip well on my footrest and come in loads of colours with the added bonus of being able to add the push in flowers (originally made for crocs) to match my outfit, wore white pair with matching flower to my skirt suit at my brothers wedding last year and sooo many peolpe complimented me on them.
i think the clothes designed for wheelchair useres are good design but a) too pricey and boring materials and colours, no pretty clothes or girly clothes

i seem to have the same problem as everyone else with jeans and tops as a para most jackets are to tight on the arms and a little long at the sides i know i should use the side guards on my chair but they get in the way when i transfer would also like to wear heels but i can't seem to find any so im now also a big fan of skeckers have most colour!

Wow, thanks everyone, I'm going to eventually print this out and when I have my meeting with the designer all of you will be a part of it so keep the ideas/complaints LOL coming!

PS Murray you crack me up!

Oh as far as shoes -- sketchers have been the most practical for me as well -- lots of colors and variety to choose from.

Oh as far as price goes, I hear you on that! When I finally found clothing that would work for me post injury my first thoughts were "um yet not so much... and I wasn't about to pay that much money for something I didn't like"

on the other hand, I have wasted so much money on buying clothes that just sit in my closet because they do not fit right! I would rather spend money on clothing that I am actually going to wear vs. letting my closet enjoy my wardrobe

YES I have "bra issues" in that I need and would like the support that an underwire bra provides, but as I self-propell, independently transfer, etc., all the truly supporivfe bras that I've found have sharp underwires! The wires can and do shift when I move and poke me inconvenient places. It also seems like all the sexy (lace, silk, and low-cut) bras have wires, or worse yet, corsets w/stays.

I recently found some suppportive bras by Hanes her Way that don't have underwires.

The underwires drive me crazy too and I can't even move. They dig in and are so uncomfortable. I started wearing the ipex bra from Victoria's Secret -- I like it so much that I bought the cami's too -- I like to layer my tops and the built-in bra is so convenient! They are expensive but on cell right now for $23 -- I just bought 3 in different colors!

1. flip flops, mules...any kind of backless shoe
- to compensate, I wore a cute, little, strappy flat this summer. Tons of room if my feet would swell.

2. heels, I am just starting to get back into a few pairs, mostly wedges and chunkies
- in terms of stilettos, no can do...yet, but I found a great pair of boots on ebay that are very stylish (attached photo).
They are material so there is room for swelling.

3. mini skirts/dresses
- to compensate, this past summer, I wore fitted stretch skirts that would just hang slightly over the knee when sitting in my wheelchair
- this fall/winter, I have been wearing cute tunics with leggings (attached photo)

Don't give me a hard time but I watch "What Not to Wear" with my wife. They often suggest buying clothesc a tad big and have them tailored, typically not too expensive. Hey, if they can fit clothes to odd shaped AB's, why not a gimp in a chair?

Hurb

thanks city girl -- those boots are very cute. I have something similar but they zip up so it's easier for mom to put on me.

As far as heels -- I'm still experimenting and trying to find cute and comfy. The wedges and chunkies are what I wear as well.

I don't wear skirts because my legs are too skinny (muscle atrophy) it's my biggest complex! But thanks for letting me know. I'm calling the designer on Monday! Not sure if he can help me out but hopefully he can point me in the right direction!








Hurb-- Thank you so much for your input & no way would I give you a hard time for watching "what not to wear" with the wife!

I have actually tailored my own jeans so that they would not cause pressure marks! I'm just getting ideas for when I talk to the designer

I have learned to adapt my wardrobe to the new fashionable "flats" (the trend couldnt have come at a better time for me).
I cannot stand shopping for JEANS! I am young and consider myself "trendy" but like everyone has said, the low rise jean is sooo not practical. I have found long jeans at alloy.com pressy successfully but they tend to get expensive. ditto on all the other issues as well!

I have done the same thing as well... during the summer my main source of shoes is sandals they are more convenient plus I like to show my tattoos LOL. I will wear flats when going out and getting dressed up I will wear the wedges/Heels. For New Year's Eve I wore heels and surprisingly they stayed on the entire night!

JEANS JEANS JEANS -- THAT IS MY MAIN PRIORITY! I will have to go alloy.com and check it out!

I see you're from Texas, what part????

Hi,

I am C5/C6 and have been for 11 years so plenty of time to make some spectacular fashion faux-pas or FFPs as they are now called.

I am 5ft 11 which doesn't help much at times but here in the UK there are certain shops which sell a tall range of clothes alongside their normal stuff and that helps. Tops are longer in the body and trousers longer in the leg, so normally they fit well. I normally buy a 36 inch leg and over here they have a newish fashion cut called boyfriend jeans which come higher up at the back and a bit at the front without looking stupid. I also buy longer tops aswell-normal and party tops, so you don't tend to get that horrible gape down our side where tops and bottoms don't meet. Like city girl said, tunics and leggings are both in fashion and look stylish and seem to work quite well this season. Dresses are a bit hit and miss and don't normally hang right, as I am bigger on the bottom than the top and more often than not you get an excess bunching of material round your middle. I have found pinning it behind you with small safety pins or wearing a wide belt can work or putting any excess material under my thigh and sitting on it as long as it's only something soft. Straight skirts are in here and tend to work and corsets/basque tops work for me too but they're more night time. Halternecks can look nice too provided they're long enough in the body. In the day, jeans and trousers/leggings with thick tights underneath as it's cold and a vest top with another top over it. Skirts just above the knee or very long skirts i.e. ankle length can look nice too but again, I always tuck extra material underneath my thighs to stop it getting in the way of my wheels/stop me from bearing all to the world on a windy day! Bras, well, I was always flat chested anyway and even THEY reduced post injury so very early on I discovered those breast pad things...we call them chicken fillets. The only thing is, make sure you put a lining in your bra-like a little pocket or if it's lace on top and material underneath, you will normally find you can unpick the lace from the material and slot them in there. If you don't do this and you can't feel/bend down to pick them up, you may find, as I have, that you are faced with some embarrassing incidents in some very public places!

Long coats look nice and help to keep warm but they are a pain to get on and off and it's a proper 5 min job to put material underneath your bum, pull it down, straighten it up etc. Depends how much effort you want to go to. Then when I take them off, I only ever bother with the top half if I'm out cos I'm not going through all that again! Short jackets are a lot easier to get on and off but are also a lot less warm. Shoes....well, like most girls, I love shoes and I have many pairs of heels in my wardrobe. Unfortunately, that's where they tend to stay as my left ankle always flops over and you spend the whole time either putting it back or looking a tad uncomfortable. Not to mention when this happens any posture you may still have tends to go out the window. Tipping your foot plate back on an angle away from you helps, depending on your footplate, or slotting your heels down the back of your footplate is another trick. However, flats or something with a grip sole prove to be less of a problem although I doubt I'll ever give up on heels altogether. I have a pair of biker boots-ebay bargain-that look great with leggings and shortish skirts.

And for those of us with a bulge around our mid drift or anything short of a tummy as flat as a pancake, you can buy a tummy band, not sexy, I agree, but not totally hideous either and they really do help you get your waistline back. I only really wear mine for evenings out if I'm dressed up as they do tend to leave a few marks on your skin where they've been tight but if you're anything like me, those kind of marks tend to fade within a couple of hours.

Hope this helps,

Rachel
X

Thank goodness somebody is doing something about fashion here. As a girl who loves to dress up and go out and feel sexy about the clothes thing, it's hard when you can't wear somthing hott like you want to turn heads.

SHOES are my absolute #1 request. I LOVE SHOES!!! My ankles also roll when wearing stilettos and other heels and boots only fit on if they have a zipper down the sides. Yes backless shoes can slip off too. I've had straps put on the back of some but that does take away from the sex appeal. When wearing heels I've also tried velcroing them to my foot rest which helps at the begining of the day, but at the end the ankles start to roll again.

ALSO...yes, shirts should be longer in the back so they don't ride up when wheeling. Occationally I've resorted to safty pinning a shirt on the back/sides to my pants to keep the shirt down-but now my shirts have holes in the back/bottom sides from pins.

AND...jeans, dress pants, sweat pants, capris, etc should have an option of an invisable ziper on the inside seem of the pants (the crotch area) for cathing convienience. I have had a taylor put some in pants of mine - starts at the inside seem of 1 knee and unzip the seem towards the inside and then down the other inside seem to the other knee. They look completely invisable and alows for women to not have to do so much hassel with clothes when cathing. Lucky guys who can just unzip and whip it out to see when cathing.

With that invisable zipper I can wheel up to a toilet facing it, spead my legs slightly, unzip the pant zipper, move my undies to the side and cath easily right into the toilet. Then zip up and no fussing with getting the pants up and down. I HATED getting my pants up and down because 1) it took a while, 2) public bathrooms were so small, and 3) I HATE and can not stand crooked pants-so this way they stay straight all day long!

Thanks!

I hear you over and out! I have been thinking about the invisible zipper for a very long time -- thank you for explaining.

I cannot stand it when my jeans/pants are crooked! It drives me crazy!

Well I'm going to be looking for designers starting tomorrow and everybody's information will be included! Thanks everyone & wish me luck! I can't promise a miracle but I'M WORKING ON IT

I already have a name -- now it's time to get this thing rollin!

I am from the suburbs of Houston. I go to school (college) near downtown. where are you from?

i do well with dressy shirts for the most part i find the ones that get a little bigger at the bottom and then during the summer i wore alot of leggings, so it just looks lke a dress on me since im sitting! otherwise i do have dresses too and do the same thing now that its winter the same thing, except long leggings down to my ankle and ug boots.. i never thought i could get my foot into them and i couldn't but i did find a pair and Vanity that i get my fioot into with hardley no work and they are a size 6!
now for casual... i got nothing! just for going out to the mall when u want to dreess up.. sweatpants all the time, all my jeans are way to low, my butt hangs out perfusely! and they arent tight in the legs but they sure do create a muffin top! which makes me so uncomfortable i just cant do it, for work i had to get a pair of khakis so i actually tried materinty long khakis and i think thats the best ill ever get. they go up over my stomache and the stomache part isnt tight of course since im not preggo but i have a para belly but with my work shirt over it you cant tell! so basically leggings and maternity pants is all i have! i wish i could find jeans but i am so fed up, they all make me look so much heavier than i am and they dont go up high enough, i havnt looked into maternityjeans yet

Just an update for everyone that responded or that's read this -- I finally got a hold of a designer and we are meeting up to discuss ideas on Tuesday! I'm so excited and I will be printing this topic out, so y'all will be a part of the meeting

thanks again everyone!

Aww, yay! Good job!

Alloy is a good place to get pants.. Paris Blues arent TOO low in the back... Unless you have a lot of back.

I just spent 15 minutes trying to look up this one pair of pocket-less h2j jeans I absolutely love.. I actually got them before the accident and they've turned out to be a good pair to own..

Since I cant find the jeans I decided to let you all in on a little secret.. Find the jeans that fit your legs n ass right, then wash and use this http://www.shophometrends.com/product.asp_..._A_Inch+Master+ while they dry.

Ive got one.. of course I had it before the accident.. it will help make any pair of pants fit you perfectly no matter how "fat/bloated" of a day you think you are having. One cool think I've come to notice with this is the fit will stay in the waistline so long as you don't dry your jeans. Just pull them out of the washer, give the waist a simple stretch (no need for the tool everytime), and you're done.

Its worth the money...

(Just looked at the price.. its listed for $30, I got it elsewhere for $20.. shop around if you want a good deal)

A quick update for everyone that helped me out!

I went and met with the designer yesterday and it looks like I will be starting my own fashion line!!!! I'm making my dreams a reality and it feels great!

I just wanted to thank everybody that wrote me and added your input -- like I said I would do, I printed out this forum topic and let him read it.

I'll keep you guys updated

2009 is looking divine!!!!

You really are an angel!!

Good luck, I hope everything works out!

Congrats!!! That's awesome!

Awww thanks beautiful! I have been having anxiety attacks -- but I know I can do it!



thanks nichole!

Good luck on the fashion line!!!

I find that I wear lounge clothes way too often. It's just so much easier! I too have the issue with shirts/tanks/hoodies not being long enough and riding up in the back which drives me crazy. For those of you having issues with jeans being short, try a brand that has a standard inseam of 34". Then they will be super long on you unless you are really tall. I like Rock & Republic because the seams usually don't dig in on me anywhere. They are low rise which makes the shirt-riding-up issue come into play a bit and the only downside is that the long length makes them a slight pain in the butt to get on but they look good. They also last forever, justifying the price of them. I try to find them on sale.

When I wear dresses, I make sure they are not super short and riding up, making my outfit suddenly x rated. I tend to wear dresses a lot in the summer and wear ones that are loose and flowy in the skirt. I find that wearing dresses makes for better, um, VENTILATION. Does anyone have any ideas for keeping things nice and dry while wearing sweats/lounge clothes??