“When you put clothes on, you adopt the characteristics of what you’re wearing.” A quote from Karen J. Pine’s book, Mind What You Wear. She talks about enclothes cognition which is the psychology behind fashion. It proves that when you wear your favourite clothes, you automatically feel good.
When you wear baggy, loose clothing, you feel relaxed, and when you wear matching underwear, you’re ready to take on the day! This is why expressing yourself through what you wear is so important.
Being confident and comfortable in the clothes you wear is paramount, and so I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you.
Starting small
Your wardrobe can be transformed instantly by replacing buttons with touch, magnetic or Velcro closures.
If you do the research, you can get very soft Velcro; this can help to ensure that the edges of the Velcro do not irritate if they brush past or rub on your skin.
If you want to stick with buttons, I recommend going big. Beautifully decorated buttons at a bigger size can become a fashion statement and can elevate a top while making the button more comfortable to use. Similarily with belts, the bigger buckle, the better.
Ensure to stick with a belt which doesn’t have a complicated buckle either; they can make things a lot more complicated.
Before you start getting dressed
Dress in a seated position where possible. It improves your overall balance, and a chair or bed can be used for support if need to push off of it. I recommend you lay out your outfit before you start.
This minimises the time you spent getting up and down, which results in you having more time and energy to get dressed.
Up top
For dresses and tops, pulling over your head may be a struggle. Shirts and blouses are a lifesaver, especially a wrap-around.
These are fantastic because they’re very flattering to wear as they can accentuate your figure and hide insecurities you may have.
If you want to stick with typical style t-shirt, I recommend the following materials; viscose, jersey and elastane.
These fabrics move with the body, are breathable and have more stretch for going over your head.
Hip’s don’t lie
Front opening skirts are brilliant; you don’t need to wiggle out or bend down to get out of it. You can improve these further by adding Velcro, magnetic, bigger buttons or touch closures. Wrap-around skirts are also fabulous, easy to take on and off.
For trousers, if jeans are uncomfortable, jeggings or leggings could be an option. With Jeggings, the majority come with a hidden elasticated waist, ensuring it’s quickly taken on or off.
Elasticated waists are the perfect replacement for buttons or zips. If you want to transform clothes you already have; a sewist could put a hidden elastic strip on the inside of the waistline. Some trousers come with the option of undoing at the hip to help with mobility.
Dressing aids are also great tools to have
Our sock aid, although it is not suitable for stockings, it gives you the comfort of putting on your socks without needing to bend down.
Our sock aid comes in five different colours to ensure it blends into your home and furnishings. It is made from high-quality material and is very portable, allowing you to throw it into your bag if you’re heading shopping and want to go into the changing room.
We hope to release more dressing aids soon to help you get dressed independently and with ease.
Some adaptable clothing brands we love
- Zappos