In August, 2012, the doctors removed a 3.1 cm tumor growing in my spinal cord at the C-3/C-4 level. Luckily it was benign, but the nerves were so entangled around the tumor that when I woke from surgery I was an incomplete quadriplegic. Prior to that time, I loved fashion and shopping. I wasn’t going to let such a thing as being in a wheelchair stand in my way of continuing my hobby, but I discovered the hard way that I had to adjust what I was looking for. Through a lot of trial and error, not to mention expense, I found what worked for me. Perhaps the following tips will help you without the discovery I had to go through.
Stretchy Fabrics
Try to stick with knits and other stretchy fabrics like jersey. You are going to be sitting in the chair for most of the day, which means things spread. Likewise, if you’re able to wheel your chair by yourself, your arms are going to need a fabric that has a little give. Knits and other stretchy fabrics will accommodate this. Also, this’ll make it easier for your caregiver to dress you – rather than fighting with the garment, it should slip right on.
Give Dresses a Try
Dresses are the way to go. When I first got out of the hospital, I thought I would be spending the rest of my life wearing pants suits. After a month of having my caregiver struggle to put the pants on, turning me this way and that until the pants were up to my waist, I decided there had to be a better way – dresses. It’s one piece that slips over your head and if it’s a stretchy fabric, it makes things even easier. Bear in mind, though, that when you sit in your chair things will pull-up, so you should go longer rather than shorter. Since I wear a leg bag, that means that I shop the maxi dresses which end up looking like midi dresses once I sit down. If you don’t wear leg bag, shorter is fine. Just make sure things are covered, like the thigh strap holding your legs together, if you wear one.
Shoes With a Strap
If you wear flats, make sure they have at least one substantial strap hitting at the highest point at the arch of your foot. I learned this the hard way, unfortunately, on the first plane trip my husband and I took after leaving the hospital. He spent half of the time putting my shoes back on when they fell off making transfers, getting into the airplane seat, etc. I think he would’ve almost preferred that I had gone barefoot.
These are a few tips that I found have made my life and that of my caregivers a lot easier. I hope they do the same for you!
Do you have additional wardrobe tips that work well for wheelchair users? Send them our way so we can share them on AbleThrive!
Thanks to Virginia Hoefler Schwarzkopf for these great fashion tips. You can learn more about Virginia by visiting her blog One Girl’s Journey With a Spinal Cord Injury.