Life is really intense right now! Our 17 year old daughter looked up from her phone last night and said wistfully, “I was supposed to get my nails done for prom today.” It broke my heart a little. Her dress is hanging in its garment bag and her shoes are in my closet waiting indefinitely for the padding that will help her wear them comfortably, despite her rheumatoid arthritis.
I don’t know about you but I need a break! One of my favorite activities in the early cold spring days is to look at spring and summer fashion and daydream about trading in pants for skirts, dresses, and shorts. In the spirit of taking a break and anticipating some much needed sunshine and warmth, here are a few fantastic women’s adaptable fashions for spring and summer 2020. Please note, we are not endorsing these companies, just appreciating their fashion sense.
Dresses have the unique ability to look super polished and still be super comfortable. This one has the added benefit of velcro and snaps to make it easier to put on and take off.
I live in t-shirts and I love to find a statement one to put on under a blazer. Blazer = professional grown up…right? This t-shirt (and everything from Rebirth Garments) is rad! And 50% of the proceeds go to Project Fierce! (to visit Project Fierce! website click here) which seeks to create affirming transitional housing for LGTBQIA+ youth in Chicago that is responsive to the needs of young people. Rebirth Garments are wearables and accessories for people on the full spectrum of gender, size and ability. Brace for so much neon goodness and check out their website by clicking here.
I know I said no pants but I love joggers. You can push up the elastic cuffs to make them knee length and this linen-look tencel pair are classy enough to wear to work but are still super comfortable. I also love Aerie’s truth in advertising philosophy. Their models represent all shapes, sizes, abilities, races with no retouching. I almost wept with joy the first time I bought a pair of underwear on their website modeled by a woman with glorious stretch marks and another pair sported by a woman wearing a ostomy bag. They also sell adaptive panties in a few different cuts and sassy ostomy bag covers.
You will notice my list is short. That’s because adaptive clothing is still difficult to come by in the fashion world. Columbus, Ohio is the fashion capital of the mid-west. The adaptive clothing market is a well of untapped potential. Let’s follow the lead of these innovative designers and make fashion more accessible.