Accessible Fashion: Customizing Your AT’s Default Appearance

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Fashion and Assistive Technology might seem like a bizarre intersection, but for most people with disabilities, it makes complete sense.

A woman with lower limb difference and a bright orange prosthetic sits on a couch scrolling through a phone. Under the Where it's AT logo, the text reads Accessible Fashion: Customizing Your AT's Default Appearance - abilitytools.org

Adaptive clothing can help people with a variety of disabilities manage their clothing independently throughout the entire day. Just as there is a myriad of disabilities, there is also a myriad of adaptive clothing needs. You might need clothing that is easier to put on in a sitting position, that can accommodate limb difference, allow for medical device access, doesn’t require fine motor skills to interact with or offers smaller size options for adult styles of clothing. On top of these need related differences, the number of considerations increase exponentially when choice of adaptation comes into play like: magnetic vs Velcro closures; back, side and hidden access openings; designs that are toileting-friendly; provide seated comfort; offer step-in options; grant easy access points; or soft/sensory-friendly material types. All of this comes into play, many times, before the user’s sense of taste is even brought into the picture. That is why Where It’s AT is here with a current set of adaptive clothing options and vendors. That way, your clothes are not only functional for your needs, but are also the form of self-expression they should be.

This series included an accessories blog, and those items will differ from the items on this blog in that those items may be beautiful and fashionable, but they do still serve a specific assistive technology function. That will differ from this blog with is simply customizing the AT you use daily, and are therefore a part of your overall “look” for the sake of fashion and style alone! Our AT is necessary and lifechanging in use, but it can also be beautiful and make us feel beautiful and seen along with it, it may only require a little fashion intervention.