Fashion & Function: Amputee Adaptive Clothing
Shopping for clothes is a polarizing subject for the public. Many people live for assembling their next outfit and keeping with the current trends, while others loathe the entire experience of trying clothes on and finding what fits. Unfortunately, for many amputees, they may find themselves in the latter category. General clothing, shirts, pants or otherwise, aren’t often made with amputees or prosthetic users in mind. Luckily, as of late, there are an increasing number of options for amputees looking to express themselves through fashion.
The first option available is to alter the clothes one already has. Many local tailors can re-design a prosthetic user’s current clothes to not only create a proper fit, but also make donning and doffing much simpler. Many common pant alterations include the addition of buttons or zippers at the base of the pant leg. These create a wider area for the prosthetic fit to slide in and out of. This is a great option when seeing your prosthetist as it makes removal of the prosthesis much easier if a modification needs to be made.
You can ship your clothes to many companies like Custom Adaptive Clothing (above) to alter your clothes and send them back ready to wear.
Alternatively, many companies now create entire catalogues of clothing that have been pre-altered for the prosthetic user. Brands like Tommy Hilfiger have launched adaptive lines that feature durable, stretchy materials that accommodate use with a prosthesis. Some beneficial clothing features to look for on their site are Drawcord Stoppers, Extended, Zipper Pulls, Hook & Loop Flies, Magnetic Buttons, One-Handed Zippers, Side Seam Openings, Wide Neck Openings and Wide-Leg Openings. Well-known brands like this are continuing to expand their catalogues and give access to clothing for all body types and presentations. Try googling your favourite brands along with “Amputee” or “prosthetic” to see for yourself.
Here are some other brands that are creating adaptive clothing for all:
Featuring the stylish “Amp” pant featuring bilateral hidden zippers at the leg and reinforced knees to prevent damage caused by sockets.
Both offer full catalogues of comfortable clothing for easy dressing.
Adaptive footwear company with plenty of options of shoes that work with prosthetic feet.
Featuring leggings for amputees that are hemmed according to amputation level.
An adaptive fashion marketplace with products curated for prosthetic users and those with other chronic conditions.
“The Farfetch of adaptive fashion” according to Vogue Business. A company encouraging brands to consider and implement inclusive design.
The site gathers tons of sewers and designers to whom you can reach out, to create not only functional clothing but fun graphic design shirts as well.
In addition to buying adaptive clothing, it’s important to talk to your prosthetist about any issues you may be having. Your clinician is often able to add softer material to socket brims or rigid components, so they don’t rip and tear your favourite pair of pants. They may also be able to provide you with local and national resources relating to adaptive clothing. Your local Amputee Coalition can not only connect you to local retailers but is comprised of amputees that can offer opinions on their own personal choices for clothing styles, cuts, brands and materials that work best for the prosthetic user.
If all else fails, sometimes it's best to take matters into your own hands. Organizations like Open Style Lab provide opportunities for individuals with various disabilities to collaborate with designers, engineers, and therapists alike in order to create dressing solutions that could benefit the community. Many of the products created can be used to “hack” your own clothing for individualized use (and sold at stores like Patti + Ricky mentioned above).
The opportunities to express oneself through fashion are out there, even for the everyday prosthetic user. Each year more and more resources are available at our fingertips giving us access to the ingenious and intuitive creations of these designers and entrepreneurs. This guide is just a small list of the options available but hopefully shines light on the various opportunities someone of any ability or condition has to wear the clothes they want to.
Custom Adaptive Clothing by Cover up Shop. https://www.customadaptiveclothing.com/.
Yanny. “Behind the Brand: Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive.” EveryHuman, https://everyhuman.com.au/blogs/blog/behind-the-brand-tommy-hilfiger-adaptive.
