Summarisingtheproblemsencounteredby peoplewithlimitedmobilityinfindingand buyingpracticalandstylishclothes
SheilaHawkinsNovember2024
whatislimitedmobility?
Mobilityimpairmentisdefinedasacategoryofdisabilitythatincludespeoplewith varyingtypesofphysicaldisabilities.Mobilityimpairmentscaneitherbea congenitalhealthproblem,aconditionacquiredwithageorcausedbyadiseaseor injury.Apersonwithphysicalimpairmentdisabilitieswilloftenuseassistivedevices ormobilityaidssuchascrutches,canes,wheelchairsandprostheticlimbstoobtain mobility.
Mobilityimpairment-EdgeHillUniversity
Anestimated1.2millionpeopleusewheelchairsintheUK,twothirdsofwhomare over60yearsold
FactsandFiguresAboutDisabledPeopleintheUK
onlinesurveyMay–September2023
Gender
79Female,16male
5didn’tanswerthisquestion
Levelofmobility
83useawheelchair 15usewalkingaids (stick/walkingframe) 1carerforfamily memberswithlimited mobility
Characteristicsof 100respondents
trousers,jeans,joggers,leggings+otherpants
Whatkindoftrousersareeasyforyoutowear?
About25%saidthey couldwearfront fasteningtrousers easily,butanother 25%saidthey couldn’twearthem atall
Almost80%of respondentssaid elasticatedwaist trousersareeasy forthemtogeton andoff
Lessthan10%said theycouldeasily getsidefastening trousersonandoff and40%saidthey couldn’twear thematalll
whatkindofpocketsdoyouprefer/finduseful?
thesurveyaskedaboutpocketsontrousers,exploringwhatismost usefulandaccessiblewhensittingdown.34%ofrespondentssaid theydidn’tlikeanykindofpocketsintrousersbecausetheyarebulky, causechafingorareinthewrongplace.
only8respondentssaidtheylikedpatchpockets,usuallyfoundon thebackofjeansorsimilartrousers.Thisreflectsmyexperiencethat anythinginthesepocketsfallsoutveryeasily,particularlywhen gettingundressed.
prioritiesfortrousers
•fabricswithsomestretch
•easytotransferbetweendifferentseats(somefabricssuchascorduroytend tosticktoupholstery)
•trousersthatfitwellandareeasytogetonandoff
•higherwaistbands,aslowwaistbandscreateagapatthebackwhichcanbe cold
•fasteningsthatareeasytomanage(particularlywithweakorarthritichands)
•donotgetcaughtinthewheelchair,orcreateatriphazard(generallyvery longorwidetrousers,particularlyinlighterfabrics)
•pocketsintherightplaces
Lotsoftrouserswillcreateloadsofmaterialinyourlap-notagoodlook!
wearingshorts
only23%ofrespondentscould findshortsthatwerecomfortable towearinawheelchair.
althoughnearlyhalfof respondentsdidnotwanttowear shorts,thosewhodidfoundthat mostshortsweretooshort, showedmorelegthantheywanted andwereuncomfortableinhot weatherwhentheirskinwould sticktotheseatoftheir wheelchair.
tops–t-shirts,sweaters,hoodies,cardigans, shirts/blouses
Manypeoplewithlimitedmobility havelimitedstrengthor movementintheirarmsand shoulderswhichaffectswhatthey wearandhowtheyputiton.The surveyaskedhowrespondents puttopson
Overmyhead
Armsinfirst(likeputtingonacoat
Idon’tthinkaboutit–whatever’seasier
questionsaboutfastening, arrangingandwearingtops–99responses
Canyoufasten/unfastenfrontbuttons/zips?
45%saidyes12%saidno
Canyoufasten/unfastenshoulderbuttons?
12%saidyes75%saidno
Canyousortout/arrangeyourcollarorhood?
27%saidyes45%saidno
dressesandskirts:60respondents
Whatkindofskirtscanyouwear?
whatkindofdressesandskirts?
Skirts/dressesthatbuttondownthefrontwereparticularlyunpopularbecause theytendedtogapeandsomepeoplefoundthebuttonsdifficulttofasten.
Respondentswerealsoaskedwhethertheypreferredskirtstodressesand43 peoplereplied,mostlysayingtheypreferreddressestoskirtsbecausethey tendedtostayinplaceratherthantwistingroundorbunchingupatthewaist andweregenerallymoreflatteringandforgiving.
detailing
Sleeves
•Tightsleevesareuncomfortable, particularlyforpeoplewhoself-propel themselvesinamanualwheelchair–
•Offtheshoulderandstrappytopsare difficulttokeepupforpeoplewithweak shoulders
Trailingitemsfromsleeves,trousersor scarvescangetcaughtupinawheelchair andcanbedangerous
difficultfabrics
otherclothing requirements
somepeoplehavemobilityorothermedical aidswhichtheywanttohidebehindtheir clothes
fabricsthatfloatorhaveholesthatare likelytocatchonthewheelchair anythingthatcreaseseasily,particularly whensatupon texturedfabricsthatdragagainstsofas etc–corduroy,velvetetc fabricsthatteareasily,especiallywhen stretchedorpulledwhengettingdressed
specialistadaptiveclothing
Doyouwanttowearspecialist
clothesorlooklikeyour contemporaries?
Anddotheyship toyourcountry?
Bombinitribejeans
IZadaptive
makingalterations
40%ofrespondentssaidthey hadmadealterationstoclothes, mostlyalteringthelengthbut alsochangingfastenings, removingloopsorsimilar detailinglikelytogetintheway, andsewingupsplitswherethey werelikelytogape.
choosingandbuyingclothes
styling:theysaid
Reallydifficulttolooksmartinaw/chair.Topsand jacketsthataretherightlengthstandinguplook crumpledandmessysittingdown.Icouldprobablydo withsomeadvice!
Longerbacksontopplusslitsonthesideoftopsso youdon’thaveabulgeoffabricatthehipwhensat down
Longvestsandjacketsaredifficulttoputon,asyou aresupposedtositonitpartly.Iprefervestsandshirts thatarenottightatthebottom,sincetheytendto crawlupwhenseated.
FindamodernwintercoatwhereIcansitcomfortably inmywheelchair.
theshoppingexperience:theysaid
Tryinganythingonin-storeisvdifficult-insufficientspace,poorstaffsupportsoneeda companionandtimeconsuming.
Shoppinginpersonisapain,soIordersizesonlinetotryathome.
Shoppingforclothesisparticularlychallengingastypicallytheaislesinclothesshopsarenot thoughtoutforwheelchairusers-youendupaccidentallycatchinggarmentsondisplayonthe wheelchairandcannotmanoeuvrewithease,itmakesitchallengingforawheelchair user/carer.
Itisdifficult,frustrating,expensive,timeconsuming.
Ihateclothesshopping!
(in)accessiblechangingrooms
Doyouusechangingroomsinstores
97responses
Almost65%saidno
12.4%saidyes
22.7%saiditdependedonwhattheywantedtotryon
Resultinginfewersalesormorereturns
whydon’tpeopleuseaccessiblechanging rooms?
Toosmallforawheelchairandacarer
Hadinappropriateseating(eithertoolow,or doesn’tallowenoughspaceforanindividualto leanbacktoshuffleclothesonandoff,asshown here)
Someindividualsneedahoisttotransfertoaseat orwidebenchtogetchanged
Sometimesusedasageneralstoreroomso clutteredandinaccessible
Somepeoplewantedtheircarer(malepartner)to comewiththemtohelpbutthechangingrooms aresinglesexsoinaccessible.Alargerunisex changingroomattheentrancetothechanging areawouldbemoreusefulforsomepeople19
Thesaddestthingisafter8yearsI’velearned whatwillmostlikelywork,butit’salwaystrial anderror.Evenmodelssatdownproperlyona chairwouldgiveanideainthephotos.But they’realwaysperched,andyoucannottell. Wheelchairmodelsorevensatdownones wouldhavehelpedme(wouldstillhelp!)learn whatworks/doesn’tmorequickly.
inconclusion
It’shardtofindclothesthatIlikethatarefashionable.
Iwouldliketowearmoremoderncolourfulclothes.
Makethemlooklikeregularclothes,wearenotallseniorcitizens
Needadaptedclothingnotexclusivelyforoldpeopleandsomekeyfashion pieces
Wedon’thavetobedowdyjustbecausewearedisabled
Makethemtrendy!
recommendationstoretailers
Recognisethesizeofthemarket–over1.2millionpeopleintheUKwhouse wheelchairsandstruggletofindtheclothingtheywant.
Involvedisabledpeopleindesigningyourproductsandthestoreenvironment, askingthemwhattheywanttosee.Ifusingthemasconsultantspaythemthe goingrateforthework.
Focusontheclothesthatpeoplewithlimitedmobilityfindeasiertowear–trousers,mid-lengthdressesandtopswithplainersleeves.Designthesetobe accessible,payingattentiontofasteningsanddetailing.
Educateyourdesignteamssotheyunderstandthedifficultiespeoplewithlimited mobilityfacechoosingclothesandcandesignaccordingly.
Showthatyouarethinkingofthismarket–useimagesofmodelssittingdownto showwhatthegarmentwilllooklikeinaseatedposition.
Makethein-storeshoppingexperienceeasier, checkingforstep-freeaccess,automatic doorsandaislesthatarewideenoughfora wheelchair(orachild’sbuggy)
Educateyourcustomerservicestaffinhowto offerpracticalsupporttopeoplewithlimited mobilityratherthanmakingassumptions aboutwhattheyneed.
Reducereturnsbymakingstorechanging roomsaccessiblemakethembigenoughand freeofjunk,provideafixedbenchorsimilar forchanging,takingadvicefroman OccupationalTherapist.
Puttheaccessiblechangingroomatthe entranceandmakeitunisex,soanindividual cangoinwiththeirpartner/carertohelpthem tryonthegarments.
stockists
BlackSuperStretchTrousersWithSideZip:Whistles
BreaFallsCottonRichCargoWalkingTrousersColumbiaonlineonly
FlexHighWaistedPlicatedSidePocketWideLegWaffleWorkPants:Halara
TallBlackButtonDetailWideLegTrousers:LTS
HampsteadLinenShorts:Boden
ConnieRelaxedCottonShirt:Boden
Women’sA-linelightweightdenimtanktop:Bombini
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Summaryof:HawkinsS.Wedon’thavetobedowdyjustbecausewearedisabled:Summarisingthe problemsencounteredbypeoplewithlimitedmobilityinfindingandbuyingpracticalandstylishclothes NeuromuscularDisorders37(2024)1–6