Breakthrough - Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation

Article
Fashion flair: dress for success regardless of stature
by Neeru Sharma
OI Fdn Board Member
Having OI presents plenty of
challenges. One of them which many
of us deal with on a daily basis but
rarely discuss in detail is clothingrelated
issues. Finding age appropriate
and easy to wear items is important
for a person’s well being and
image.
Many of you may be able to recall
instances when you have had a need
for a certain kind of outfit and have
been frustrated in finding something
that works for your unique body.
Following are some tips based on
years of experience (and credit card
bills!) which I hope will begin to add
some fashion flair to your daily
wardrobe. In addition, at the upcoming
conference in Dallas, we will have
a booth at the wellness fair dedicated
to this topic.
So please collect your favorite tips,
list of stores, or special techniques
you use that will benefit your fellow
OI friends in the quest of looking
good and feeling great, and stop by
the booth at the wellness fair!
Petite Sizes
Many stores carry petite sizes
which thankfully now have adult
styling and fashion flair. Unlike twenty
years ago when small size meant
childish designs, you can now find a
variety of beautiful and sexy clothing.
Some of the best places to find
reasonably priced items include:
Limited Too and The Limited
Victoria’s Secret (catalog)
Land’s End (catalog)
Marshall Fields or Dillards (petites)
Lord and Taylor (petites)
Petite Sophisticate
Abercrombie &
Fitch
Nordstrom’s
The GAP
Old Navy
Banana Republic
Ann Taylor Loft
The great thing
about finding clothes
from these department
or catalog
retailers is that if
something does not
fit, it is not difficult
to return items.
Extra room is important
The best thing to do is to buy
clothes that leave a little extra room
around your arms and legs so if you
are transferring out of your wheelchair
or use crutches/canes you still can
easily move.
You don’t want to hide your physical
imperfections, but you can use
clothes to enhance the parts of you
that you would like people to focus
on. I figure since I am short I might
as well wear clothes that allow me to
appear a little taller - so tops and
pants that coordinate are key.
Make your clothes accessible
Another item to remember is to buy
clothes that have easy snaps/buttons
and zippers. No need to struggle and
break a bone getting your clothing on
or off! Velcro is a great alternative.
In those instances where clothes
just don’t fit well for you off the rack,
you may want to consider learning to
hem, sew or finding a suitable tailor.
Many times because of the body
Neeru Sharma will offer fashion tips and recommended
resources at the Health Fair at the 2004 Conference in Dallas.
shapes many of us with OI have, no
clothing from stores will ever quite be
perfect. The key is to make your
clothes look right for you.
Accessorize!
Finally, shoes and accessories are
important to pull together a polished
look. Finding shoes at major department
stores can be a pain, but I have
noticed stores like Nordstrom’s,
Payless, Land’s End and Marshall
Fields carry many styles which are
smaller but look professional.
Bags/purses and other carrying
items should match your chair or outfit
and be easy to handle. Having too
many bags or not enough storage can
be a hindrance to being independent
and stylish.
Hopefully this has helped you on
your journey into the world of dressing
well and feeling great. For me it is
an ongoing adventure which makes
me relish the days when I receive my
home delivered catalogs.
Breakthrough Spring 2004 Page 14