Autistic Fashion, what do we want it to look and feel like? Comfort, off-trend and jewelry for stims?

Comfort wise everything has to be cotton and have as minimal seems as possible. All labels picked out at the stitches.

I wear a lot of graphic t shirt. It’s a great compromise between comfort and expressing some individuality. You can usually find me in chino trousers and a t shirt.

I would love to wear more brightly coloured clothing but there aren’t that many things available. The odd tie dye t shirt maybe. I prefer black clothing to dull colours (eg brown / navy etc). So black and white is mostly what I wear. but I’d love to mix some bright colours in too. Neon green, electric blue, etc.

> What would your ideal clothing outlet offer?

Basic, plainly designed men's clothing to fit a slim 5'1 person. 

As I've got older, finding clothes comfortable has become more of a priority.

Whilst I rarely have an issue with things like seams and labels, I am extremely fussy about what I will and won't wear. I'm not a follower of fashion and consider myself to have fairly conservative tastes in clothing. If there are colours and/or styles in season that I don't like, then I just won't buy them. I'll make do with clothes that may well have seen better days and wait until I'm able to replace them with something I do like. One thing that pleases me is that clothing designers have now started to acknowledge that a good many women like skirts and dresses with pockets.

As for jewellery, I'll wear a necklace if I'm getting dressed up, but that's all. Much to my dismay, I discovered some years ago that I appear to have a metal allergy. I used to have a vast collection of costume jewellery consisting of rings and earrings, which I'm gutted I can no longer wear. Rings irritate my skin, and even if I wear hypoallergenic stud earrings, my ears quickly feel like they have been dipped in neat acid.I now wear stud earrings made from medical grade plastic.

Thank you

Cool. It's generally a good site, I find their forums work better than here.

Ditto on making own socks. I made a christmas scarf last year :) 

Overall I don't like fashion and I hate clothes too weird triggering materials and way to bright some of them.

Jewellery is a big no.

I am indeed. Posted some of my socks there.

Phoenixboy said:

bsolutely detest squeaky shoes

Oh, squeaky anything! *shudder* I had a real problem a few years ago with squeaky toothbrushes! Suddenly the kind I liked using started to feel squeaky, utterly unbearable, at the same time that same brand made the toothpaste I liked frothy! *shudder again* 

I'd say comfort was my main priority over fashion these days, not going to pay extra to display someone else's brand label.

I've bought the same walking type shoes/trainers for the last ten years plus & buy 5 sets at a time, not as though my feet are going to grow anymore now at my age & I find them very comfy.

I usually stick with the same type jeans, again & buy 3-5 pairs at a time, saves me going back again. 

I tend to wear fleeces, very warm, easy to wash & no need to iron them.

I also tend to wear cotton t-shirts, brushed cotton p.j's, down to the feel of them. I don't mind paying a bit more for clothes that last, wash well & don't shrink within the wash. Dislike disposing of cheap clothing that only lasts for 5 minutes, due to being extremely cheap & poorly made.

When I go into a shop to buy clothes I like to be in & out as quickly as possible, as I don't particularly enjoy shopping, anyway.

I am also fussy when buying clothes, I may try on 5 t-shirts on & only buy one, down to the fit, really. Another reason I tend to buy a few items if I like them & they fit well. 

I tend to go for safe colours, as I don't want to stand out too much. 

My underwear has got to be cotton, I like fitted socks, medium weight, don't do baggy cheap socks that slide down your feet & twist upside down on your foot, dislike white socks or black socks, as black socks leave too many bobbles on the carpet

Absolutely detest squeaky shoes, just binned a pair for that reason

Made me sneeze a bit! Lots of fine floaty fibres getting in the air. But that's partly because my cat is short haired. And the actual yarn was not something I'd like to wear because of some of the less fine fibres poking out. But I only made a small bit of yarn, just enough to crochet a cat which I made into a brooch for my friend.

Are you on Ravelry? It's got forums for all sorts of knitting crochet and spinning related subjects, and a massive database of patterns.

Oh Wow! Now I am truly in awe. Cat hair? What's that like? Angorah us rabbit hair and meant to be super soft I know, though I never tried knitting with it.

Spinning is so much fun and soothing once you get the hang of it. Super frustrating until then of course! I have spun all sorts of things, including cat hair! The best thing is being able to make my fave kind of yarn for much cheaper than I could buy it for. I love super chunky yarn, which weirdly is actually harder to make than thin yarn, but once the trick is learnt it is much quicker to make.

I tried a spindle first but didn't get on with it (partly because the one I had was better for thin yarn but I prefer thick yarn) but then I saw someone making art yarn on a wheel and knew I had to try that. So I got a wheel and loved it. I found that easier as I could separate the making the tool go round from the drafting of fibre. In fact I find the spinning wheel the best fidget toy ever! It sits in front of my sofa seat and I often just treadle it while watching TV, so soothing, even with no yarn being made!

There are loads of youtube videos on how to spin, or craftsy classes. Or you could join a spinning guild if you are up to meeting people. I find spinners/dyers/weavers (the guild is all 3) to be very friendly and wonderfully odd people (probably many on the spectrum!) so it is a nice hobby.

You would not be best off beginning with a raw fleece though. First they have to be washed, then carded or combed before being spun. Oops, I am writing an essay, I'd better stop or I'll be here all night!

If you hate wool - many do, autistic or not 'cos it's scratchy. Try alpaca - so soft. 

You spin? Oh wow! That's a skill I'd love to have. I know where I could get a fleece but no idea what I'm doing from there.

I love the idea of other natural eco friendly fibers too. Nettle can be used, hemp and banana. Actually banana is super soft and silky.

Yes, or reading obsessively, which is both quiet and seen as "normal". Or collecting toy horses and learning all the horse breeds etc.

I'm glad they thought of the ethical angle, so many of us seem to care about that too, it's good to be in a group where that is normal!

I love yarn so much I learned how to spin it, which is a whole other rabbit hole. Now my collection of pre-yarn is almost as big as my collection of yarn... And yet still when I want to make something I struggle to find the right yarn! I haven't made much for a while, but I think the autumn is making me want to snuggle up with it more so I crocheted a snowflake the other day and today I actually cast on a new knitting project.

I don’t have a problem finding clothes as I don’t really have any sensory issues in that way. I mean, yeah there’s the odd cheap label that I might remove, but even then that’s a rare thing. I don’t like wool as it makes me itch, but many people are the same and they aren’t autistic.

I’ve never been one for throw away fashion, or cheap materials, so my clothing is comfy. Everyone comments that I’m fashionable and edgy, and very much the hipster lol, but really, I’m 49. I know what I like and I know what suits me.

Don't worry about the detail. I'm glad to meet a fellow yarn/fabric junkie. I kind of feel this why women get missed. It may not be buses or drain covers we are into, but we can get just as fixated.

The environmental and social justice issues are just as important and this survey went into that too. I do the charity shop thing too. I only throw things if they are worn out. If it's just that they don't fit, I donate them. I shop there too, cos often the thing I want isn't in fashion and therefore not in the department store but might be lurking there forgotten by all.

Hi fellow yarn and fabric junkie! I will try not to derail this thread, maybe we should start one to discuss that in case there are others here?

In answer to your question, I would want an ethical consideration. One reason I make my own is I have opted out of fast fashion for ethical reasons. I did go through a phase of buying from charity shops (waaay to much, in search of the ideal item which was rarely found. Ended up with a huge collection of nearly rights which I never wore and have either been redonated or gone into the refashion pile!)

A lot of modern clothes expose too much skin, especially cleavage, while I prefer to cover up, sometimes from the sun (I hate the feel of suncream) or for modesty. And I dislike the gap you get between a top which is too short and low rise bottom half. I have other preferences which is why I make my own, like not snug armpits, not too tight elbows, easy to put on and off etc.

Natural fibres are often nicer, but cotton does have environmental concerns as much as plastic fabric.

I do not care about being fashionable, but comfortable and ethical. I like bright cheerful colours.

Labels can be outside or the washing info can be printed inside. Some locations are less annoying than others.

Not sure I'm entirely the target though as I said I don't tend to buy new clothes any more.