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

Dawn

I just took part in a fascinating research survey which really made me think.

I signed up to the Autism Research Centre volunteer list. You know Mr Barron Cohen's lot at the University of Cambridge. Well worth doing folks. Once and a while they send me an e-mail with assorted research projects on Autism I may like to assist with, say by filling out a survey. Got one today. A social scientist and a fashion designer, both autistic themselves, are having a little dig at what clothes we choose to buy and why, and what our ideal choices are, do we feel the high street caters to us, do we even care if we are fashionable? Here's the link, if anyone is interested in putting in their penny worth:

[link removed as the link is to a research study requesting participants. This breaks rule 9 of the online community rules]

But completing it did make me think....

I'm a yarn and fabric junky. Yes, my yarn stash does occupy a whole room in my house. Yes, once the sewing machine comes out, I can't put it away for months whether I actually need new clothes or not. Yes having made one pair of crochet socks, I will spend the next two years making my own designs ever convinced that next pair will be the perfect pair. Yes, I can bore you rigid with yarn blends, stitch types and pattern books, uh err hum, "special intetest" alert....

But why did I start with all that? Well, crochet has rhythm.. calming when the social and sensory stressors on the bus are bothering me...I'm just counting stitches and making socks. Also, hey! I got a draw full of socks that meet my sensory needs, 'cos I made them. Lol

Do I care about fashion - no, but I got funky, not very fashionable socks I love, 'cos I made them.

But seriously guys, just what do we want clothing manufacturers to consider for the autistic consumer? What would your ideal clothing outlet offer?

Parents

  • 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.

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  • 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.

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