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Clothing and sensory overload, what actually works for you?

AuticDesigns

I’m autistic and for years I struggled with clothing without really understanding why. Labels, seams, certain fabrics, tight collars, heat and the general feeling of some clothes against my skin could become really distracting or overwhelming.

Since my diagnosis, a lot of those experiences have made much more sense to me.

I’d really like to hear from other autistic adults about clothing and sensory sensitivities.

What parts of clothing bother you most? Is it labels, seams, fabric, waistbands, fit, temperature, logos, something else?

And when you find something genuinely comfortable, what makes the biggest difference?

I’m particularly interested in hearing real experiences rather than assuming that everyone has the same sensory needs. I know we are all different.

Thanks to anyone who is happy to share.

  • in reply to Dawn

    Thank you for sharing this, Dawn. I do not think your needs are odd at all. Sensory experiences are incredibly individual, and something that feels comfortable to one person can feel unbearable to someone else.

    I struggled with clothing for years, particularly labels, seams and certain materials. It was only after my autism diagnosis that many of those struggles finally made sense. Hearing experiences like yours reminds me why I felt I needed to try to create a solution to some of the clothing difficulties we so often talk about.

    No single piece of clothing will work for everyone, but every shared experience helps us better understand how varied sensory needs can be. Thank you for being so open about yours.

  • Hiya,  yeah, some of us have very odd needs indeed.  Labels bother me if they aren't the super soft ribbon type - I cut them out.  For me clothing needs to be skin tight but soft and flexible - like leggings, or else really free flowing and baggy.  I hate feel trust up.  No business suits or formal dresses for me, lol.  

    But the really odd one is those nasty round things that fasten clothes - I can't even bare to hear or type the word - uggggg! makes me think of snotty nosed kids and puke. I feel dirty if I wear clothes with them.  School uniform was a nightmare.  I hate touching them.

    I could never fathom why this was so until my assessment.  I'd talked about that in my paper work mentioning that a person's accent when they say the word can impact on the degree of uckiness I experience.  The assessor's take was that they think I have an unusual form of synesthesia.  Lol, that would explain it.

    Out of despair at just having to go shopping, which I hate anyway, only to not find what I want, I taught myself to knit and crochet (I do that well) and the basics of sewing.  I do that well enough to produce loose trousers with elasticated wastes, tops and gypsy skirts all in high quality cotton, of course.

    There are a couple of online companies that make T shirts etc for ND people - no seams or labels and soft high quality cotton.  Born Anxious is my favourite.