Representation in Fashion
Accessibility in fashion. I have always had a love of fashion. I studied fashion merchandising in the hopes of changing how accessible the fashion industry is for people with disabilities. Then reality hit that I can make a better impact without working directly in that industry.
Because of my disability I’ve had to start being more conscientious of what I wear for both comfortability and what could minimize my daily pain. In addition, my body shape is quite unique. I have wide hips and legs that are relatively short and have a few inch discrepancy.
I’ve always needed to get jeans hemmed because I would need to get a larger waist size usually resulting in longer pant legs. As my bone disease progressively got worse and began to affect my ribcage, I have had to be mindful about bras and whether or not they have underwire.
I’ve had to be more selective as to what I wear; with that I have been mindful of the brands and stores I shop from. One brand/store that I have absolutely loved has been American Eagle/Aerie. They have always had comfortable and adaptable clothes, and continue to provide more and more options for all body types and those with disabilities.
They were the first, I noticed, who had models who showcased multiple disabilities—crutches, wheelchairs, colostomy bag, etc. Aerie had more options for cute bras and bralettes that were both comfortable, supportive, and most importantly wireless! American Eagle was the first store I saw where there were not just options for jeans, but ALL pants where you can pick your waist size and leg length. (ex. Size 8 long, size 4 short, or size 10 regular)
My wardrobe may or may not be 80% American Eagle/Aerie. Their clothes make me feel confident and comfortable in my own skin. Flash forward to mid pandemic, I just got my splint off my arm—not really feeling great—my friend Nadia, phenomenal photographer, and I took a trip to San Francisco to get a change of scenery. I had just ordered the cutest workout set (see photos in this post), and never had photos of me in more than my wheelchair.
As a content creator and aspiring disability influencer, I wanted to provide content for my followers where they can feel comfortable about themselves in the same way AE/Aerie did for me showcasing those models. I used those images during Global Awareness Week for FD/MAS and Rare Disease Day, and made sure to tag Aerie.
Few weeks later, they featured me and my post on their page. Now that alone would be absolutely incredible, but from that post was incredible feed back. My favorite and most impactful comment I had received was the one this beautiful person posted that she had NEVER seen a model like her.
This is why I try to do what I do and why I’m so happy I was being recognized by an incredible company that truly is ahead of its industry. They along with companies like Target, Zappos, Kohl’s, and some others are taking the necessary steps on making fashion inclusive. The fashion industry has so far to go, but it’s companies like these that will pave the way on making it a more accessible world.
“I have never seen a model with a walker before! Thank you thank you for featuring @smumps and women like me! 💕”