Welcome to part 4 of my series on how my invisible disability affects my style and fashion. I've talked about clothes, beauty and shoes but wanted to touch on how my pain and immune system disabilities affect my travel style. Reversible, Convertible Clothes: Because I cannot lift or carry anything heavier than a few pounds for more than a few minutes, I make a lot of reversible or convertible clothes so I don't have to pack as much. The Size of My Luggage: I always envy the people with hard suitcases that just make the carry-on limit. I can only have carry-on luggage because most causes of measles and infectious diseases at airports happen at baggage claim. Plus lost luggage sucks. But I can only carry my laptop bag and either a small duffle or preferably a half-size roller bag. Long Torso Means Separates not Dresses: Because my immune problems affect my digestion and my mother refused to get me necessary medical care, my growth was stunted and I ended up with a long torso. But long torsos mean separates instead of dresses and dresses are the best thing for travel. So I have to pack more pieces in smaller luggage. I try to make dresses but the level of adjustments I have to make are frustrating. Since this is likely the last post in this series, I wanted to share some closing thoughts. I don't mean to be all "woe is me". But I also don't want to sugar coat my disabilities and think it's important for others to know about the experience of others. Sometimes it's been fun figuring out how to make new clothes that work with my disabilities instead of feeling like a monster because another pair of pants was too tight/loose and still too tight in the crotch. Learning to make clothes for my unique body, shaped by my disabilities, has helped me realize my body is just fine the way it is and it's not my body's fault that clothes are not made to fit it. And I feel really good when someone compliments a piece of clothing I've made, inspired by my disability needs, and I get to tell them I made it.
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AuthorJust me. Plain and simple. Archives
November 2019
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