“Disabled people love fashion,” said Keah Brown, #disabledandcute activist, in her post-NYFW debut interview with Clare Press from WARDROBE CRISIS, “but fashion doesn’t really love disabled people back.” As an able-bodied person hearing Keah speak, it seems to me people with disabilities often find themselves at a sartorial crossroads: Do I buy the Gucci dress that was designed with a different body type in mind, get it drastically altered and hope it fits the way I had envisioned? Or do I settle for facility in non-restrictive clothing that feels impersonal, medical, and lacks the pizzazz I want my style to reflect?
There are options, Keah goes on to mention, but they are incredibly sparse and definitely nowhere near the selection that able-bodied shoppers (or even pets) have access to. Despite initiatives from select brands and a sluggish but steady recalibration in our general understanding of disabilities, the campaign for hot and haute adaptable clothing continues—and with good reason. Here, we have some suggestions on how to accomplish what every designer wants: clothing that makes wearers feel like the best version of themselves.
*Keep in mind that there are over 40 million disabled Americans, which means that there are over 40 million different bodies, necessities, and priorities to consider when making your clothing adaptive. It is important to consult with someone from the community when tailoring your pieces. These are only a few ways to get started, but we hope it opens up those creatively inclusive pathways.
Inclusivity is the window to the future.
This suggestion is pretty relevant, as we’ve all been wearing and making protective gear that reflect our personal style. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, this produces a bit of a barrier when it comes to lip-reading and, therefore, a barrier in communication. Sky Cubacub of Rebirth Garments (and many other innovators such as Ashley Lawrence and the father of Chella Man, a deaf and trans visual artist/personal style icon) have come up with a solution to this that compromises neither safety nor style; a sewn-in window. We all, in a way, have been struggling with communicating due to these masks — or am I the only one hearing well-intentioned muffles from my local barista and defeatedly accepting whatever drink they think they heard me order? This little window will prove itself helpful not only for folks who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also for those of us who can hear just fine, but are still finding it difficult to talk as seamlessly as we did BC (Before Corona).

Above: Chella Man for Vogue, wearing Valentino. The artist makes it a point to display his cochlear implant and Jewish heritage prominently.
Oh, snap, magnetic snaps.
At NYFW’s Runway of Dreams, Lefty Williams, an American blues rock guitarist who was born with an incomplete right arm (which makes his stage name all the more iconic), commented that he loves a button-up with magnetic snaps. A central tenet of adaptive wear is being able to dress yourself independently or with minimal help. Magnetic snaps make it easier to close jackets, get tight collars on, and fit prosthetics through pant legs and shirts if you struggle with hand coordination, are working with one arm or simply need that added mobility. These closures are simple to insert and we offer them here on the Mood website, you can include them in whatever working designs you already have so you can make your vision available to more people without changing the original concept.

Tommy Adaptive’s magnetic snaps featuring a model who wears a prosthetic and ankle brace.
Zippers, let’s change them.
Not that anyone asked, but I think the 70’s are always in—give me a sassy bell-bottom, corduroy suit, or wrap dress any day. Whether they did it consciously or unconsciously, the circular zipper and flare pant, popular Studio 54-era details, are simple, groovy provisions to make clothing a bit more seamless and inclusive. For fashionistas with limited movement, a zipper extension facilitates access to your closures. Consider inserting zippers on the sides of pants and skirts as opposed to at the center and add a loop (like a belt loop) on the inside to aid in pulling things up. When you’re crafting a hoodie or après ski inspired half-zip, you can design your own zipper with our Mood Exclusive zipper selection–choose a base and add a pull of your liking. It’s chic, adds a mod detail to your pieces, and is easier to close up. Flared and wide leg pants with elastic waistbands, in general, accommodate prosthetics, sensitivities, and are all-around more comfortable, but if you want to keep a slim or straight leg look, you can always use our next suggestion.


Jillian Mercado for Posture Mag, on the left, wearing wide legged pants. She is also seen on the right, wearing a skirt with an elastic waistband and looking, just, so cool.
Voila, VELCRO®.
Ah, VELCRO®, nostalgic with an unmistakably crisp sound. VELCRO® is a game changer for inclusive clothing. In conjunction with magnetic snaps, VELCRO® can accommodate wearing ease for people who have prosthetics and eradicates—as Tommy Hilfiger’s sub-brand, Tommy Adaptive, so wonderfully demonstrates—the need for buttons. VELCRO® functions in lieu of a zipper and makes slipping in and out clothing a more comfortable process. The best part is that VELCRO® is discreet, like double-sided tape, and doesn’t disrupt designs or the wearer’s style.

A Tommy Adaptive triple-whammy: VELCRO®, inner loop, and magnetic snaps.
It’s in the fabrics.
As we all know—fabrics matter. Texture alone can give your creation a completely different energy and some materials are a straight no-go for people who need extra stretch and comfort or live with sensory/skin disorders. (In this WFH climate, who doesn’t need added elasticity and coziness?) Stay away from synthetic and notoriously scratchy fabrics such as polyester and wool and lean more towards natural fibers like organic cotton, silk, and linen. For both a statement-making detail and small life-hack, put the seams on the outside. It’s accommodatingly punk rock.

Polaroid of Aaron Philip wearing a Gucci Ghost beret as well as, presumably, a silk skirt. She is also seen on the right, looking regal, and wearing stretch fabrics and chunky heels while sitting on her bedazzled power wheelchair for PAPER Magazine.

We all know the power of a sharp outfit on a difficult day–it’s armor, it’s sass, it’s presence. For someone with a disability, access to the right look can give you the confidence to confront misguided perceptions of you and the way your life works, the power to exist visibly and radically (and comfortably), and to deliver your truest self with sophistication and style.
Thanks so much for your illuminating article! As a creative soul and researcher completing a doctoral degree in art education and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies I love reminders that pull attention toward inclusivity! I think the able-bodied often forget the different-abled are creative, personality-filled, sexual beings who love to shine just as much as anyone else! THANK YOU for a great reminder and design ideas for inclusivity in fashion.
Are there any adaptive patterns on your site?
This is probably a silly question, but what would make a pattern adaptive? I would imagine that most sewing patterns are unfriendly to some people with motility-based disabilities, and that printable patterns would be equally or more difficult for those people to handle.
Sight difficulties, though, could be catered to with larger and dyslexia-friendly typeface choices and clearer lines.
I don’t work for the website – just interested to learn more.