By Erin Sernoffsky
Fashion is a unique blend of function, comfort and self-expression — something at once practical and deeply personal. Yet for many people with disabilities, finding clothing that meets the demands of daily life can be challenging, leaving limited options for expressing individual style and preference. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite brands, from major retailers to independent designers, that are helping make fashion more accessible for our community.
Finding Accessible Fits
Adaptive fashions are growing, but people and families are still navigating the landscape to get clothes for their specific needs.
“The issue of adaptive clothing is so important because it directly impacts a patient’s ability to be independent with their daily routine,” says Julianne Toates, an occupational therapist with Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation.
She has seen firsthand how a lack of access to adaptive clothing impacts a person’s quality of life.
“Patients express feeling a loss of dignity with having to be reliant on a family member or caregiver to complete pants or clothing management for them,”Toates says.
For her patients and their caregivers, clothing that provides easy access to catheters while seated in a wheelchair or incorporates user-friendly fasteners for people with limited dexterity can make a world of difference. Toates finds that her patients often don’t know where to find these garments, anticipate how they will fit, or afford them.
“Adaptive clothing can be very pricey for patients to self-purchase and so that can be a limiting factor,” says Toates. “There are several good resources online for some easy DIY projects to add loops or snaps to clothing that patients already have. I think that most often, I will help patients or family members add or modify their clothing with some low-tech adaptations that are geared toward their specific needs or challenges.”
Toates also finds that many people simply do not know where to start shopping. Fortunately, the fashion industry is beginning to evolve. Major brands are expanding their adaptive collections, while independent designers and specialty retailers are creating stylish, thoughtfully crafted pieces that address a wide range of needs and lifestyles.
THE BIG BRANDS
Major retailers still have room to grow when it comes to accessibility and inclusive design. However, more brands than ever are recognizing both the importance of adaptive fashion and the demand for clothing that works for a wider range of people.
Zappos
Zappos is a globally recognized retailer that has become a valuable resource for people seeking shoes that are comfortable, supportive, and simple to put on and remove. From AFO-friendly footwear to easy-on, easy-off sneakers for adults and children, the company offers a broad selection across a variety of price points. Zappos is also known for excellent customer service and a generous return policy if the fit isn’t quite right.
Target
Parents, rejoice: Target has developed adaptive clothing lines for babies and children that combine comfort, accessibility and playful style. Many pieces are created with sensory sensitivities in mind and include features that simplify dressing. There are bright colors, fun prints, soft fabrics, and comfortable options for both everyday wear and special occasions.
Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive
Tommy Hilfiger is an iconic American brand, and its adaptive collection makes those classic styles accessible to a broader audience. With options for both children and adults, the line incorporates features such as one-handed zippers, magnetic closures, and accommodations for prosthetics and mobility devices. Find the seated-wear collection, which includes pants with a higher rise in the back for improved comfort and a smoother fit while seated.
Adaptive Designers
& Retailers
Z Adaptive
After years of creating custom clothing for a wheelchair user, designer Izzy Camilleri recognized the need for more thoughtfully developed adaptive fashion. She spent years listening to disabled clients and creating pieces that blend style, comfort and functionality. Her patented “Seamless Back Pant” was specifically created to improve comfort and help reduce pressure for wheelchair users.
Unhidden
UK designer Victoria Jenkins has become a leading voice in disability-inclusive fashion. Her brand, Unhidden, features sleek, professional pieces tailored to accommodate a variety of accessibility needs. From elegant dresses with discreet access for medical ports and tubes to wrap pants with a runway-ready look, the collection beautifully balances fashion-forward design with everyday practicality.
MagnaReady
MagnaReady pioneered magnetic-closure technology for men’s and women’s clothing. Inspired by the founder’s husband’s experience with Parkinson’s disease, the brand specializes in stylish apparel for people with limited dexterity, making everyday dressing easier without sacrificing appearance or quality.
Patti + Ricky
Patti + Ricky is an online marketplace created specifically for disabled adults and children, as well as their caregivers. In addition to adaptive clothing, the site offers a wide range of thoughtfully curated accessories and lifestyle products, including weighted vests, wheelchair accessories such as the LapSnap basket, easy-to-wear jewelry, and adaptive belts.
Joe & Bella
Joe & Bella creates clothing specifically designed to simplify dressing. The founders, who bring experience from brands including Lululemon, Juicy Couture and Kenneth Cole, collaborated with medical professionals, caregivers and people with disabilities to develop garments that remove barriers to getting dressed and feeling confident.
Lady Fines
Simply put, Lady Fines clothes are cool. The styles would look right at home at a concert, festival, or party and serve as a powerful reminder that disabled people belong everywhere. The brand offers a wide range of adaptive features, from removable sleeves to full-length dual-direction zippers. The fashion-forward designs are fun, energetic and empowering.
Koolway Sports
Koolway Sports is a Canadian company specializing in custom outdoor gear for wheelchair users and people who are medically fragile. Every piece is tailored to the customer’s specific needs and measurements, and is built for warmth, durability and long-term use.
Silverts Adapted Clothing and Footwear
Silverts offers adapted clothing and footwear for men and women who are independent and those who need caregiver assistive dressing or post-surgical care wear. It features back functionality in tops, magnetic snaps, easy closure footwear and side open designs. They have collaborated with popular ALS advocate Brooke Eby for a trendy adapted Be Cozy, Be You collection with proceeds benefiting Team Gleason, a foundation that improves the lives of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).