No doubt in my mind that
even Job would have broken had he been ‘tested’ for over 20 years shopping
without a universal sizing system through sections of misses, junior, plus,
petite, and womens clothing.
Multiple Sclerosis
symptoms early on impaired Patti from reading labels, trying on clothing, and
driving to stores much less play Mom with our daughter.
Raised in men’s clothing
where shopping is a function of waist and length, my adventures into women’s
clothing have been more like the Mad Hatter’s tea party especially since the
quest for the last decade has been ‘best of possible for assisted dressing’.
Non-ambulatory, Patti
requires assistance with dressing. Lying prone in her bed, she can no longer
even lift her butt or roll on her side. Total incontinence necessitates wearing
Depends 24/7. All of the above and more leave us discriminating shoppers to say
the least.
Measuring is everything.
Yes, stores have wheelchair accessible dressing rooms, but no one has an adult
changing table.
Curiously the only
mannequin we’ve ever seen in a wheelchair was while shopping at Kohl’s captured
on this camera phone picture from over 5 years ago. Kudos to progress with the
debut this Spring of Mannequals.
In search of clothes
that both express Patti while seated in a wheelchair yet somehow are designed and/or
sized for assisted dressing - I push
Patti through the aisles in tailor motif with my measuring tape hanging around
my neck bemusing her to no end.
Even after two decades
it doesn’t take long before my measuring turns to mumbling.
Soon I’m mumbling about storming the Bastille (obviously the French are behind this) and lamenting my never
ending respect for the shopping patience of drag queens, as Patti laughs away
like rewatching an old favorite movie.
“Patti I just had to stop
and say hi, I could hear you laughing across the store!” A staff member from
Patti’s care facility out shopping with her kids appears in the aisle.
Caregivingly Yours, Patrick Leer
videos: www.youtube.com/daddyleer
web site: caregivinglyyours.com
I loved this post! What a sense of humor you both have! Non ambulatory dressing has so many challenges, comfort being the most important but you don't want it at the expense of style! We were really challenged last spring to dress all our non ambulatory girls in their prom dresses. Everyone wanted strapless and long dresses which isn't always practical in a wheelchair.....so alterations were made and everyone was a true DIVA!
ReplyDeleteThanks oklhdan! We are 'showtime' in the women's clothing department no doubt! And of course there is Patti who has to roll through too tight aisles through racks of fashion at eyeball level. She suddenly burst out - "I feel like I'm in a f#cking jungle with all these leopard prints." :)
ReplyDeleteI love humor with all our challenges....Kudos to Kohls I did not know that they had these.
ReplyDeletePatrick, I hope you don't think that dealing with the craziness in women's clothing sizes is any easier for women than it is for men! Like you and Patti (and for the same reason), my first priority has to be ease of on-and-off. Machine-washable and comfortable come second and third. Style is relegated to a distant fourth. And Patti is right – shopping for clothes from a wheelchair is a claustrophobic experience. My favorite designer? Omar the Tentmaker – one-size-fits-all!
ReplyDeleteKim - humor is critical! While yes our hat was off to Kohl's as pictured in 2006 but its been a while since we have actually seen another mannequin in a wheelchair anywhere. Hopefully mannequals start to pop up all over the place.
ReplyDeletezoomdoggies - then women to arms, to arms! Let us all storm the Bastille. ... Love your Omar the Tentmaker, we must look for that designer:) By the way who buys 'hand wash/line dry' only? (and only labeled in the tiniest print) I considered camping there just to see who and interview them. :)
Clothes--it is a REAL pain and I never liked shopping BEFORE! UGH. I wish we could all go naked.
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