Accessibility and functionality are two words that I learnt to hate when being paired together with disability.

 

I have refused to accept that i had only a choice of tracksuits because thats all you can do once this disabled. i couldnt do it to myself, so i created my own designs straight away.

I needed and wanted Choice Variation Dignified Beautiful Freedom Painfree Unique  Elegant  Styled Clothing that could be created for able bodied or disabled.

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Clothing Image

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Even in hospital for almost 4 months after broken legs and not being able to transfer,  I was told I  could only wear tracksuits.  I didn’t even leave the hospital in tracksuits, and I was  bedridden for almost 12 months and every day once at home I practiced dressing the chair and dressing, even if I was only up for 30minutes, and still couldn’t get out of bed, but for that short time  I was going to have Dignity and wear proper clothing. Of course I credited a new range for this, and it took a lot of trials to get this resolved and working every time . We only get one go, per day.

 

We shared  my designs and I created some more solutions while I was in hospital so that by the time I got out I would be able to adapt. Now my range is proven to work  for transfers for standing or hoist to sitting or something. We used to dress me standing and , Now we dress the chair,  if I’m transferring by hoist and then wrap  and tie me, based on Japanese dressing and gift wrapping .

 

The main thing I’ve been able  to establish a repetitive pattern and measurement because once we are in that chair it can’t be changed. Once you’ve got the clothes on,  if standing or sitting, we can’t be changed again .  IAnd that is it for the day.  it’s so exhausting to get changed again to go to something in the evening or afternoon. So the  clothing  must be  adaptable  to all occasions with one outfit per today.

 

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