We don't have to be dowdy just because we are disabled: Summarising the problems encountered by people with limited mobility in finding and buying practical and stylish clothes

Sheila Hawkins

doi:10.1016/j.nmd.2024.02.004

We don't have to be dowdy just because we are disabled: Summarising the problems encountered by people with limited mobility in finding and buying practical and stylish clothes

Neuromuscul Disord. 2024 Feb 29:37:23-28. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2024.02.004. Online ahead of print.

Author

Sheila Hawkins¹

Affiliation

¹ Muscular Dystrophy UK, 32 Ufford Street, London SE1 8QD, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Sheila@SheilaClothesWheels.com.

PMID: 38508070
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2024.02.004

Abstract

This paper explores how people with limited mobility choose and buy clothes, and how this could be improved, both for them and for retailers. It reports on an online survey carried out May-September 2023, asking people with limited mobility about their experiences, shows the practical difficulties they encounter and makes recommendations for retailers to improve their offer and reach to this group of consumers.

Keywords: Accessible clothing; Attitudes to disability; Customer choice; Diversity; Empowerment; Inclusion.