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Scoliosis and fashion design

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  • Scoliosis and fashion design

    hi,
    im a final year student studying fashion at uni in belfast
    for my dissertation i am hoping to design and produce a range of designer wear for those of us suffering from scoliosis.i really want to produce some beautiful stylish clothes that can be worn with confidence, as i know from my own experience how difficult it can be to find great clothes that fit well on the high street
    (i wore a boston brace from the age of about 2yrs until i was fifteen and had my op)
    could anyone share the difficulties they have with me?or give me ideas/suggestions?
    thanks so much!!

  • #2
    Helen,
    I personally like dress's with an elastic waist. Tops that are on the "blousey" side so it doesn't show the rib hump as much. Also tunic tops that cover the "no waist" side.
    SandyC

    Comment


    • #3
      Helen,

      I seem to wear a lot of jackets, but in most cases they need to be a straight box cut, as the fitted do not fit properly through the shoulder blades. Because I have become very short waisted over time I tend to wear things that hit at hip level so it appears that your torso is longer. And of course...nothing clingy as it shows everything.

      Sue
      48 year old Female
      3 curves...35, 56, 43
      Proud wearer of Milwaukee Brace in the 70's...and hated every minute of it.

      Comment


      • #4
        scared

        what if someone has people that like her and maybe since she has to get a size bigger than they wont like her anymore. could that happen? im scared it will since im in middle school. i really need to know what its like. please help!
        needs a milwakee brace in about 2 weeks

        I am 13

        I live in Kentucky

        LOVE rap and hip-hop!

        35 degree curve

        Comment


        • #5
          Dear Scared,

          It's been a long time since I wore the Milwaukee Brace but I do know that you will be fine. It is terribly scarey, but for the most part once you have it and go to school with it life goes on and most kids won't dwell on the fact that you have this brace. Getting a size bigger will be OK and you'll find out who your true friends are and you will also make new friends. Tell everyone that you are getting it so that everyone you are with knows and you don't have to tell the story the very first day you wear it. Good luck - there are plenty of people on here that understand right where you are!

          Sue
          48 year old Female
          3 curves...35, 56, 43
          Proud wearer of Milwaukee Brace in the 70's...and hated every minute of it.

          Comment


          • #6
            Scoliosis and fashion design

            I like items that are currently in style...empire waist tops (mostly for the younger set) and short stright-cut cropped blazers/jackets (the type you might see in a Coldwater Creek catalog).

            Judy

            Comment


            • #7
              Abstract: Importance of clothing to the self perception of teenage girls with scoli

              Hi,

              Please see the abstract below for a study on clothing and scoliosis. Let me know if you want the article, and I will arrange to email it to you. You will notice, however that girls with scoliosis chose clothes to improve their self concept to a lesser degree than girls without scoliosis. Perhaps you could appeal to the individuality and unique beauty of scoliosis. I never felt empowered and moved by my condition until I saw Laura Ferguson's Visible Skeleton Series. Clothing that emphasises or draws attention to parts of the body unaffected by scoliosis such as the face, arms and legs might also be successful.

              I wore a boston brace for 2 years as a teenager and as a result came to abhor current fashions (the midriff exposure thing was all the rage back then). My pet hate while wearing the brace was elastic waisted skirts and pants, which made me feel like an old lady (I was on 14, remember). My favourite types of clothes were woven (non stretch) shirts or dresses which were slightly fitted (I hated to appear shapeless), thick fitted jumpers (which reduced the appearance of the outline of the brace) and shirts with turtle neck or chinese type collars. Wrap skirts were also good, as I could adjust the buttons and ties easily when I learned to do the brace up tighter.

              In short, I liked clothes that still had some semblance of a female shape (rather than baggy), and didn't make me feel like an old lady (floral patterns, thick elastic waists).

              Good luck with this, it is cetainly something that needs to be done!


              Title: Clothing importance and self-perception of female adolescents with and without scoliosis.
              Author(s): Liskey-Fitzwater, Natalie, Virginia Polytechnic Inst & State U, Blacksburg, US
              Moore, Carolyn L.
              Gurel, Lois M.

              Source: Clothing & Textiles Research Journal, Vol 11(3), Spr 1993. pp. 16-22.

              Publisher: US: International Textile & Apparel Assn
              Publisher URL: http://www.itaaonline.org

              ISSN: 0887-302X (Print)
              Language: English
              Keywords: clothing importance & self perception, female 13-19 yr olds with vs without scoliosis
              Abstract: Investigated differences in selected clothing importance factors and self-perception domains and the relationship between clothing importance and self-perception within and between 2 groups of 13-19 yr old adolescent girls, 35 with scoliosis and 35 without scoliosis. Clothing variables were operationally defined by scores on an instrument used to measure the following clothing factors: conformity in clothing, modesty in clothing, psychological awareness of clothing, clothing to enhance self-concept, and interest in clothing. The Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents measured social acceptance, athletic competence, romantic appeal, physical attractiveness, and global self-worth. The scoliosis Ss had significantly lower scores on clothing to enhance self-concept. Significant differences were found between groups on all self-perception variables with the scoliosis Ss having lower scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

              Comment


              • #8
                okay, i don't know if you will still look at this or care, but i was wondering if you could make a clothing line for people with braces. i have trouble finding clothes that fit and still look attractive, i know there are some solutions, but i wish there were clothes made for a back brace.
                I am 14

                I love knitting, reading, dancing, singing, acting, etc.

                I have a boston brace

                My curves are 18 and about 9 in my brace

                Originally my curves were about 15 and 30


                I wear my brace 18-20 hours a day

                Comment


                • #9
                  Totally

                  ya i totally agree with her. sweatpants and stuff like that may fit over my brace but that doesn't mean it looks good. skirts look really good but i can't wear skirts this winter...
                  LIBBY

                  14 yrs old
                  28 t
                  29 L before brace
                  right now: 21 L
                  now i'm doing basketball, ballet, and piano

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    swimsuits too!

                    I live in Hawaii and really struggle with a swimsuit! I always buy plain black with a high back, but fitted, so it hugs. I wish someone would design one that is a regular fit on bottom, stays fitted in to just below the waist, and then blouses out just a bit at the waist, front and back to the top. (without looking too old lady like!) I have a retail shop and design things for scoliosis in my head only! Let me know if you come up with a swimsuit!

                    Thanks!
                    Berta in Hawaii

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Berta...

                      Check out the Lands End swimsuits:

                      http://www.landsend.com/cd/frontdoor...28626907113020

                      They have something for everyone.

                      --Linda
                      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Linda, I've checked out Land's End, but can't find one with a "blousy" back to it. Maybe I'm missing it, so if you know a style #, let me know!
                        Thanks! berta
                        Berta in Hawaii

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi Berta...

                          Well, it looks like they no longer carry the suit that I bought. :-( This is the closest I could come:

                          http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/0...97926288107910

                          However, I did find some at other sites. Just My Size, Lane Bryant, Chadwicks, QVC, and Metrostyle all had appropriate suits. e.g.:

                          http://www.jms.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce...NTRY_TAG=SHOPJ
                          http://lanebryant.charmingshoppes.co...&stlcmpid=1713
                          http://www.metrostyle.com/product.as...6&mid=j9247793
                          http://www.chadwicks.com/product.asp...%2Emc_id=k2776

                          A Google search on blouson swimsuit brought up a lot of possibilities:

                          http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

                          Hope you find something that works for you.

                          Regards,
                          Linda
                          Last edited by LindaRacine; 08-29-2006, 01:10 PM.
                          Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                          Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            This is great that you want to design clothes for scoliosis patients. I had to wear a body cast (15 pounds of plaster going from my neck to hips) for 9 months after my surgery in 1975. The only clothes I could get to fit over my cast were maternity clothes. Not something you wanted to wear to school when you were 16. It wasn't fashionable to be pregnant in high school back then.
                            T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
                            2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
                            3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
                            Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              mmmm....my scoli wasn't particularly cosmetically bad...just the insides
                              but maybe some a-line type skirts would be nice... the biggest problem i had was pants: i wore boys jeans for a while
                              8years in Boston Brace starting curve 22 degrees, ending around 30 anterior fusion in 2004, curve went from 48 degrees to 25 !!im in college and love to ride horses, swim, and bike!

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