body image and clothing ideas

[dancerchick15]

i've read about a lot of people having body image and clothing issues with their scoliosis. a little background on myself:i've had congenital scoliosis since i was two years old with a spinal fusion of twelve vertebrae when i was three and i wore a milwaukee brace for about six years. i've had a rib hump pretty much all my life and have learned some valuable lessons that might be helpful. first of all clothing: one strategy- hide it- shirts with hoods are awesome. they don't have to be sweatshirts, i have the cutest tight little shirt from the gap with a hood on it. they work wonders. also now they have a lot of cropped coverups out this fall. some hang funny and off to one side but one's that have an enclosure to keep them close to the body are great. also tight dresses don't work, but spaghetti strap ones that are not too tight in the hips i have found look alright. i also wear my hair long to cover it up. another strategy- embrace it- sometimes i just get sick of trying to cover up something that is obviously there and everyone knows about. if you feel confident in a cute new shirt that might be less flattering to your back but more flattering in other ways, then go for it. if you feel you look hot people will think you are more so than if you feel like your trying to hide something. i've found lately that working on making my body the best it can be is more beneficial. even though i have twelve fused vertebrae, they have held the fusion for thirteen years, so i can still do situps and other excercises. i found that working on staying fit and building muscle tone is rewarding and makes me feel like i'm doing something postive for my body. i actually wore a bikini the other day and figured people would stare at my back but they actually complimented my rippedness. i'm seriously considering a thorocoplasty next summer so this will be excellent prep for my lungs as well. i hope these suggestions help and feel free to write me with comments or questions!!

[rincotato]

Hi I have scoliosis and I hate it! I also get sick of trying to cover it up and always worrying about what I can and can't wear, in case people notice, and even if people don't notice i feel like they do. Howver i have also found that hooded tops are good for covering it up, but I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't think my scoliosis is bad enouhg to need surgery, but I don't know how much longer I can live with it, but I don't know whether it's sensible to consider having surgery because what if somethign went wrong, or it didn't improve my appearance, would it be worth it? Sorry to go on like this, but I really needed to talk to someone who could understand where I'm coming from. Please someone write back. -x-

[dancerchick15]

hey! thanks for posting a reply to my thread. i appreciate it. if u want my honest opinion, i really wouldn't be too concerned about it if i were you. not to throw myself a pity party or anything because i have a decent level of self confidence, but i would be so happy if people sometimes couldn't tell if i had scoliosis. if u don't need surgery and you are not in pain without surgery, then feel fortunate. i understand how self concious it can make you feel, but if its not so bad that you don't need surgery then that's awesome. even with surgery i have a fifty seven degree curve, so i envy you. hoodies and stuff are great but if you wear other things that might show it a little with confidence it works just as well. write back if you want and we can keep correspondence!

[miss_mystery786]

Hi dancer chick!

So glad to read your post.. I thought I was the only person in the world who has scoliosis and has a bit of a hump on one side... I have my hair long (mid-back) to cover it up, and I used to wear hoodies but no more - I got sick of it!

On low days I do feel very self consious about people 'spotting it' , I'm wondering if I should go back to see a specialist (i did have harrington rods put in when i was about 13 - am 24 now!!!) and see if anything can be done to reduce the hump so to speak...

I would love to keep int touch!

M xx

[dufineta]

Hey!
My name is Núria and I am from Catalonia (a region of Spain). I have scoliosis since I was twelve and what I am doing to improve the appearence of my back is doing some exercices from a theraphy called Schroth. It's great and my back has improved a lot since I started and my muscles and lungs work better.
Bye!

XX

[helen w]

hi,
my name is helen and I am a fashion student from belfast.I have had scoliosis since I was about 2yrs old and wore boston braces up until the age of about 15 when I had surgury and harrington rods put in,ive also been left with a bit of a rib hump on my left side.Anyway,im in final year of my degree now and for my dissertation I am planning to tackle the problem head on by developing a young, trendy, fashionable range of clothing for people with scoliosis, looking at rib humps, assymetric figures etc.I absolutely love clothes and am sure that clever pattern cutting is the answer!!if anyone has any advice or ideas that they could give me or ways suggestions as to what you feel comfortable in and what you would really love to wear but cant find in a suitable style/cut, please let me know!

[bgheiz01]

do milwakee braces have a neack thing that goes all the way up to the neack? i need to know. i have to get 1 soon.

[dancerchick15]

ok bgheiz, yes typically milkwaukee braces have a ring round the neck....if you google it i'm sure you'll find pics....if you are concerned talk with your doc or your parents.....its not that bad just remember a brace for a few years is better than surgery and deformation if you can prevent it do it!....helen w....clothing design awesome i wish i lived closer to you so you could make me something.....umm you should make a prom type formal dress....i always have a hard time finding them because i want something sexy like the other girls but they are all halters or backless ...also maybe something with lining to prevent shirts from going in on the really indented waist side (the side that is not the flat waist side) my shirts always go in and make it obvious as opposed to lying straight down just some ideas keep in touch, alex

[mocity]

Hi bgheiz,

I wore a Milwalkee brace. Whether your brace has a neck ring depends on where your curve/curves are located. Mine were both low enough where I didn't need the neck ring. The top part of it in the front did go up towards my throat though and would show if I wore a button up shirt. You get use to it! Try not to worry!

[bgheiz01]

my doc ddidnt fit my neack for one, or say anything about it so i dont think ill need one, but life sux so there is no way to know!

[Axis on a Tilt]

In response to Helen W:
I accidentally replied to both your thread and the bra-fitting thread in one go, so I've pasted the relevant part of the reply here:

CLOTHES: I find that because of the challenge, and because I love fashion, I end up putting MORE thought into my wardrobe than most people with "normal" figures - so often people say that they really like my clothes. It's all in the mindset - if you wear funky things that you love, that's what will show.

-blouson-style tops that are loose/drapey through the torso but come back into a snug, stretchy bottom band are really cute. If the band goes to the hip, you get a sort of drop-waist look; if it's short and comes in above the navel, you could have a nice crop top that doesn't stick to the upper torso but shows off your waist.
-unique, eye-catching sleeves and collars/necklines are awesome too.

Helen W.: I was so incredibly happy to hear about your fashion plans!! It's been a life-long preoccupation of mine, and I totally support the idea of a fashion line for "assymetrical" people. Especially if you start primarily online (benefit is that it wouldn't be limited to local customers?), all of us out here staring miserably at perfect mall mannequins would be so grateful.
I have a WEIRD body from basically neck to knee (moderate scoliosis isn't necessarily my biggest structural issue), so I'd be more than happy to contribute any ideas at all!
My chest is sunken, ribs flared, right side profile shows a nice normalish shoulder-blade-to-waist S swoop but the left profile shows a freakily narrow upper rib span that thickens into an unflattering rib-jutting/potbelly look, I'm VERY short (about 4'11.5") and skinny, have fairly noticeable thoracic scoliosis, and have a protruding sacrum so even my upper-back hip/bottom area is a bit "off".
Hence "Axis on a Tilt", from a Third Eye Blind's song called Motorcycle Drive-by.
Clothes are my love/hate passion!

[livingit]

hi,
my name is helen and I am a fashion student from belfast.I have had scoliosis since I was about 2yrs old and wore boston braces up until the age of about 15 when I had surgury and harrington rods put in,ive also been left with a bit of a rib hump on my left side.Anyway,im in final year of my degree now and for my dissertation I am planning to tackle the problem head on by developing a young, trendy, fashionable range of clothing for people with scoliosis, looking at rib humps, assymetric figures etc.I absolutely love clothes and am sure that clever pattern cutting is the answer!!if anyone has any advice or ideas that they could give me or ways suggestions as to what you feel comfortable in and what you would really love to wear but cant find in a suitable style/cut, please let me know!

Helen,
I am so happy to hear that a fashion designer is working on the issue of scoliosis. I have been clothing myself carefully since age 15 when my curvature became obvious to me. In those days it was easy to cover it up with the "blouson" style that was popular (70's-80's) and then the oversized tops of the 80's also seemed to help, but now I avoid loose, drapey clothing because the drapes rest on the areas I want to hide. I like the tighter fitting clothing of today. Low slung jeans can be adjusted with a belt to ride at the right point of the offending hip and create an illusion of symmetry.

I'd like to have your advise on a bathing suit style. I don't know the degree of my curvature but I can tell you that my left hip juts out and I have a bulge on the right side of my back. My body is fit and lean otherwise, and it maddens me that I can't wear a bikini. However one-piece suits virtually outline the asymmetry. Tankinis usually don't hide the asymetrical hip in front, and usually show the bulge in the back. I'd like to wear a two-piece that seems to show everything yet hides or detracts from my deformities. Can you recommend a style/cut? I know I can't hide everthing, but I hope there is a style that I can wear comfortably, where it would take a little scrutiny to see the flaws. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Jadey]

With my scoliosis my right shoulder is lowered and my right hip is raised and I find it noticeable. I don't bother to cover it up anymore, expecially with the summer coming up, I'm not going to cover it and become very hot.

[so_shy]

I know this is an old thread, and it's for adolescents, and applies to mostly it seems women's clothing ... but if anyone can reply to my thread which deals with almost the exact same issue, only I'm an adult male. It would really help. I am and for a very long time, have been very depressed about it. I hate the way I look and just wish so badly I could find clothes, particularly shirts, to wear that would help conceal or distract attention away from my conditions.

Here is my thread. Any help I would really really value so much.

http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...iosis-Question