Clothing Ideas?

[curvycakes]

Hi everyone! I originally posted this in the "Dressing Your Curves" section but I noticed that it was 18 years and younger. I'm going to be 19, and I think that this could also be aimed at 18+

I was wondering if anyone knew of a website/book/anything about the best choices of clothing for someone with scoliosis. I know there's a brochure about hiding a brace, but I've noticed a lack of options/tips for people that don't wear a brace or haven't had the surgery. I'm just a normal girl with a curved spine, and I really enjoy dressing around my curve. It was frustrating at first, but lately, I've found that putting the extra time into making myself look better through clothing options really pays off.
So, if anyone knows about some literature on this, could you tell me? If not, I would absolutely love to do something about it. Make a website, maybe? I'm all for it, especially since it's summer and I have a lot of time on my hands (and A LOT of ideas!). Obviously I would cater it specifically towards the 18-25 age group, but I'm sure the ideas could go across the board.
If anyone would like to collaborate with me, please let me know! Respond or send a message, thanks.

--Tina

[briarrose]

Hi Tina,

I just had surgery a little over 5 weeks ago. I used to have a large rib hump but my surgeon was able to reduce it. Hardly anyone could tell that I had scoliosis before my surgery and I think it was due to some of the clothes I wore. I wore a lot of jackets and blazers which hid my curve pretty well. I never wore dresses (only skirts) because a dress was extremely lopsided on me. The zipper would not run down the center of my back so the curve was more noticeable. Unfortunately, those are all of the tips I have.

Shell

[txmarinemom]

My tip?

Racerback bras - LOL. No more tugging up that pesky, perpetually drooping strap on regular bras!

My rib hump was reduced about 50% with surgery (no thoracoplasty), but I didn't care about it pre-op, so I certainly don't *now* .

Regards,
Pam

[SwimGirl]

Hi Tina,

I just had surgery a little over 5 weeks ago. I used to have a large rib hump but my surgeon was able to reduce it. Hardly anyone could tell that I had scoliosis before my surgery and I think it was due to some of the clothes I wore. I wore a lot of jackets and blazers which hid my curve pretty well. I never wore dresses (only skirts) because a dress was extremely lopsided on me. The zipper would not run down the center of my back so the curve was more noticeable. Unfortunately, those are all of the tips I have.

Shell

Hi Shell,

I read what you wrote and can easily relate. I'm 25 years old and scared about surgury. My doctor told me that I need surgury to correct my scoliosis. I'm really scared about that outcome. What if I get paralyzed!?

After 5 weeks, how are you making out? Are you working? Are you doing physical therapy? Any advise you'd like to share.

Thanks

[briarrose]

Hi Shell,

I read what you wrote and can easily relate. I'm 25 years old and scared about surgury. My doctor told me that I need surgury to correct my scoliosis. I'm really scared about that outcome. What if I get paralyzed!?

After 5 weeks, how are you making out? Are you working? Are you doing physical therapy? Any advise you'd like to share.

Thanks

Hi! Are you planning on having surgery soon? What is the degree of your curve?

I can completely relate to your fear of paralysis as can many others here. I continually gave all of my fears to God pre-op. I knew deep down that everything was going to turn out ok and it really did. The chance of paralysis is very low and with the technology that we have now, you are monitored so closely that it is rare that this would happen.

I'll be 7 weeks post-op tomorrow. I'm not working and I would not be able to work at this point unless I had a desk job. I'm a full time student and I used to be a Hallmark vendor (requires a lot of lifting so I won't be doing this until around Christmas). I'm currently not driving yet either. My surgeon told me it was ok to drive, but I'm just not comfortable with it yet. I hope to be driving by the end of the month though.

Currently I'm doing well for the most part. Most people say the 3 week mark is when they start to feel so much better. For me it was 5 weeks. I woke up one morning and felt great. I had low hemoglobin in the hospital and I'm guessing at around week 5 it was at a good level and I therefore had more energy. Today I was able to go have x-rays done, go to a couple of stores at the mall and go grocery shopping (all done with my husband). I had x-rays done a month ago and I'm amazed at how much better I'm doing now. I have had my share of set backs and you can read about how my surgery and the first few weeks of recovery went here: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7358

I worried myself sick before the surgery and had to take anti-anxiety medicine 2 days before up to the morning of. I don't know if I would have been able to handle it otherwise. Looking back on what I've gone through, it's definitely been tough (and still is) but I can honestly say that it was worth it. I'm an inch and a half taller, my clothes fit me so much better, and most importantly, the progression was halted and I now have a much straighter spine and no rib hump! No two recoveries are the same so yours may be completely different from mine. I was told by my surgeon that I won't need to do physical therapy as long as I keep walking everyday which I have been.

Sorry this is so long. Feel free to PM me if you want any more info or have any questions. I'd be happy to answer them.

Shell

[txmarinemom]

... I'm 25 years old and scared about surgury. My doctor told me that I need surgury to correct my scoliosis. I'm really scared about that outcome. What if I get paralyzed!?

After 5 weeks, how are you making out? Are you working? Are you doing physical therapy? Any advise you'd like to share.

SwimGirl,

The risk of paralyzation from a first, uncomplicated surgery is virtually nil with a competent doctor. If you're determined to worry about "what if's" you'd be better served to worry over being hit on the freeway. Seriously.

You asked in another thread where to locate competent doctors. Start with http://www.srs.org/find.

I'm 39 (40 in a few weeks), and am running repetitive, full on 25-30 yards burst sprints at 5 months post-op (I started yesterday - today was Day 2 and I'm only sore where I *should* be sore, i.e., hip flexors, glutes, quads.).

I plan on testing my pop up slides in the next few weeks so I can get back to my usual 8-10 games a week of softball.

This isn't the end of your world by ANY means. Hang in there.

Pam

[three]

A lot of talk about surgery for a non-surgical forum. Never had one for my scoli. But you need to get oversized clothes to hide a brace and a curve. Plus, my M brace had a pad pressing into my stomach which made me eat double or triple.

[SmileyGirl8]

What type of clothes to wear.

I am a newbee and all but I think the way I dress will probably work. Since I got my brace I got alot of sweaters. Get sweaters with hoodies on them so the back of the brace won't show and it is very hip now a days and get a size just a little bit bigger for the brace. Second for the pants get probably an extra size bigger the brace might not fit from the old pants you used before. And third try not wearing just T-shirts but maybe in the summer time get those sweaters that are like 3/4 in the sleeves so it won't be all that hot. Also the person that made me the brace said that skirts are very good for braces so if your a girl that likes wearing skirts that you should use them.