Clothing isn’t just something you throw on. What we wear shapes confidence, identity, and how we show up in the world. For people with SCI, rehab tends to focus on physical health and learning to adjust. But what sometimes gets left in the laundry pile is everything that comes after those early adaptations.
Thriving means feeling good in your own skin—and in your own clothes. It means seeing disabled bodies represented stylishly, with options that fit your life, not just your chair. That’s why we’re excited about FashionABLE: A Guideline for Adaptive Clothing Solutions for People with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), a guide packed with clothing hacks, tips, and tricks that open up more wardrobe options for people living with SCI. The guide aims to enhance independence, improve quality of life, and bring confidence and self-expression through adaptive clothing for the SCI community.
Behind the Seams
FashionABLE was crafted by an interdisciplinary team of people with SCI, healthcare professionals, and designers well-versed in inclusive and accessible design. Funded through a Craig H. Neilsen Foundation grant to Dr. Andrei Krassioukov (ICORD/UBC) and Grace Jun (Open Style Lab), the project set out to tailor real solutions to real needs.
The team reviewed existing research and online content, then surveyed and interviewed 35 people with SCI and 28 healthcare professionals, gathering more than 745 minutes of discussion. Less than half of participants were satisfied with how they get dressed (40%) or what their clothing enabled them to do (46.7%). Many said they received limited education about dressing during rehab. That knowledge gap is exactly what FashionABLE is working to stitch together.
From the first pages, FashionABLE centres the voices of people with SCI. Teri Thorson, SCI BC’s Manager of Peer Coaching and Outreach and a member of the FashionABLE team, reflects on her clothing experience:
“Before I acquired my SCI in 1996, I was a fashion model, dancer and worked in the software industry. How I looked and presented myself was very important to me. After my SCI, I remember specifically being told I should be wearing track pants and runners for comfort and ease of dressing. I had never owned a pair in my life and refused to conform to what I was told I ‘should’ wear. But it was so challenging finding clothing that was fashionable and functionable for me as a woman with complete cervical SCI (C6, tetraplegia), no hand function, doing intermittent catheterization, and trying to be as independent as I could be.”
Fashion designer Chloe Angus also shares the identity shock that followed her injury. “Overnight, I went from creating exquisite ball gowns to wearing hospital gowns,” she says. “For months, I struggled to adapt. Dressing, once a joy, became a daunting challenge. My wardrobe—an extension of who I was—seemed to turn against me. Clothes that once empowered me now felt impractical and unflattering. Each pair of cherished high heels, each memory of the shows they walked, became a painful reminder of what I’d lost. I avoided mirrors, unable to recognize the person staring back.”
But fashion eventually became a lifeline for Angus. “Piece by piece, I rebuilt my wardrobe, discovering what worked for my new body and still expressed my style,” she says. “Each outfit I wore that made me feel confident and empowered helped me reconnect with myself. Fashion wasn’t just about looking good; it was about reclaiming my identity and restoring my confidence.”
Inside the Guide
FashionABLE highlights that adaptive fashion isn’t niche. It’s an essential design approach that recognizes a diverse range of bodies and abilities. The guide showcases models of all ages, genders, and mobility levels, from wheelchair users to ambulatory peers. It’s a runway that actually looks like our community.
Several SCI BC peers appear throughout the guide, modelling adaptive fashion designs and sharing their style wisdom. Peer Kirsten says, “The first thing that people see is the wheelchair. You want to be seen as an individual. You want to be seen as you. You want to be seen as the woman that you are. To me, it’s really important that I have a sense of self and a sense of style.”
The guide is divided into several sections, including an overview of priorities for adaptive clothing. The top priorities identified in the survey were ease of putting clothes on and taking them off (87%), comfort and movement (80%), and style and aesthetics (78%).
For peer Maria, “It comes down to the basic question: Can I get it on? Can I get it off? What I buy, what I get, either I can get it on or I can’t. It’s really that simple.”
Buttons, zippers, and laces were the most challenging (and sometimes frustrating and fatiguing) features, while Velcro and elastics were easier. Small tweaks, like larger buttons and reinforced belt loops, can make dressing smoother. If limited shoulder mobility makes dressing independently difficult, the guide includes diagrams and tips to help you communicate what works best and guide a caregiver assisting you.
Fabric choices matter too. Stretchy or slippery materials can make dressing easier, while reinforced elbow and cuff patches help reduce wear from wheeling. Breathable, hypoallergenic fabrics, plus removing back pockets and tags, can help prevent pressure injuries and skin irritation. Longer inseams are also helpful for a comfortable seated fit. Temperature regulation plays a role as well. Peer Declan explains, “As a quad, temperature control is an issue. Once I pick something for the day, that’s kind of what I’m gonna be stuck with until next time.”
And, of course, function isn’t the only thing people with SCI are looking for. Style matters too. “Not fashionable! So bland! I like to be unique, [existing] adaptive fashion has been so awful. I have chosen to adapt my own clothing to express myself,” says peer Oleksandra.
FashionABLE offers plenty of style inspiration. Gloves that protect hands while wheeling and add a pop of colour. Elastic belts that move with you. Scarves and necklaces that elevate an outfit and draw attention away from the midsection. Clip-on earrings and magnet-fastening bracelets that skip tiny clasps.
Not everyone has the budget or time in buying specialized adaptive clothing. That’s why another section of the guide focuses on ready-to-wear clothes. You’ll find strategies for assessing clothes in stores, modifying pieces you already own, and identifying small tailoring tweaks that can make a big difference.
“[People in wheelchairs] have to be ready to lead the pack,” explains peer Joaquim. “We have to be much more assertive and self-confident in the way that we dress, and basically get them to change their expectations, as opposed to changing ours.”
The guide wraps up with resources, references, and details on the adaptive designs featured throughout the guide.
Find Your Fit
Angus hopes readers will discover what makes them feel good. She explains, “Adaptive fashion isn’t about changing your style; it’s about embracing it in a way that works for you now. Fashion can be a powerful tool for healing. It was for me, and I believe it can be for you too. One perfect piece at a time, you can rediscover your style and, in doing so, rediscover yourself.”
Whether you’re seeking solutions, inspiration, or reassurance that you’re not alone, the FashionABLE guide is worth a look. Because adaptive fashion isn’t just about what to wear. It’s about giving people with disabilities the freedom to express who they are. And in our community, that will always be in style.
You can read or download the full FashionABLE Guide at fashion-able.info.
This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 issue of The Spin. Read more stories from this issue, including:
- Para pickleball
- Neurostimulation
- Neck and shoulder pain
And more!
