People often question me or comment on the way I dress. Nothing bad. I just have a simple yet unique style of dress. As I've said before, people with autism can have sensory issues, like touch. Certain kinds of clothing or fabrics can be intolerable for us to wear. Things you may not think are a big deal can be a nightmare for us. I'll give some of my personal examples.
I hardly ever wear shorts or Capri pants. It doesn't matter if it's the middle of summer and 100 degrees outside; you will most likely see me in jeans. Why? A few reasons. First, the less skin I expose, the better. For one thing, it's hard to find a pair of young women's shorts that don't show just a little to much. Second, my skin is sensitive to the touch. I hate it when things brush up against me or lightly touch my skin. If I wear pants all the time, there's less of a chance anything will come in contact with the skin on my legs. Plus, denim is thicker, which means I'll feel even less. It also goes with pretty much anything. It's durable, too. I work with kids, and denim stands up to all the messes that happen at the preschool (eg. paint, dirt, food, and unfortunately, bodily fluids).
This next one is something that I didn't notice until someone else recently pointed it out. I only wear short-sleeved shirts if it's going to be fairly warm outside. Otherwise, I wear long-sleeved shirts. However, no matter what kind of shirt I wear, I always carry a jacket with me. May not be a heavy coat, mind you, but I carry some kind of jacket. Ever since that got pointed out to me, I've worked out why. First, it's like the thing with wearing pants all the time. My skin is sensitive, and I don't like things brushing up against it. Solution=long sleeves. Now, obviously that can't happen all the time because it gets super hot sometimes. I do wear short-sleeved shirts, and I'm not sure if it affects me when I'm around people. For example, do I stand further away from people or pull back from them because I don't want them to accidentally brush up against me? Second reason has to do with the jacket. I'm a cold-natured person. I get cold easily. That's why it has to be hot for me to wear short sleeves. I'm so sensitive to the cold that even just a little drop in temperature, and I have my jacket on. That may also explain the jeans. It's easy to wear a short-sleeved shirt and put on a jacket if I get cold. It harder to wear shorts and carry around extra pants in case I get cold.
Dressing up nicer is fun sometimes. Wearing skirts or dresses. However, I only do that every now and then. I feel like skirts and dresses are restricting. I have to sit and walk certain ways. Have you seen me?! I do not sit like a normal person, but I have to in a skirt or dress lol. Skirts and dresses aren't me. Sure, they look nice for special occasions, and I'll do that. Other than that, forget it.
Here are a few extras. I rarely wear flip flops or sandals unless I'm at the beach or swimming or someplace like that. I find them extremely uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, especially ones that go between your toes. I like TOMS, Nike tennis shoes, Converse, and my black Earth Shoe boots. If I dress up, I will wear the appropriate shoes. Other than that, I stick with my favorites. I don't like hats. They make it feel like my head is being squeezed, and it eventually gives me a headache. I don't wear jewelry, mostly because I can't keep up with it lol. Also because it's a hassle. Bracelets don't fit my wrists and slide everywhere. The adjustable ones pinch my arms. Necklaces are ok, but sometimes the clasps get caught in my long hair. Any kind of dangling earring is annoying because it's constantly touching my face. I don't like wool or any kind of similar, itchy fabric. I don't like the stuff windbreakers are made out of. It's unnecessarily loud, and I hate the sound it makes when it rubs against itself. I don't like tags. If they become a bother, I rip them out of clothing.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all my sensitivities when it comes to clothing. However, I hope it gives you an idea of what it's like. Have I tried to "expand my wardrobe"? Yes. Have I tried new things when it comes to fashion? Yes. Have you tried "this"; have you tried "that"? Probably. It doesn't matter. I can do those "new" and "glamorous" things only once in a while. For everyday wear, I'll stick with what I know best. Besides, I believe my beauty isn't defined by the way I look. It's defined by who I am and what I do, my character and my actions.
"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~
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