Inquiring minds pose a lot of questions on the rare occasions when my blindness comes up as a topic of conversation. Most queries centre on subjects like my career, the accuity of my remaining senses and the antics of my adorable guide dog, but from time to time people will address my obvious love of fashion. On those occasions, they invariably get pragmatic and have one basic question; how do I pick my clothes? A proper answer to that question is surprisingly complicated and will be addressed in a multi-part series right here.
I’ve been drawn to aesthetics since I was a little kid, gleefully soaking up both verbal descriptions and tactile impressions and synthesizing them to create mental pictures of the world around me. Clothes attracted my attention early on because of their importance to daily life, textural variety and boundless styling possibilities. It took a long time to develop even a cursory understanding of the nuances that really take clothing to the next level, but with some sighted guideance I soon discovered that I was well-equipped to evaluate the most basic element of fashion for myself — fit. My sense of touch, while not fool-proof, will most often lead me right when trying to determine which articles of clothing to buy. Like the colour black, it’s proven to be a reliable wardrobe tool and a key part of my personal grooming strategy, though it sure can’t sustain high-fashion standards all on its own. π
When browsing stores for clothing, I’m drawn first and foremost to fabric and texture. I’m almost always turned off by material that feels cheap, flimsy or uncomfortable (though I will admit to being occasionally lured in by cozy acrylic pieces). π I’m not even talking about fabrics with a high personal itch potential, since those are just non-starters anyway.
This natural attraction to substantial fabrics tends to serve me well in the changing room, if not so much at the cash register. Materials with a reasonable amount of drape are more likely to flatter the contours of your body rather than cling to them or create unwanted emphasis. This consideration is particularly crucial for me not only as a blind person eager to avoid fashion faux-pas but as an extra-curvy woman who can be more than a little self-conscious.
When it comes to deciding whether or not a garment is draping properly, there’s just one simple and refreshingly-practical acid test; comfort! If it feels like hell on my body, it probably looks that way too and has no place in my closet. Even on the exceedingly rare chance that a garment converts me into the second coming of Marilyn Monroe, it’s not going to make my clothing rotation if I’m not literally feeling the vibe myself. Items that are either too constricting or voluminous, pull uncomfortably in any area or don’t sit in line with my natural shape don’t get a second look. And from frequent shopping forays with friends and family members who can see, I’ve come to realize that my sense of touch rarely lets me down. I may sometimes dig the feeling of a garment that would be best left on the sales rack, but my hands and my sighted friends have a 100 per cent agreement rate in terms of what looks wrong. And as Angie from Youlookfab so astutely points out, nailing garment fit is a key step on the road to a good look.
But touch, like the colour black, has its limits. Tomorrow I’ll discuss what those are and try to explain how I make less tactile fashion decisions.
How about you guys? Do you tend to evaluate fit through touch or through the mirror? Which one is more reliable? And what clothing characteristic usually grabs your attention first?`
Although sited I rely so much on the feel of a garment as well. I very much enjoyed reading your perspective and know first hand how you are able to fit garments to your hourglass frame.
Very interesting. I probably do not focus on the feel of garments enough. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
How very interesting! I’m often swayed by a color or pattern of an item that may not necessarily fit me properly.
I look forward to your next post!
This is so interesting! I think I will be more focused on the texture and feel of fabrics after reading this. More and more, I find that fit and comfort are most always the deciding factors for me, no matter how badly I want an item. I’m looking forward to your next installment!
You are a really wonderful writer, first of all, but I guess that’s not exactly news.
That was a really interesting read. I often feel torn when I see something in the mirror that looks great, but feels awful. Should I buy it? Will I get used to it? Will it stretch? Adjust over time? Get softer with washing? I think I may try closing my eyes for a few seconds in the fitting room and see if that gives me a clearer answer.
So interesting! I admit, it’s the color of an item that draws me in…which sometimes leads to unfortunate choices. Maybe I should try your method more often. π
Great topic Michelle. I really get caught up in the visual. I look in the mirror and even though a pair of pants may be pulling in the wrong place, I am looking to see if it shows. Now I see how wrong that is. I’m going to close my eyes and just feel the way garments fit, including shoes.
Thankyou for this lesson.
Before I hit submit I read the other comments and I see others are going to try closing their eyes to focus on the feel of a garment. That’s so cool.
I have to admit that I am drawn first to colors and patterns and then to shapes.
Garment fit and colors/patterns are more important to me than comfort and feel (unfortunately!).
Thank you for starting a blog!
Great post Michelle, I can’t wait to read more on this topic. Feel of fabric is very important to me as well. That’s why I go for cotton/wool a lot of the time, I am very wary of rayon/polyester (maybe unfairly so). If I don’t like the feel of a fabric, I won’t even try it on. Conversely though, I sometimes fall in love with the feel of a fabric and have to force myself to not let fabric love make me overlook fit or flatter issues. Too complicated huh!!
Very interesting Michelle:) Although visual impact often draws me in, but you are so right touch is what determines it for me too…I often walk through the store and run my hand along the garment I am interested in:)
Ugh. As a size 16 woman, I’m too often “grateful” when an item can fit over my ample hips or thighs or waist or whatever and I buy it just to avoid the humiliation of trying to squeeze into more things that don’t even make it over my curves. I’m not sure I really pay attention to real fit – like if the arms are long enough or if it bunches at the seams – because I’m thankful if I can zip it up. So, either judging fit by sight or by feel tends to fall by the wayside, alas.
Color is usually the first thing that will attract me to an item. I usually gauge fit by how it looks on. If it’s too tight that it’s uncomfortable or too loose that it would get in the way, then I discard it, but otherwise, for me fit is all about how it looks with my figure.
I totally agree with you. Like it or not, we live in a sighted world, and people can and will judge you for looking sloppy. Also, it’s fun to get people together and clothes-shop en masse.
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