When we think about fashion, we don’t tend to think of accessibility. Fashion is a form of creative expression; we can curate how we want to look at the outside world with our clothing choices. When adding accessibility to the mix, it tends to create a barrier which we need to work to mend. For example, if I (a visually impaired) person want to wear a dress with 3-inch heels and feel comfortable being able to walk my surroundings, I tend to get comments like “Oh, you cannot see, so how can you walk in those” or “I would just be wearing something comfortable no matter what it may look like.”
People with disabilities tend to be put into a box that we are expected to stay in and not break the stigma. Often, with aspects like fashion, we are perceived not to wear or compile an outfit the same way abled people can. Again, this is why advocating and awareness is necessary, to show that disabled people are allowed to do the same as everyone else; if it makes you feel good, then you should be able to do that thing even if it may make others think differently about how there does not need to be a barrier.
I believe fashion should be fun and explorative. If you want to put on heels or fancy shoes, if you’re in a wheelchair or have low vision, etc., you have all the means to do so no matter what “able” society tells us. Additionally, when it comes to buying clothes, I believe that it is essential to create a welcoming environment in clothing stores that continue to aid in accessibility – whether it is helping someone with the colour of an item or at the debit machines, the continued awareness and challenging society to push further to be inclusive in all aspects is a vital topic of discussion. Again, anyone interested in fashion should be able to partake in it no matter who they are.
I hope we can continue to thin the barrier to areas like accessibility. I hope this blog post can light up a new curiosity with fashion and maybe even a new love to bend the norm and show that people with a disability can be just as stylish and trendy!
Written by Mariah Beattie