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Sierra RyanWallick loved wearing figure-hugging, athletic clothes — they made her feel strong and confident.
But after the Chester County resident was diagnosed with endometriosis, which causes stomach pain and severe bloating, she had to donate half of her garments. Today, only one pair of shorts are folded in RyanWallick’s minimalist dresser.
Dysautonomia, a nervous system disorder, which for RyanWallick causes chest pressure, also forced her to clear out her tight tops and sports bras.
Today, RyanWallick opts for comfortable loungewear, such as soft, oversized T-shirts, hoodies and sweatpants. But she can’t get herself to part with her favorite army green cotton jumpsuit, which remains on a hanger in her closet because it’s too snug in the torso.
“Having to rethink my entire wardrobe was a shock, and really frustrating to slowly have all my favorite pieces taken away from me and having to make all these adjustments,” RyanWallick said.
More than half of the U.S. population has at least one chronic illness and women experience them at higher rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, people with chronic conditions say their needs are often ignored by the fashion industry.
The fashion industry has made strides — brands from Tommy Hilfiger to Anthropologie have launched adaptive clothing lines.
“The industry has really started to understand that people with disabilities are consumers, and … understand the power of people with disabilities to the tune of $13 trillion that’s being left on the table,” said Mindy Scheier, founder of Runway of Dreams, an organization that has guided fashion brands, including Tommy Hilfiger, on how to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.
However, there are still only a handful of adaptive lines, and their designs are often limited and don’t tailor to everyone’s needs.
People with chronic conditions that sometimes go unnoticed say stylish pieces that work for them are few and far between. Shoppers, health advocates and designers are calling on the fashion industry to consider clothing features that conceal and provide access to medical devices and medications, have adaptable waistbands or are made of soft and breathable fabrics.
“It feels like these women are in this invisible world in which they can’t get support from mainstream clothing, and they can’t get support from adaptable clothing either,” said Emilie Delaye, a graduate student at the University of Delaware who is researching the fashion needs of women with chronic illnesses.
Delaye’s struggles to find functional yet fashionable apparel inspired her to delve into the issue as a researcher.
She has been diagnosed with Lyme disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. Delaye found it difficult to use buttons and zippers and get clothes over her head.
Her Lyme disease treatment required a peripherally inserted central catheter, or PICC, line in her arm and an at-home chest port. Delaye said constantly having to raise her T-shirt was dehumanizing.
“I experienced firsthand what it was like to all of a sudden have clothes — one of my favorite things about the day — be one of my least favorite things about the day,” said Delaye, who wants to partner with brands to help her run larger focus groups for her research.
She interviewed women living with varying conditions, from lupus to rheumatoid arthritis, who said they feel ignored by the fashion industry.
