Quick Note: I wrote this back in March and somehow just forgot about it! So, if it feels a little different, that is why. Enjoy.
Once again, I am writing about a topic that, on the surface, I have little interest in. I couldn't care less about fashion. I am not a fan of shopping for clothes. And yet, in recent months I keep circling back to how clothing epitomizes a lot of the challenges and successes I encounter with my Autism.
My wardrobe is quite simple. T-shirt, shorts or pants, sweatshirt (if the weather requires), and a head covering of some sort (a kippah during the school year and a hat during the summer). I am not very selective about what I am wearing – if it meets my needs I will wear it. But my needs can be very selective.
I think my selectivity comes down to three Autistic factors: predictability, motor skill needs, and sensory needs.
Predictability:
I need consistency. I don’t want to stress over which outfit is the right for me. For some this variety can bring fulfillment, for me it brings annoyance and confusion – I try to avoid it. Predictability also means having an idea of what is ahead of me. I don’t want to walk into something not knowing what will happen. I cannot control a lot of things but just knowing I won’t have to stress out about clothing is reassuring.
Motor Skill Needs:
Another facet of my Autism that impacts my clothing choices is my motor skills needs. Specifically, this comes into play with my shoes. I have always struggled with tying my shoe
laces. I didn’t fully know how to do so until the summer of 2022, and even now I find it challenging. Therefore, when choosing my shoes, I think about what will require the least amount of tying. Since tying my shoes takes about 5 to 10 minutes, I can’t be tying them regularly. For years I just avoided tied shoes by using velcro. But that did not remain an option for me as I grew older. Now I use something called the Kizik shoe. The back of the heel is patented so I can slip my foot in. It’s loose enough that I don’t need to tie and untie my shoes every time I take them off or on. It means that every few weeks I can take a few minutes to re-tie them.
Sensory Needs:
For me, sensory needs dominate my clothing preference: I worry primarily about tightness and heat. For me, tight clothing is unbearably uncomfortable and works as a sensory trigger. I do not own a pair of jeans and try to avoid tight-fitting clothing. For me, a loose T-shirt and pants will do. Even for my shoes, I also require a looser fitting shoe. That is why my Kizik shoes are so helpful to me – not only are they easier for me to put on because of my motor skills but they are also feel loose, meaning they wont contribute to a sensory overload.
During the summer, heat becomes a primary concern for me. That is why I am always in a T-shirt and shorts. Anything that keeps me cool will suffice. While sweatpants may work great at night, during the day they can overwhelm me from a sensory perspective - heat will get trapped and I will get sweaty (see my blog Water: An Autistic Story).
Sometimes though I need to accept tighter clothing or a piece of clothing that makes me hot. In the case of heat, I will employ other tactics to keep me cool – a cool room, swimming, drinking cold water, and taking a breath outside. For tight clothing, I will try to find another sensory input to outweigh the sensory overload.
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