Tips and Tricks for Making Life a Little Easier with MS: How to Dress for Success when you Have MS

While I am not ever going to take the particular fashion wearing advice espoused,  other than perhaps some day, using a few of the dressing aids mentioned,  I truly admire all your efforts wanting to help others. A trademark here.

Great subject and links too, a very thoughtful post and contributions, for matters practical with MS and other conditions.

Thanks for putting together all this helpful information, and for adding my suggestions to your post. I also appreciated the ideas by the others who you referred to in your post, and thank them for sharing such helpful information.

 Something as universally experienced as getting dressed is often taken for granted by those who do not live with physical challenges. I realize that the extra efforts I make may never be appreciated by others because they are normal parts of their dressing routine. I am just happy when I can put it together and feel good.  Of course I say this as I sit here on this nasty, rainy day in my purple sweat suit and black and white flannel shirt, my hair in a pony tail and no make-up.  Perfect clothing for a lousy day and I am dressed completely appropriately. Don't you agree?

 My mother always used to tell her four daughters to dress for ourselves, not to worry about what others were wearing or what others thought, but of course as teenagers and young women we did care about others.  And even as a professional I cared about the impression I made in business and as a single woman I cared about the impression I made as a woman.  My mother would be very proud of me now because since my physical challenges have become greater, I now dress to please myself.  I set the standard for comfort and fashion for myself, and it feels good.  Of course I haven't gone off the deep end on the fashion end, I find many things in regular clothing departments and catalogs that can meet both comfort needs and the fashion statement I hope to make; mine is that I am an independent, competent, attractive(?) woman.  As long as they meet those needs I'm good.

Dressing successfully in my mind is dressing for yourself.  Thanks, Mom.

I suppose everyone is already aware of magnetic clasps for jewelry, but just in case, I will mention them. I have seen them advertised and my Mom uses them and swears by them. She has difficulty dealing with putting on any necklace these days, as her hands now shake a good bit. The magnets attach on each end of a necklace (basically using a clasp like one finds already on jewelry), and after that all you have to do is get the ends of the necklace close as you reach round your neck and the magnets do the rest. So, every little bit helps.

Sometimes I dream about giving the world a makeover.  If only I were rich...

Thanks for including me in this article.  I do love fashion...

Thank you for the important information.  All the years I was active and out in the work force a reward to myself was "the new outfit".  It would start my work day out on a happy note if I had something new to wear.

As I have gotten older I have noticed a feeling of being "invisible" and I think the temptation to not care how I look can creep in (expecially now that I'm not working).  But when I do take the extra time to get with the program and not linger in my PJ's all day it feels good.  Also, shopping for something new... even though it's very challenging these days... that same feeling of having something new to put on comes back.

Thanks, again!

Nancy D.

This is such a great and thoughtful post.  I consider myself a fashionista so its been a hard transition from wearing heels a month ago to only wearing flats now.  Its good to know that I'm not alone in this.  I read so much information on the medical aspect of this, but rarely about simply living. 

I honestly never considered the subject of dress when facing MS. Perhaps the male in me never realized that this couold also make a difference for peoiple, especially mentally.

Once again you gave me something to consider and once again I have learned something from you.

Thank you for the insightful and informative article.

Your post was very interesting to me because I am 59, have had MS for 18 years and have never given a thought to dressing for MS success--although I regularly dress for success.  In my circles we call upon Brooks Brothers for women (and men) for success--and even affectionately nickname this clothier B-squared.  More and more I stick with B-squared and LL Bean for classics (some JCrew is okay too) and then add flashy accessories if I want to be noticed.  I have a half dozen Austin Reed suits for women too but prefer B-squared. 

And that's my dreadfully exciting story about dressing for success.  LOL 

MS has not affected my clothing choices at all.  I have, however, given up all but low heels because, well, my back bothers me when I wear heels.

It is interesting that MS includes such a broad spectrum.  I have a log too that I hope you will visit some day for another view of MS.  My blog is at:  http://intelligentguidetoms.wordpress.com .

Best wishes!