Getting dressed can be one complicated endeavor too many for parents of kids with special needs, who might run into trouble when trying to fit traditional kids’ clothing over a wheelchair, leg brace, or onto a little one that doesn’t like certain fabrics or tight styles. However, these brands are making fashionable styles just as accessible for kids with disabilities through adaptive clothing that promotes comfort, independence, and inclusion. Check out these lines and start shopping!
Clothing
Tommy Adaptive
Tommy Hilfiger’s adaptive line has pants, shirts, skirts, jackets, and dresses–over 100 styles!–that feature hidden Velcro, easy-to-wear design, and more. You can shop by solution in order to find the right clothes for easy closure, outfits for kids with prosthetics, fits for ease of movement, and all sorts of styles for kids in wheelchairs. The clothes have the look and feel of classic Tommy designs, so every kid can show off their preppy style!
Myself Belts
These colorful and fun belts feature an innovative design kids and do and undo with one hand, giving them independence while making getting dressed or undressed, using the bathroom, and so much more a little easier.
Patti & Ricky
This inclusive marketplace consists of more than 65 designers making functional, adaptive, stylish designs for adults and kids with disabilities. However, Patti & Ricky isn’t just for clothes–the kids section also features art supplies, bibs and bandanas, Braille-printed jewelry, books, “chewlery”, eye patches, wheelchair bags, weighted blankets, and more!
Independence Day Adaptive
This line features clothes that can be worn frontwards or backwards–some can even be worn three different ways–in loose-fitting, comfortable, breezy fabrics that are right for almost everyone. Independence clothes are affordable and suitable for kids or teenagers.
PBS Kids + Zappos Adaptive
PBS Kids and Zappos Adaptive teamed up to create gender-neutral, reversible, supersoft, buttonless pieces that help kids relax in style while getting dressed easily. No matter what your little one is into–planes, rainforest animals, dinosaurs, or sea creatures–they’ll be able to find a set they love. Zappos Adaptive on its own offers parents 12 different criteria for shopping for their child with special needs, including options that are magnetic, perfect for post-surgery, reversible, or suited for kids in treatment.
Cat & Jack
This Target line for girls, boys, toddlers, and babies features clothes that are easy to pull on and off, can accommodate wheelchairs, have secret spaces where feeding tubes can go through, and can even fit within a school’s uniform dress code. Your little one can choose from affordable and fun graphic tees, leggings, jeans, dresses, and more.
Braille Code Brands Inc
This company empowers people with visual impairments through Braille patches that contain directional word cues to help the wearer get dressed on her own. Braille patches decrease the need for repetitive assistance. Braille Code also works to raise awareness of blind and visually impaired inclusion through their children’s book, What’s Cool About Braille Code School.
Etsy
Your favorite craft platform has a network of artists creating adaptive clothes for kids right at your fingertips. Artists are creating patterned G tube covers, Halloween and dress up costumes perfect for wheelchairs, and more!
Shoes
Nike FlyEase
What kid doesn’t love Nike kicks? FlyEase sneakers are lace-less and have a zippered heel that kids can get into and remove easily. They come in several colors and designs for babies, toddlers, and older kids.
BILLY Footwear
If Nike sneakers aren’t your kid’s thing, check out BILLY, which offers printed, metallic, classic, high top, low top, and velvet style with zippers that run from underneath the laces to the top of the tongue so kids can get them on and off easily. The best part? These kicks won’t set you back more than $60!
Hatchbacks Footwear
These shoes are perfect for kids with leg braces (AFOs). Patented “Easy Fit” technology allows each shoe to bend in half to accommodate the foot and brace before coming back together to encase the foot with a wide Velcro strap and adjustable buckles. Each shoe size incorporates extra room for AFOs to make getting ready that much easier! Shop Hatchbacks’ summer sale for half off one pair when you buy two.
Main Image: Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive makes styles for every kid. Credit Tommy Hilfiger
