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5 Best Adaptive Apparel Brands for Older Women

By Sandra Roussy April 10, 2023 Beauty

Are you thinking of switching to adaptive clothing? Are you already wearing adaptive clothing? Perhaps you are caring for someone who requires adaptive clothing? There are many options for adaptive apparel on the market. Let’s take a look at the best adaptive clothing brands for older women.

  1. Silverts – Pioneer adaptive apparel retailer for men and women for over 90 years.
  2. Adaptawear – UK-based manufacturer and retailer with casual and dressy clothing for men and women.
  3. Joe & Bella – Fashionable adaptive clothing.
  4. Buck & Buck – Adaptive clothing brand made in the USA.
  5. Rebound Wear – Clothing made especially for post-surgery healing.

Adaptive apparel is clothing that is designed to make it easier to put on and take off – for the wearer or the caregiver. This type of clothing can extend the autonomy of people with disabilities or restricted movement and make it more comfortable for caregivers who help elderly people with mobility issues or who are in wheelchairs to get dressed and undressed.

What to Look for in Adaptive Clothing

Adaptive apparel is constructed differently than regular clothing items. These adaptive features make it so that the clothing openings are easy to get into and out of.

Some of those features may include:

  • Fabrics that contain a lot of stretch to make movements more comfortable.
  • Shirts, tops, and dresses with open-back closures and faux buttons that give the impression of having a front opening.
  • Velcro or magnetic closures in areas where shoelaces or buttons are typically used.
  • Pants with an opening at the back or the side for those with incontinence or who use a wheelchair.
  • Elastic waistbands.
  • Front velcro or snap closure bras.
  • Seams that are flat and non-irritating for sensitive skin.
  • Anti-strip clothing for seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
  • Zippers with easy pull tabs for issues with fine mobility.
  • Adjustable footwear for swollen feet.

Adaptive Clothing Brands for Women

Silverts

Silverts is a pioneer in the adaptive clothing retail industry. They have been providing reliable adaptive apparel for over 90 years and have become one of the first companies to focus solely on people with dressing difficulties. They offer clothing, footwear, and accessories for men and women.

Women’s Open Back 3/4 Length Sleeve Top with Embroidery

Women's Open Back 3/4 Length Sleeve Top with Embroidery

Top with full back overlap with two snaps at each shoulder. Available in sizes small up to 3X and in a variety of colors.

Women’s Open Back Gabardine Pant

Women's Open Back Gabardine Pant

This adaptive wheelchair pant features a discrete and generous back overlap for additional coverage with snap closure at the waistband.

Adaptawear

The Adaptawear brand is the result of intensive research with Occupational Therapists, care specialists, the elderly, and the disabled. The company develops clothes that are suitable for women and men with special dressing needs. They adapt their designs to suit the needs of the elderly and people with a wide range of disabilities.

They are based in the UK but ship internationally.

Adaptawear Short Sleeve Wrap-Over Dress

Adaptawear Short Sleeve Wrap-Over Dress

This pretty polka dot wrap dress opens to the waist at the front giving plenty of room to put over the head and insert arms. The back of the dress has an overlap going from the shoulders to the hem.

Front Fastening Bra

Front Fastening Bra

This super soft front fastening bra is designed for comfort. It has a seam-free front and sides and easy opening cushioned snap buttons.

Joe & Bella

Joe & Bella are fairly new in the adaptive apparel industry. They create fashionable and comfortable clothing geared towards seniors with physical needs.

Everyday Freedom Pant for Women

Everyday Freedom Pant for Women

These pants are designed with two long side zippers for easy putting on and off.

Plaid Open Back Crewneck Sweater

Plaid Open Back Crewneck Sweater

Open-back tops are designed for adults who need assistance while dressing, as they make dressing easier. They help to avoid pain or discomfort by having to raise the arms.

Buck & Buck

Buck & Buck is a brand that has over 40 years of experience in the special needs apparel industry. The clothing is made in the USA and is designed to help you look and feel your best. They use soft fabrics in a wide variety of colors and feature easy-to-use VELCRO®, snap, and zip closures. Buck & Buck offer casual outfits and also dressier options.

Gingham Shirt w/ VELCRO® Brand Closures

Gingham Shirt w/ VELCRO® Brand Closures

This poplin shirt has velcro buttons and is wrinkle-resistant. The VELCRO® Brand tabs are placed behind the buttons and at the cuffs for ease of dressing, and the original buttons are sewn back so it looks like a regular shirt.

Olivia Shoes by Propet

Olivia Shoes by Propet

Buck & Buck also carries the footwear brand Propét. These easy-access hook and loop closure shoes stretch to accommodate foot problems of all kinds to provide relief from pain. It has a stretchy upper and removable insole to increase roominess and prevent pressure points.

ReboundWear

ReboundWear is an apparel brand that specializes in post-surgery clothing. Their mission is to provide fashionable and functional clothing for women, men, and kids on the mend after an operation or medical procedure.

Lindsey – Women’s Short Sleeve Top

Lindsey – Women's Short Sleeve Top

This short sleeve top has minimal metal components so it is safe to wear in hospitals and does not interfere with medical devices. It has shoulder and side openings that provide easy access after shoulder or arm surgery. It also features inner pockets to hold heart monitors, ports, and infusions.

Slick Chicks – High Waist Brief

Slick Chicks – High Waist Brief

These high waist undies are a modern twist on the classic brief with a high-rise with a bit more coverage for your front and backside. They have side fasteners to simplify self-dressing or caregiver dressing assistance.

Read 4 CLOTHING BRANDS FOR WOMEN WITH ARTHRITIS.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you or someone you know wear adaptive apparel? Where do you purchase your adaptive clothing items? How has adaptive clothing impacted your life?

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The Author

Sandra is the middle-aged woman you hear about who sheds everything she owns and sets out into the world to rediscover and redefine herself. After more than twenty years spent in the fashion industry designing collections for brands such as La Senza, Victoria’s Secret, and JACOB Lingerie, she shifted her path and pursued her longtime passion for writing, traveling, and photography. Sandra was published in the NY Times best selling book Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It. A deeply personal essay hand-picked by Elizabeth Gilbert about loss, facing fears, and going after dreams. Visit her website: www.sandraroussy.com

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