AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
For those who don't already know, the onset of health problems just a few years ago, left me unable to work. My brain is still catching up to this reality, and moving to a disabled/retired lifestyle without any prior planning, throws up all manner of unexpected revelations.
I'm just discovering how much it changes the approach to the wardrobe.
Some things were obviously expected. The steel toes and workwear trousers have gone. Sportswear and cycling gear isn't required. The need to wear anything formal is fairly remote. Other things are proving less intuitive.
I started a thread a while back about where we start when choosing an outfit to wear. For me, it was always the shirt, or at least the more prominent upper body garment. I've just had to overhaul the wardrobe due to weight gain from being inactive, and my shopping followed the same logic.
Choose the shirts/tops I want
Choose appropriate legwear for those shirts
Ensure suitable shoes for the trousers
Simple. Or so I thought. I had recognised the impact of not working, but not fully recognised the impact of not driving. If I need to get anywhere, there's usually walking involved. A fair amount too. Shops are a mile or more away, and so is the doctor's, and the railway station. The hospital is somewhat further, and this area is very hilly too.
I went to my first "event" in my new clothes a couple of days ago. I should add that I was still adjusting to the new lifestyle, and living in the pre-disability clothes before. Then Covid hit. Hence lifestyle revelations being slow to appear. So anyway - new wardrobe - and a meal out with family, which involved a mile to the station, two forms of public transport, and another mile (which thankfully I had a lift for) at the other end of the journey. Obviously, same again on the return trip. Well, I certainly looked the part in cords, deck shoes, and smart short sleeve shirt, but my feet were killing me when I got home.
Suddenly, I realised I got it all wrong. It's no longer "what am I doing today?", but "how am I getting where I need to be?". Everything starts with the feet now when choosing an outfit, not the shirt. I have "event" shoes (brogues and derbies), but they're only any use if I'm travelling everywhere by car (taxi or lift). There's deck shoes, loafers, and sandals for short jaunts and nipping to the local shop for bread and milk. Then there's the hiking boots and trainers for clocking up the miles with on the days when stuff needs doing.
Before: Choose shirt > choose trousers > choose shoes
Now: Choose shoes > choose trousers > choose shirt
So now, I'm going back through the newly assembled wardrobe, seeing if everything still works. For example, I've just ordered some walking shoes, which will (hopefully) look more presentable with smart cords than either my hiking boots or trainers, yet still let me stagger as far as I need to with my walking stick, without doing my feet or knees a mischief in the process. Not entirely how I'd want to be dressed when out for a meal, but some compromise is required.
I'm also revisiting jackets/outerwear the same way too. Pocket vs bags, headwear and waterproofing (I can't use a brolly) also factor in. Essentially, I'm having to shift focus from having relaxed, regular casual, and smart casual, to <1 mile, >1 mile (+ train/tram/etc), and door-to-door, while still being dressed to the level I want/need at the other end. It's totally changed how I view my wardrobe needs, far more than I expected, and ultimately, practicality has to come before style.
So yes, lifestyle changes everything, and not always in the ways we expect.
I'm just discovering how much it changes the approach to the wardrobe.
Some things were obviously expected. The steel toes and workwear trousers have gone. Sportswear and cycling gear isn't required. The need to wear anything formal is fairly remote. Other things are proving less intuitive.
I started a thread a while back about where we start when choosing an outfit to wear. For me, it was always the shirt, or at least the more prominent upper body garment. I've just had to overhaul the wardrobe due to weight gain from being inactive, and my shopping followed the same logic.
Choose the shirts/tops I want
Choose appropriate legwear for those shirts
Ensure suitable shoes for the trousers
Simple. Or so I thought. I had recognised the impact of not working, but not fully recognised the impact of not driving. If I need to get anywhere, there's usually walking involved. A fair amount too. Shops are a mile or more away, and so is the doctor's, and the railway station. The hospital is somewhat further, and this area is very hilly too.
I went to my first "event" in my new clothes a couple of days ago. I should add that I was still adjusting to the new lifestyle, and living in the pre-disability clothes before. Then Covid hit. Hence lifestyle revelations being slow to appear. So anyway - new wardrobe - and a meal out with family, which involved a mile to the station, two forms of public transport, and another mile (which thankfully I had a lift for) at the other end of the journey. Obviously, same again on the return trip. Well, I certainly looked the part in cords, deck shoes, and smart short sleeve shirt, but my feet were killing me when I got home.
Suddenly, I realised I got it all wrong. It's no longer "what am I doing today?", but "how am I getting where I need to be?". Everything starts with the feet now when choosing an outfit, not the shirt. I have "event" shoes (brogues and derbies), but they're only any use if I'm travelling everywhere by car (taxi or lift). There's deck shoes, loafers, and sandals for short jaunts and nipping to the local shop for bread and milk. Then there's the hiking boots and trainers for clocking up the miles with on the days when stuff needs doing.
Before: Choose shirt > choose trousers > choose shoes
Now: Choose shoes > choose trousers > choose shirt
So now, I'm going back through the newly assembled wardrobe, seeing if everything still works. For example, I've just ordered some walking shoes, which will (hopefully) look more presentable with smart cords than either my hiking boots or trainers, yet still let me stagger as far as I need to with my walking stick, without doing my feet or knees a mischief in the process. Not entirely how I'd want to be dressed when out for a meal, but some compromise is required.
I'm also revisiting jackets/outerwear the same way too. Pocket vs bags, headwear and waterproofing (I can't use a brolly) also factor in. Essentially, I'm having to shift focus from having relaxed, regular casual, and smart casual, to <1 mile, >1 mile (+ train/tram/etc), and door-to-door, while still being dressed to the level I want/need at the other end. It's totally changed how I view my wardrobe needs, far more than I expected, and ultimately, practicality has to come before style.
So yes, lifestyle changes everything, and not always in the ways we expect.