Advice 21 Aug
EveryHuman's Top 5 Adaptive Style Tips for Kids
If you’ve ever struggled to find the right clothes for your kids, you’re not alone. Our children’s rapid growth and lack of stylish, accessible clothing options can make getting ready in the mornings a real challenge.
After partnering with some of the best adaptive kids brands in the world, we’ve learned a few handy tricks to help your kids dress independently in clothes they’ll love. Here are our top adaptive style tips to help your kids get dressed with maximum style and minimal fuss.
#1. Let kids express their unique personality with fun and colourful styles.
The best part about being a kid is all the bold and fun clothes you get to wear! Try choosing bright, colourful clothes for your kids to stimulate their imagination and creativity.
For clothes that feature tons of exciting patterns and styles, we love Appaman’s kid’s collection. For boys, the Henley Shirt will bring a touch of tropical summer to their wardrobe, and for girls, the Naxios dress is imprinted with fun, adventurous butterflies. You can even adopt a more minimal style with a bright pop of colour in the Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive Seated Knit Sweatshirt (below).
As your child transitions from being a toddler to their tween years, they’ll naturally want to start wearing clothes that let them express their personality. Since the clothes we wear are a way of expressing our individuality, it’s important to include children on your shopping trips and let them practice choosing their own style. inc kid suggests introducing gender-neutral clothes to their wardrobe to avoid imposing labels or expectations on our children and letting them bring out their own personal style.
For formal occasions, you can also invest in ‘fancy’ clothing styles that are accessible and well-tailored. Appaman’s Adaptive Suit features an ultra-sharp blazer and pants that are designed with easy-openings and accommodates leg braces or orthotics.
#2. Pair active kids with active shoes.
Every kid loves seeking an adventure, so it’s important to choose shoes that are high quality, easy-to-wear, and guaranteed to last the distance.
To help your kid get out and about on their own terms, look no further than Billy Footwear. Their innovative zipper technology means it’s ridiculously easy for kids to pop their feet in and out of their shoes. Plus, it’s AFO and orthotics friendly.
It’s also full of eye-catching designs and colours, like their bright red high tops and unicorn glitter sneakers. They’re so fun and comfy to wear, your kid will never want to take them off!
For extra adventurous kids who love splashing in puddles, Kurkside has a range of shoes that are designed with water drain holes and quick-drying mesh to keep little toes warm and dry.
#3. Build their self-esteem & independence with easy-to-wear clothes
Being able to dress independently is a vital life skill, but mainstream, inaccessible clothes can make this a challenge for our children. The best way to help kids build their confidence and dress with minimal fuss is by searching for clothes that are adapted to their individual needs.
When shopping for pants, look for styles that have velcro closures or large pull zips at the ankles so it can fit over prosthetics and orthotics. Designs like the inc kid Sea Buggy jean come with large, colourful zippers to encourage kids of all abilities to pull zips up independently. The Appaman Beach Pant also comes with velcro front closures so kids don’t have to struggle to do up tiny buttons. Pants that are designed with a drawstring or an elastic waist with pull tabs also make it super easy for kids to pull their pants up independently.
When shopping for tops or dresses, look for styles that allow the neck opening to expand so kids have extra wiggle room while getting dressed. This helps kids avoid getting their head trapped. The Appaman Abby Romper (below) 
is a great two-in-one piece for girls who love versatile, casual looks. It’s designed with velcro shoulder seams to expand the neckline so girls can dress with ease.
For children that prefer more everyday t-shirts, the Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive signature T-shirts were specially designed with velcro closures at each shoulder so it can slip easily over their heads.
You can also make tying shoelaces a thing of the past with innovative footwear. For kids living with limb difference, we recommend Billy Footwear as their shoes can be ‘opened and closed’ with one single zip. If your child loves mainstream sneakers but hates shoelaces, you can also invest in Hickies - an innovative strap that converts any sneaker into a slip-on. Your kid will never have to worry about tying laces ever again.
#4. Protect against mess.
If there’s one thing you can be sure of, it’s that your kid will inevitably get messy. Children love splashing in muddy puddles, running (and falling) on the playground, and playing with their food at mealtimes. It’s all part of being a kid! To reduce clean-up time and protect your child’s clothes from obvious stains and dirt, invest in darker colour clothes like the Appaman Adaptive Camp Shorts or the Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive Classic T-Shirt in black (below).
To avoid constantly changing your child’s clothes after a messy meal, you can also invest in stylish discreet bibs. Bibulous is a brand that creates innovative bibs that look just like regular clothing! No one will ever know the difference.
#5. Comfort is key.
The last thing you want is for your child to feel uncomfortable all day long because of tight, restrictive clothes. When shopping for children, try and gravitate towards designs that don’t have external seams or tags to avoid scratching and irritating your child’s sensitive skin, like the inc kid Treasure Jumper. You can also opt for more slouchy and relaxed styles so your kid will feel unrestricted while relaxing at home or running around the playground.
When choosing pants and shorts, the best options are styles that are designed with soft stretch denim as they’re cosier to wear. Pants with elastic waists and magnetic buttons are also easier for kids to pull on independently without a fuss. For a versatile pair of jean shorts that are enjoyable to wear and a burst of fun, we love Appaman’s Rainbow Jean Short.
We know just how difficult it is for parents and children with disabilities to get up and dressed in the morning. By providing the best adaptive kids brands on one platform, we hope your families are able to start off each day feeling more confident, stylish, and empowered.
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