Do we dress differently to others ?

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I seem to think we dress in clothes differently to other people because I feel like some of dress up in clothing that is out of fashion because it might have been cheap and bought for them by parents or even dress up in stuff that maybe some people might think is a bit 'weird' and eccentric. I know someone who used to dress up a lot in Hello Kitty stuff and loves a drag queen look and is friends with a few but I think she is lovely and I knew someone who liked the gothic style and dress in a top black hat with goggles on it and big boots and a few occasions I've recognised him in the street but didn't know him well. I also remember a programme where someone with aspergers was obsessed with sherlock holmes and arthur conan doyle and would dress up in victorian clothing and spoke in well spoken accent with a pointy moustache and got a job as an antiques auctioneer. I also remember someone saying that the reason why some people on the spectrum dress differently is because they don't always tend to be interested in clothes because they are more interested in other obsessions and may be the parents may buy clothes for them and won't always care what they look like. I do tend to want dress and follow what other 'normal' people wear, I suppose to make myself more appealing to those people but I do at times a cardigan which don't seem to be around much, I like wearing casual check shirts and printed t shirts with things on them like fierce animals, skulls and so on on them.

Growing up, my parents dressed me in ill-fitting hand-me-downs. I had two rather older brothers, and my folks were pretty much done parenting. But I didn't mind, because they were worm in and comfy.

I absolutely have to be comfortable with my gear. Nothing too scratchy or firm. Soft, looss-fitting, and since I am buying, cheap.

Dressing atypically is not a autistic trait per se there are a few models that are openly autistic. Hypersensitivity to certain fabrics might cause an autistic person to dress differently. Hyperfocus on special interests might cause an autistic person to ignore fashion.

I suspect there may be a bit of a correlation. As an Aspie I am less concerned about fitting into the norms of society. So I choose fashions that I like, not necessarily what anyone else likes.

As a youngster my fashions were dictated by my mom. She choose what I wore. I came from a large family and I had only a couple outfits to wear.

As a young man on my own, my fashions were absolutely atrocious. The reason why was not that I was an Aspie but rather that I was color blind. I would wear a bright purple shirt with orange pants. I had no fashion sense at all. People would almost literally faint when they passed by me because the clash was so strong.

After I got married, I turned that totally over to my wife. I let her pick my clothes from the stores and I would wear whatever she put out for me each day.

As I got older I became obese and when you are obese, nothing ever looks good.

Then I had gastric bypass weight loss surgery and I lost 120 pounds almost overnight. I had to throw away or give away all my old clothes. Nothing fit. But on the other hand I went from a size XXX in shirts down to a small and a 46 in pants down to a size 33. I could shop in normal department stores again and because I am an excellent bargain shopper I could replace my entire wardrobe without much cost. So now I am in my 70s and I decided to pick what I wanted to wear. I pick my fashions and I love it. It kind of makes up for the years in my youth of having to wear the outfits my mom choose for me to wear.

So what do I wear? I wear top end clothing. I dress like a teenager. My wife says it is not dignified for someone of my age to dress like a teenager. But I do and I find it very enjoyable. That is probably the Aspie in me.

I've been told I do dress weird sometimes, but some people say they like like it. This is as an adult. I always wear a skirt, leggings and hoodie. Sometimes I wear soft button up shirts but have a matching hoodie in the car in case I need it. Its comfortable, the fabrics are soft and I can pull the hood on if my photosensitivity gets too bad. They must match though, I can't stand it when colors don't blend together well.

But as a kid I looked like a little doll. My mom made all my clothes. She's bipolar, so when she was manic she would stay up all night making me clothes. Every dress had hair bows to match, and laces/bows that went in my saddle shoes to match, she even sewed little ruffles on my socks with scrap fabric from the dress. Funny story about that. I lived in the same area elementary thru high school; therefore was with the same group of kids the whole time. In high school when we were discussing college, I said something like I'm just gonna go to UT@Austin because its cheaper, its a state school. The group around looked at me and was dumbfounded. Apparently, everyone thought we were super wealthy because I always looked like a living doll until probably middle of Jr high. I burst their fantasy bubble about me being a long lost Russian princess. My mom made my clothes bc: 1: shes a good seamstress. 2: she could buy fabric on the clearance rack 3: it gave her something productive to do during a manic episode 4: I could pick the fabric I liked the feel of and would actually wear it without complaint. The girls were like but your hair was always perfect ringlets, that takes hours, my mom did it once for me and wouldn't do it again because too much hassle. And I told them they were right on one point, I am part Russian and thus have natural perfect ringlet curly hair. All my mom had to do was put it up. Lol. It took a lot of convincing. Its amazing how other people perceive you. I almost always kept to myself reading a book and only talking to a few friends. So this added to their idea that I didn't really associate with the rifraff. Lol. I just don't like loud people or large groups. When I got home that day me and mom laughed on and off the rest of the night about it.
My mom said she wanted me to look adorable but couldn't afford the outfits so she just made them herself, it made her feel proud that the outfits she made on the cheapest fabric she could find fooled everyone for years.

I don't know about others, but I dress like everyone else. At work it's a shirt, at home it's a t-shirt. I'm not interested in clothes so I dress to avoid discussions on it. My wife buys my clothes, I just weigh in my opinion. The only thing I make sure is that they're loose-fit.

I just wear jeans and a T-shirt every day, plus a jacket if it's cold. Not exactly "standard" for a woman, but not unheard of, either, even among NTs.

If anything, I am inclined to deliberately dress differently in defiance of NT norms.
And I am not interested in age-appropriate styling.

In practice, however, I usually don't because to do so is being an "anti-fashion victim" with the implicit mindset of "look at me".
I have a problem with that sort of attention-seeking.

An interesting idea. Since we don't pick up on social ques very well, it is a sound hypothesis. The follow up question would be if we do dress differently from NTs, do autistics dress the same? Or is our style more haphazard--are we always dressing for the wrong occasion?

From sensory differences and practical preferences...
To one's idea of fashion whether it resonates with the common tastes and social norms in terms of style.

I had and basically always will incline with the former.
The latter is optional to me -- my special interests never involves references so I had it a bit easier.


And, I cannot afford to have either and both yet.

Unless I start learning how to make my own clothes, or be very diligent in finding through the dig-clothes market full of 2nd hand clothes, or have it easier by getting rich enough.



For now, my house and home life has a problem of it's own concerning clothes.

These home issues never helps me in ways of perceiving the way others and I dress.

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Growing up, the idea of gaining clothes gave me stress than being forced to wear any clothes I wouldn't.

My mom always buys most of my clothes.
All clothes were all unasked for, and I repeatedly say to stop buying anymore damn clothes.
There's even a point of threatening her to burn every pile of clothes because she never tosses enough, and never ever seem to get the damn point that I hate the idea of having more clothes.

I've only convinced her to limit her choice types because she knew better than give me clothes that I would never ever wear simply because of her idea that fancies her.
... By threatening her to toss or destroy, it mattered not the brand or how expensive -- unwearable is still unwearable.


I don't know if she understands that brands and prices are irrelevant. She never stops buying even during the pandemic.

She never stops assuming that there will be a day I'd be happy and appreciate it.
She didn't get that day will never, ever come.

For now, as far as I'm concerned..
I've only recently convinced her that if she gave me anymore clothes than it is necessary, I'd toss two for every clothes I have until it gets past my own should-be limit. No exceptions.
I could care less if all my clothes are all new clothes meant to wear outside, I just had enough.
Or at least make her toss her's for every time she had another of her's because it's already too much.

If the time gets anymore wrong...
There WILL be a day where I'd just outright destroy clothes in front of her as soon as she hands me anymore, just so to get past the damn point to her and finally receive the damn message.

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i don't know.

Yes, I dress differently than most others.
As a kid, I had no interest in fashion. My mom bought my clothes. In Jr High, my idea of fashion was wearing my polo with the top button undone. The other kids were focused on getting the latest Banana Republic T-shirt with the b/w animals on the back. (Remember those?) In high school I had 5 outfits, one for each day of the week.
My current issue is clothing size. I never wanted to be considered 'small', so I always bought clothing that was at least a 'medium'. The result is I'm comfortable and familiar (and have a closet full of) with clothing that is too big for me. Better fitting shirts look better on me, but constantly finding very lose fitting shirts in my closet that I can't bear to get rid of. Its annoying to figure this (what looks good on me) out so late.

IR

My clothes have to be practical in my mind: since 13 I always follow military dress standards, shirt with flat ironed collar and perfectly square rolled sleeves during the hotter conditions.

I can not get out of this style, it is embedded within, it is part of personality as you mention with the 19th century/steam punker spectrum guy.

I am also obsessed with trench coat because it seems anyone who is a good guy fights in overcoat and it looks cool with the coat flying everywhere.

I also pack my pockets with anything in regards of survival situation i.e belt as a make shift tourqinet in case of serious medical emergencies.

In the Army I work on 3rd shift for a while and seldom saw anyone. I had a pair of fatigues that I used fabric softener on and were like flannel pajamas. One morning a Colonel saw me and I was in trouble.

Whether purchasing clothes for comfort, style, or utility, we seem to value our own criteria above what other may think. Many in high school strive to use clothes as an entry into higher or better social circles. I would think that Aspergers people would tend to be less concerned with fitting in and more focused on individual criteria.

One might make the case that we Asperger people are idiots (in the classic Greek sense). The word derives from the same root as idiosyncratic. It originated as an explanation for those who did not participate in the activity of the "polis" (city). It was somewhat derogatory in that people who were more concerned with their own affairs than those of the city were considered selfish. Over time it came to mean those who did not participate because of some defect and were thus unable (disabled, disordered). Eventually it came to mean those of any condition who were workers rather more than leaders by reason of limitations.

I wear Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts most days. I don't like things with big logos. Their sizing works for me so I can order online when they have 50% off sales. The material of their t-shirts is also good quality and they last longer than cheaper t-shirts from the supermarket.

Trousers I usually wear sweatpants. I used to have to wear jeans to work, but I prefer the softer clothing.

Shoes I have some decent trainers, but I wear slip on canvas shoes as they're comfortable, and I replace them every few months