The feeling of clothes rubbing causing anxiety

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Hi,

I have a big problem with items of clothing. Something may look good on me, but when I wear it & walk, if I can feel it rubbing or pinching it sends me into an immediate panic attack. In fact it is the only thing that gives me panic attacks.

As an example; I have recently gone down to a smaller waist size, and needed to buy some new jeans. I went to a clothing outlet & tried loads & loads on. They looked good in the changing-room mirror, & nicely showed up all my contours of my body, but then I had a go at walking in them by pacing up and down in the hallway of the main fitting room.
Material rubbed against my skin, and I couldn't stand it. I didn't buy any of them.

I phoned a semi-support worker & she advised me to look what I have in my wardrobe already & buy the brand and type that is the same but in a smaller waist size. This is now what I have done.

Does anyone else face a simular issue with buying clothes?

Yes, and jeans especially. I totally quit wearing jeans until they became available in a softer, stretchy fabric and came up above the hip bones but below the waist. The ideal clothing doesn't have any pressure points at all-anywhere! Thrift stores are great because the stiffness in clothes may be worn away. As long as we have the patience to shop frequently and don't get in a hurry, it's possible to find nice, soft clothes that look decent.

I am extremely sensitive to clothing too. I have to wear very soft cotton, wool drives me crazy. It feels like it's burning my skin. I never wear turtlenecks, no matter how soft the material - they burn and choke.
I stick with brands that I know. I have about 8 of the same shirt in different colours.

Yes. When I was younger I simply could not wear jeans of any kind. Some fabrics still feel wrong, but as I've aged I've come to deal with/ignore it.

Yes. When I was a small child, my mother made me wear this pair of plaid woolen trousers that drove me crazy, because I was super-aware of how the inside leg seam rubbed against my inner thighs, and that the fabric was harsh and scratchy. My mother thought I was just being a brat! I wasn't even old enough to have the verbal skills to communicate why exactly I didn't want to wear the pants. I also couldn't wear jeans happily until adulthood. I also hated a woolly hat with a hard wire piece in it that squeezed my head, when I was a toddler.

I have bra issues; cannot stand an ill-fitting one, and can't stand going without a bra. I need the band part to be really tight around my ribs as I hate one that's too large and shifting around on me.

I need all my clothes to feel correctly positioned on me, not because of appearance but because I can't stand feeling seams in the wrong place or clothes that have ridden up or slumped down. I find that sensation incredibly distracting from anything else I'm trying to focus on or do, or even just when relaxing.

Oh... and the seam in the toe of the sock...

<shudder>

Based upon the number of replies in a short space of time it seems that this issue is quite common.

I forgot to mention an item of clothing that I just CANNOT wear; gloves.
If it is very cold and I must wear them otherwise I'd risk getting frostbite I wear only one, and switch back & forth as the bare hand gets cold. Even this is horrible.

The effect that wearing a glove on both hands on the same is that I feel like I'm suffocating. I literally panic like I am fighting for breath.

I have this problem, too. I recently discovered scrubs! The brand "Koi" makes scrub bottoms that are fairly stylish and very comfortable. I stocked up on them.

My clothing choices are all about how it feels on me and how it moves and feels when I move.

Fortunately my wife is my fashion advisor and won't let me out the front door looking like a complete <fill-in-the-blank>.

I believe I have outgrown many of my clothing things, but the one thing I can't wear are button-down shirts--the way they're tailored for women, they feel like straightjackets.

However, when I was younger, I absolutely detested the feel of wool--when I was a baby, I had this hat that, whenever my mom put it on me, it would make me cry.

I'm not too bad with clothes. The only issues I have are that I can't tolerate woolen clothing as it irritates my skin in an awful way and also labels get to me! I usually end up cutting them out of my clothes, particularly the long ones. I don't understand how people can actually tolerate having labels touching their bare skin!

Sensory issues can be a b***h to deal with at times... I recommend that you ignore the fashion and buy clothes that YOU are comfortable in

I cannot wear denim in the house. I can wear it at work, or if out at the shop but not in the house.

I am a a man and I have the same problem with fabrics. At first I thought it was just me but this thread gives me reassurance. I avoid wearing wool or trousers that are 100% polyester. I prefer my shirts to be 100% cotton. I find washing them before wearing them for the the first time also helps. My underwear is all silk. I've stated by buy cheap thin trousers for about £19 then pay a tailor to fit a smooth lining in them to make them feel less itchy. This cost around £45 (so more than the trousers themselves) and I feel it is more than worth it. I'm worried about that I'll do if I ever get a job where I have to wear a uniform (my current employer does not require this) I suppose I'll have to have items adjusted or substituted accordingly (possibly at my own expense) and ask my employer to regard this as a reasonable adjustment under UK disability law.

I really don't like wearing anything with zippers (aside from coats) and I'm very sensitive to stiff clothing. When I buy something new, I usually have to wash it a couple of times before wearing it. I prefer pants with elastic in the waist and I can't tolerate 3/4 length sleeves. If I'm in something I find uncomfortable, I find myself itching, poking and it and just being generally anxious and unhappy.