How do you dress?

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I know there are a lot of self-esteem and social confidence issues that come with being on the autistic spectrum. How do you guys dress, and do you think your relationship to society affects what you choose to wear? For example, do you choose to dress anonymously to blend in, or do you dress differently to identify yourself as different from other people?

I often get complimented for my clothes, but I also get stares because my sense of style is a little out-there, especially in a rural british town. I just bought an amazing french-connection sequin skirt, the sparkliest thing you've ever seen , and my brother said 'It's nice, but why do you always have to dress so WEIRD?!'. So then I got thinking about why I do. I don't consciously dress to shock or get attention; I think I subconsciously make myself stand out because I feel like I'm separate from everyone else anyway.

And that's without mentioning autism's effect on my clothing; I wear sunglasses all year round, and I can't layer clothes without feeling panicky and sick

I dress very conservatively, and very practically. Comfort, warmth, and enough pockets are high on my agenda.
But I do tend to dress slightly drably to avoid drawing attention to myself, as I get quite self conscious in public and don't like attention. I'm different enough as it is. I don't have to prove anything with my clothes.

I tend to dress in chino-type pants and polo/button down shirts during the week.

More informally (tee-shirts, shorts, jeans, etc.). during the weekends.

Shirt and tie top half, smart kilt bottom half for work. Cycle kit of cycling on days off, otherwise kilt or skirt with roll neck jersey on top half depending on which gender I feel most fits on the day and situation

T-shirt and jeans, I put my hair up and wear a backwards cap usually when I am out and about. I stay away from graphic or super branded t's.

I dress for comfort. Jeans, t-shirts (I tend to go for guys t shirts as they or comfy or something with a show, book, or movie I like on) and flip flops with no makeup and a high pony tail. The second I get home it's yoga pants and a tank top * shrugs *

I dress for comfort first and foremost, and to please myself. I like pretty garments but they have to be comfortable too: loose, soft, unstructured, rather than tailored, tight or of a stiff fabric. I cannot tolerate structured, tailored clothes in stiff fabrics. I mostly wear comfortable jeans, leggings with a long tunic-length top that's loose fitting, t-shirts that are long and loose, and comfortable shoes I can walk or cycle in, such as Skechers-style shoes, sport/tennis shoes/trainers (in the UK).

Boots in winter, but with a heel no more than two inches. I used to wear higher heels when I was young, but everything hurts too much these days for that now. Low heels and comfort are all I want now. I never leave the house without some kind of hat on, with a brim over my eyes or a bill/peak, because of sensitivity to daylight even on overcast days, and also the sense of barrier.

At home, I take everything off and get into pajamas in the winter, or just have my underwear on in the summer. I can't stand to be wearing "outside" clothes at home, so everything gets torn off in a hurry as soon as I get home.

Usually baggy t-shirts and jeans.

I do have one feminine top that I like wear, though, that's pink with ruffles.

Since I've been exercising a lot more recently, I've been wondering whether or not if I should wear more feminine clothing.

I have a weird body type, so I find it tough to find clothes. I usually go for things that stretch to fit me. I wear a lot of leggings with fandom t-shirts. I have been trying to get myself more used to wearing jeans, but I haven't been successful. I like wearing long skirts and I always wear sneakers because I have very bad feet. When it is cold outside, I will wear my light blue windbreaker over my shirt.

I am rather insecure about my appearance, so I tend to wear baggy clothes and try to remain as inconspicuous as possible. However, I should add that I do find wearing oversized jumpers to be extremely comfortable to wear. Personally I would rather feel relaxed in what I wear than be a wannabe fashion guru.

I mostly just pull out a T-shirt and shorts/pants that go reasonably well together. I don't really pay attention to fashion or anything. I wish I did, but I just can't be bothered. In the winter I wear sweaters over T-shirts, but the sweaters have to be V-neck and the t-shirts can't have any detail on top. Otherwise I feel uncomfortable.

If I could, I'd wear black jeans and a purple T-shirt every single day of my LIFE----but I can't; so I have some nice 100 percent cotton shirts (HAVE to be 100% cotton). I also really like long (not floor-length), 100% cotton dresses, and wear them when I'm at home.

As comfortable and loose as possible (t shirts and drawstring loose pants for hot weather, sweats for cold weather).

Hearing a lot of baggy/oversized clothing. I'm like that too on my top half. My ideal outfit would be an oversized jumper and a pair of tights (that's what I always wore as a child), but you can't really walk around in just tights as an adult lol

I guess if the oversized jumper/sweater is the same length that a dress might be, it would be fine to wear that with just tights! Some big sweaters are like "sweater dresses" and come to the mid-thigh or just above the knee. That, with tights, would be a very comfy outfit. I like dress-length "tunic" tops for the same reason; you can just wear some leggings with them.

From about 13 (when I first really became conscious of appearance) to 27, I dressed to disappear. Blue or black jeans, hiking style boots (I have wide feet, and boots are more likely to have generous width than shoes are. harder wearing, too), a plain grey or black t-shirt and a plaid or check shirt. Vaguely sort of 90s grunge/indie. My hair went crazy curly when I hit adolescence, and I'd wear a baseball cap in the summer or knitted/beanie in the winter to hide it til I was 19, at which point I tried (and succeeded) growing my hair about shoulder length instead. Grew a crap beard, too.

I wasn't exactly Guy Incognito (particularly as fashion trends moved on and I didn't), but I didn't stand out, which is what I wanted.

Then when I was 26, I started getting fed up with a lot of things about my life, including how I dressed. I'd long had an interest in styles ranging from about 1870 to the 1950s. I didn't want to dress exactly as though from a given period (not that I'd object if whoever did the wardrobe on Penny Dreadful threw some things my way...), but to take what I liked and try and put it together. So, cut my hair short, waistcoats and ties and nice shirts and smart/formal trousers, etc. I went through two fedoras before not being able to handle the 'Nice Guy'/'m'lady' associations (if only in my head) so moved on to a Homburg. Shoes wide enough but also with something in the way of style are probably the hardest thing. Thanks to charity shops and ebay, it's doable (though not always easily) on a budget. Browns and greens, and charcoals and slates and burgundies. Houndstooth, corduroy, moleskin. It's been a fair bit of trial and error, but I'm getting there.

As to autistic influence, I was assessed and diagnosed when I was 31-32, and my dress ('like an Edwardian gentleman', it says in my report) was taken as part of the evidence. I've come to understand a bit more about fabrics, too, that some are nicer than others - who knew! I am most at ease in softer cottons, and don't want polyester against my skin (though some poly-cotton mixes can be nice). I've had wool mix trousers that seemed to be made of fire ants, and wool mix trousers that were heavenly. I couldn't figure it out - there was minimal difference in the fabric composition.

Plus, around the house, it all gets a bit slovenly. Comfy pyjama-esque trousers, t-shirts and cardigans a-go-go.

The (perhaps) weird thing is, I'd swear I still don't want to be noticed, to stand out. It's both how I want to look, to present myself to the world, and something of a costume/armour (which I think explains why I'm fine with a shirt and waistcoat, but not a t-shirt and jumper). If people notice, they notice the clothes, not me. I don't know if that makes sense.

I've come to realise I'm going have to start wearing sunglasses a lot more - I don't know if it's gotten worse with age, or that I'm now aware it's actually a thing, but my light sensitivity is more noticeable to me. Oddly, it's easier on clear sunny days. Because I know where the light is, and it turns the colours up, and squinting tends to work. But those days where it's bright out but white cloud from horizon to horizon, where the light seems to have a weird, diffused, milky quality - that really messes with me.