Clothes for girls and sensory issues

Post Reply New Topic

When I was a child I had a visceral hatred for girly clothing. Aside from the fact that girly stuff didn't really appeal to me, I distinctly remember that a lot of girly clothing was just a sensory nightmare. Lacy stuff, that awful artificial fuzzy material, sequins, beads, woolly cardigans, loads of layers, loads of fabric, etc. It was just so uncomfortable and made me feel constricted.

I was okay with some stuff. For instance, I wore leggings and I was okay with stuff like rompers or even a sundress (though I didn't like feeling my legs stick together when it was warm). But I would say that I felt most comfortable wearing t-shirts, shorts, trousers - simple, cotton stuff that was a little loose and easy to move around in. I owe much of my "tomboyishness" to my tactile sensitivity, to be honest.

Do others have a similar experience? To this day I still can't stand feeling certain textures and would rather go naked than wear a fabric I don't like.

I wore girly clothes in preschool but I don't remember much of it. I asked my mom and she told me that if I didn't like what she made me wear I would just take it off.
In elementary school however I was wearing only sweat pants and comfy sweaters. I only switched to jeans after one of the buys at school took off the pants off me in front of whole class because they were loose and easy to pull down. I was afraid of wearing sweat pants from then on so I had to switch. I probably stopped wearing skirts for simillar reason - someone pulled it up - but I don't remember that one.
And I still only wear jeans, comfy sweaters and tank tops.

Yes. Lace didn't bother me if it was crocheted cotton. Synthetic lace was the worst offender. Clothing tags were the bane of my existence. Synthetic tights were terrible, and even cotton ones would need to be tried on because of the waist band and the toe seams. Dress-up dresses usually had some sort of built in petticoat thing, which could be fun and swishy or a curse from the devil himself depending on the materials used and the cut. Fortunately I come from a long line of picky dressers, so my parents were sympathetic/understanding as issues arose. My dad seemed to "get it" better than my mom though.

I remember girls underthings having frills and uncomfortable linings that would itch and dig in. My parents had to find the plainest ones possible. Same with swimsuits. I had a favorite pair of moccasins for the summer. I couldn't wear flip flops. The t-strap would dig and scrape between my toes. Much later in life, I gave Reef flip flops a try, and they were no problem.

Winter clothes were typically from the boys section. I remember having major issues with cheap feather stuffing, so that wasn't possible. The ends would just poke through and poke and grate my skin. Ugh. The sweaters with metallic threads were just plain awful. I'd have to wear a t-shirt and a turtleneck underneath just to avoid the discomfort. Not worth it. Turtlenecks could also be an issue. The ones designed for girls oddly more likely to choke than the ones designed for boys. Again, cotton was better than synthetic for comfort.

I remember headbands being a disappointment/torture. I loved the way they looked, but they dug in so bad...



All of my Halloween costumes were home-made until I was ten or so.

I was fortunate to have been a girl when shoe sellers would size your foot before bringing you shoes to try on. My father also knew a bit about foot comfort, so he'd double check if I said I liked the shoes.

When I was a kid, Mum used to make our (I'm a twin) clothes. Most of them were comfortable but sometimes she would want us to wear skivvies (Australian version of turtleneck) and I would pull on the neck because it felt like it was choking me. Wool jumpers weren't pleasant either. When I went to a school where tracksuit pants were part of the uniform, I was glad because I hated school skirts.

Now I wear loose pants because jeans all seem to be the skinny type and I can't stand the feel of that.

My favourite piece of clothing in the cooler weather is the hoodie. I have many - more than I need and I just bought two more yesterday. They are just so comfortable and they have the added bonus of a hood for when it's really cold. Not allowed to wear the hood up at the local shops though!

When I was a baby, my mom liked to dress me in overalls and jumpers and dresses. As a kid, I would only wear knit shirts, usually with flowers or animals on them, and then leggings in cold weather and knit shorts in warm weather. I'm pretty much the same now, but my shirts usually have TV, movie, or anime references on them now. I hate having my feet exposed and always have, so I have always worn sneakers with everything. I don't mind skirts and dresses, but I like wearing shorts or leggings underneath them.

Yes, same problem here. I stick to soft t shirts and loose pants. I recently got into the company Wildfang. Tomboyish clothes with no frilly nonsense.

I have the opposite problem. I'm hyposensitive to clothes.

I wear leggings and t-shirts because other clothes aren’t comfortable for me. I especially hate jeans. They’re heavy and I hate the feel of the fabric. I have satin dresses that are very plain, but most dresses and skirts aren’t comfortable.

When I was little, I used to make my parents fold the ends of my socks up over my toes before stuffing them in my shoes so the seam wouldn't be against the fronts of my toes. I also wore only sweatpants/leggings - basically just pants with elastic waistbands - to elementary school until probably 4th or 5th grade because I couldn't stand the feeling of jeans, especially kid jeans with the stretchy side parts that are all bunched up. I also put the stirrup part of my stirrup pants outside my shoes cause it was too much material on my feet inside. Drove my mom bonkers walking through them, I'm sure. Turtlenecks were also a battle; mom thought they were cute, I thought they were choking me.

As an adult, anything scratchy, pokey, or stiff is out. I still don't like things too tight on my neck, and I'm picky about shirt hem and sleeve lengths - longer is always better. I tend to be hypersensitive to cold, so this time of year I wear a lot of Under Armor type base layers top and bottom. With those on, I can put just about anything else over them and be okay comfort-wise. Even with the base layers, it still takes a lot of layers to keep me warm out in the world, though. I like to wear dresses (and wore them daily for 4 years for a job I had), but I have to wear shorts or leggings underneath to keep my thighs from touching.

I have problems with synthetic materials. I get rashes--real discomfort. I can't stand tight clothings. I have been wearing cotton dresses. My grandmother used to make dresses for me, all plain, simple and comfortable. I had to buy clothes for several years when I had not started sewing my own clothes and I chose Indian cotton tunics (I like that type of material).
I wear cotton leggings underneath in winter (only on really cold days) or when I play sport. I need clothes that cover me totally because I have sensitive skin.
When I had to wear uniform at work, I put on my own undergarments made of preferred materials. I can sew, so I can pick the best cotton materials and make whatever I want. These garments stay with me many years.

I have problem with things that are not soft enough. Also I don't like the feeling of bagginess it disturbs me so much when my clothes wrinkle on my skin but I like the look of it so I'll wear a tight shirt and then on top of it the loose clothing. Same goes with wool I love the look of it so I wear woolen sweaters over a tight and soft shirt.

My sister has been wearing boys and men's clothes since she was in second grade. She finds men's clothes to be more comfortable than women's clothes. She likes t shirts, cargo shorts, and basketball shorts. Women's clothing is too tight and too girly for her. She doesn't like showing cleavage either. She likes to protect herself from creepy men. I don't like cotton clothing very much. I do like polyester and microfiber. I love jeans and flip flops. I hate sneakers. I wear heels to church.