Does clothing bother you? how?

Post Reply New Topic

what parts of clothing bothers you?
some tags ( the sharp ones from hard fabric) tight collars indeed, sock seams (never seem to know where they should be so i can't feel them) scarves (make my chin burn) loose panties lol, hate the feeling. anything loose that creates creases is unbearable.

what are your favorite fabrics?
denim and cotton. has to fit tightly without hurting though, hard to find.

least favorite fabrics?
wool, especially wet wool aargh. and it smells.

favorite graphics?
huh?

anything else? comfortable shoes. you'd never see me in heels. i only wear jeans, a cotton shirt and a cotton sweater actually, in summer denim shorts and a cotton shirt. that's why i look 16........

I hate dresses and skirts, something to do with bare legs I think. Labels and wool are a big no-no. And polyester.

Button down collars on casual shirts make no sense to me. Those extra buttons and buttonholes must add to the cost of manufacture, and to what end? Tickling cheeks in my case, as I have no neck to speak of.

I don't like anything too tight around my neck.
Tags will make me crazy.
Synthetic fibers make me feel like I'm suffocating.

Most clothing doesn't bother me. It's not that things bother me, it's more like I'm always aware of the feeling of clothes on my body. People are supposed to get used to what they're wearing because of sensory adaptation, but I'm constantly aware of my clothing. Most of the time it's not bad or overwhelming, though.

But there are a few things that really irritate me about clothes. I don't like having stuff on my throat. I don't wear turtlenecks. Scarves are okay, if they're soft and not pulled tight around my neck. I'm glad I'm not a man because then I'd have to wear ties. For the most part I don't like wearing long-sleeved shirts; I hate the feeling of fabric on my elbows for some reason. I used to never wear dresses or skirts, but now I kind of like them. Some tags drive me crazy, and sometimes I'll go to great lengths to remove every last bit of tag without damaging the clothes.

I don't like baggy clothing.
I always cut labels out because they irritate my skin.
I don't like any clothing that has buttons (though some things can't work without them).

And BTDT is right, sizes between different outlets are horribly inconsistent.

I'm pretty lucky, as I seem to have few sensory issues, and the ones I have are more often being LESS sensitive (particularly to smells). Even so, there are some things I just can't handle with clothing.

I hate heavy, "hard" wool. Cashmere or soft lambswool is ok though. I also cannot stand the feel of leather directly on my skin. Soft tags are usually ok, but hard, scratchy tags - especially on shirts - have to go, or I will not wear the item. Jeans don't bother me, probably because I'm used to them, but otherwise I can't stand clothes with thick seams. Similarly, I cannot deal with anything that bunches up - the wrinkles drive me up a wall. I generally prefer fairly tight stuff to avoid this. Perhaps TMI, but I cannot wear "regular" tightie-whities or boxers. I either go commando or wear bikini briefs. Footwear . . . hmmm. Shoes have to be tight enough to not slip/slide around on my foot, and have to be fairly soft - think loafers or athletic shoes. I can wear hard-soled, hard leather dress shoes for short periods, but spend the entire time thinking about how soon I can take them off. The absolute worst thing for me, though, is anything tight around my neck. I look really weird when I wear a tie, because it is impossible for me to button a "correctly" sized collar. I have to have an "oversized" collar, so I end up looking like a bobblehead doll. Turtlenecks are also out of the question. Overall, though, if the option is available, I'd rather just wear my skin.

Ya know, for someone who doesn't have many issues with clothing, that list came out longer - and much more detailed - than I would have expected.

Something to consider, for those who are sensitive to "hard" or "stiff" fabrics - try some higher-end clothing. Especially when it comes to shirts, the fabrics are much different than those found in standard quality ones. They also pay more attention to detail, so seams are flatter and more regular, so less irritating. I know that not everyone can exercise this option, but you don't have to buy them new! If you look on EBay, you can find virtually new $200 shirts for 25 bucks. Still more expensive than WalMart, I know, but not too horrible. Go to a few high end clothing stores and see which designers use fabrics you like - I've found that Bugatchi and Haupt are two that generally use GREAT fabrics. They make shirts that I actually enjoy the feeling of, and that's not usual for me.

I have some pretty distinct clothing preferences.

- I don't like things to be too tight or too loose. Tight clothing makes me uncomfortable in the sense of not wanting to be seen in it (seems like it's too revealing - not of my body, but of me, myself), but loose clothing bothers me even more (in a more sensory way) and gets in the way. I like to strike a balance sort of in the "slim-fit" area.
- I hate most tags. The occasional soft tag is tolerable, but I generally end up cutting them all out at some point because they irritate me - they're so scratchy. That includes the ones that manufacturers place along the side seams, which can end up being even worse than the collar ones.
- I hate things that hug my neck; the higher up, the worse. Turtlenecks are absolutely out for me, though I could wear looser mock-necks if I owned any (because they're low on the neck and not tight). I would never wear an "accent scarf" or shawl or any such thing, though in a cold Canadian winter, I will loosely wrap an ordinary scarf under my jacket collar if I must. Preferably not.
- I don't have a favourite fabric, but I prefer ones with some structure - not necessarily starched-crisp, but not loose and amorphous. I hate anything wool-based, anything that pills, and anything with those awful scratchy threads running through it (like in many girls' and women's plaid patterns, where one of the threads is supposed to be glittery or something; how dreadful).
- I don't like graphics. I prefer very strongly to be dressed plainly (I don't even wear patterns much, although I do own a couple of plaid shirts). The only exception I make to this is if an item of clothing contains an obscure (not an obvious) reference to something I enjoy very much (for instance, I have 3/4-sleeve shirts with references to Firefly, Bladerunner and Doctor Who; I own these because they are the perfect sleeve length for sterile-technique lab work and it was easier to obtain ones with graphics than ones without). Even these, I rarely wear - as I said, I prefer to go plainclothes.
- I hate women's shoes. Absolutely and without question. For most of my life, I would wear either running shoes (preferably the trail-running type with good traction) or day-hiking shoes (not the boot kind, the low-ankle kind). Now I wear exclusively Converse shoes (just the one pair, until they're destroyed, at which point they get replaced), but with an insole inside to combat the fact that they're totally flat and I not only don't like that, I'm pretty sure it can't be great for one's feet long-term.
- I hate boots. I don't like anything that comes up past my ankle. Even when I was a child, I refused to wear the winter boots my mother bought for me until we found some good (read: not in any way "girly" or "womanly") low- or ankle-length ones - then I proceeded still not to wear them and to go to school in several feet of snow wearing runners or day-hikers instead. The shoes I have now come to my ankle and no higher (I couldn't imagine owning the Oxford version of the Converse shoes; that just seems so low it's unbalanced), but fit and flex snugly, so they are tolerable.

What I end up wearing 99% of the time is jeans, a collared button-up shirt (long-sleeved in winter; short-sleeved in summer, when I will occasionally wear a collared polo shirt instead), and Converse shoes. Seven days a week. Fifty-two weeks a year. It saves having to actually think about this sort of thing.

Generally, I'm fine with most clothes, just as long as it fits loosely (but trousers have to be tight at the waist, though a belt sorts it out fine), and I am very very picky about socks.

I usually like cotton, wool, linen, - natural fibers and loose fitting

I usually don't like bras, underwear, tight stiff "girly" cloths

I usually preffer heavy leather boots laced tight to my foot (lots of pressure - less sensation from the sole ( with runners or moccasins I feel everything under my feet)

I must cut all tags out of my clothing

I prefer cotton or wool socks - not nylons or stockings

I like wearing the same thing - I like that I can wear the same leather jacket for years and years so it molds to my body and becomes a familiar second skin, I don't like getting a new winter coat every year (familiar cloths)

I cannot sleep on synthetic/polyester sheets or bedding

I like to walk around naked at home.

Inconsistent sizes, clingy fabrics, turtle necks or anything that's too close to the neck, loose threads and how most clothes can't flatter a larger girl. I look like I have no curves at all even when I do. Everything is either too tight or too baggy.

I hate almost all clothes. It's because fabric rubbing against body hair feels like sandpaper grating my skin. I shave my legs and arms every day, but halfway through the day stubble has regrown. Maybe I should get it all laser removed.

I'm blessed to not have many of the sensory issues people here have as well. But I can be a hardass with clothing. For jeans, I get the real expensive ones from Nordstrom - they fit me the best and they feel great, the ones with stretch move with me. For workout gear, I've pretty much settled on lululemon for the same reasons of fit and feel. As for button-up shirts, Hollister fits me well but leaves a few things to be desired for feel - I have luck with Abercrombie and Express for those. Basically for me, I don't wear things that constrict, feel funny or rough or makes me look like a slob, so to speak. My parents tortured me with sweatpants and turtlenecks when I was growing up - and I won't wear those. The weird part is, while a turtleneck feels tight and restrictive around my neck, I have no problems with wetsuits or my cycling jerseys - weird.

My bra comes off as soon as I get home. I can't stand the damned thing. I change into jogging pants or a tracksuit or something else 'unfashionable'.

Tags are the first thing I ever remember bothering me. Tags and wool. There were shirts I just wouldn't wear as a kid because of the tags (sometimes I could get my mother to remove them later). As an adult I remove tags immediately upon buying the item if they are bothersome. Thankfully, I have noticed in recent years the clothing industry seems to be making moves towards more tagless clothing.

Wool makes me itch and it also makes me allergic (sneezing, runny nose, etc). I do have a few wool items (vest, sweater) because when it is cold and snowy, well.... it does keep you warmer and dyrer than anything else. But I wear layers under it if i have to wear it. Also, if I'm going to keep a wool item I wash it in the washing machine (which you are not supposed to do). This makes it sort of felted and it does not bother me as much then (only works with certain types of yarn).

As to other types of clothing, I don't like things that are tight and binding. I hate clothes that are cotton with stretch in them, like most womens button shirts and jeans now. I have found a site to special order jeans without stretch material made to fit, which was great. I have not been able to buy jeans that I like off the rack for over 10 years. In general I wear cotton tee shirts under most everything. I like the soft brushed feeling cotton the best. My favorite fabrics are those that are soft or fuzzy (especially velvety or furry textures) and not binding. I like to "pet" nice fabrics in the store. If the fabric does not feel good, it is an automatic no.

I like to feel some types of silk but I don't generally like to wear them as clothing because: a) if it is "silky" silk, it feels cold to the touch, b) if it is non-silky or raw silk I really dislike the texture, and c) I hate the smell of the silk after it gets sweat on it.

I prefer underwear and socks that have reduced or flattened seams so they do not dig in or feel noticeable. I remember refusing to wear mended socks as a child because the place where it was mended would poke me and bother me. If my sock gets a hole, I throw it away (eventually). It's my adult luxury.

I'm fairly picky about clothing. I don't like tags (always cut them out) or visible seams that stick out and hit certain areas of my body. Wool is bothersome and makes my skin feel like it's burning, unless it is hand-washable wool. That kind is mostly okay. My pants have to be at just a certain tightness. Too loose or too tight really really kills me. Underwear has to be about 90% nylon cuz cotton looses elasticity too easily.

Turtlenecks...absolutely NO!

I used to be much worse with clothing as a kid. I used to only wear corduroy pants and, one time on vacation, all of my pants got dirty. My mom had a pair of jeans with her that she desperately wanted me to attempt wearing. I threw a fit, climbed into the car and started screaming!