Clothing bothering the front of my neck

Post Reply New Topic

Like a lot of us on here, clothing bothers the front of my neck.

I'm not able to wear crew neck shirts; my tee shirts are all v-neck. Then as for button-down shirts, I have to leave the top 2 buttons unbuttoned.

Luckily I don't live somewhere with frigid winters. Because scarfs are totally out of the question.

My question is: Is there any type of therapy to help me overcome my aversion to clothing around the front of my neck? Because it's pretty debilitating.

I have the same aversion.
I've never heard of any therapy for it.
Is there any reason why you have to wear clothing that touches the front of your neck e.g. work uniform etc.?
Perhaps it would be better to negotiate clothing options if that's the case.

I think an occupational therapist can help with sensory sensitivities, but I'm not sure how available this type of therapy is or how relevant it would end up being for this specific issue. You could try talking to your GP or another health professional to see if they have any recommendations.

I also struggle with clothing touching my neck, especially at the front. I used to cut the collars out of crew-neck shirts completely, which helped a lot. Unfortunately, I'm not good with sewing or clothing modification, so while that solution worked, it didn't look all that nice. These days, I either buy shirts/tops that don't touch the front of my neck at all, or--for crew-neck shirts--I prioritize the softest material I can get and just stretch the collar out a little by hand, which helps widen it without making it look obviously modified. I also try to be very careful about what kinds of jackets I buy/wear because I find that even if the shirt I'm wearing is usually okay, certain jackets can pull the collars backward just enough that they end up putting pressure on my neck anyway.

You've probably already considered the above options, but I thought I'd share just in case any of it is helpful. I hope you find solutions that work for you.

Luckily I don't have to wear bothersome clothing.

However, I've been known to get judgmental comments over my wardrobe (never by a boss though).

Example: One day a coworker commented on the fact I was taking my break indoor. I told him it's too cold outside. He replied "Maybe if you buttoned up, you wouldn't be cold"

Another example: I know I said we don't get cold enough to need scarves. However, we at least get cold enough to need a coat during winter. One time when I was outside during winter, a person I was with said "zip up your coat." (For reference, my coat was zipped up maybe 60%. I guess that wasn't good enough in their opinion)

In both cases, little did the other party know, I would have LOVED to button up my shirt more (or zip up my coat more). I don't WANT to live like this. I just have an aversion to clothing getting too close to my neck.

Also, in general, it limits my wardrobe options.