Basics of Style for the Disabled

Comfortable Fit
Every injury or physical condition is different, and there is no one trick of tailoring that can make a universally comfortable and convenient garment. However, there will be specific alterations that benefit each individual — different alterations for different men, but all possible in the hands of a skilled tailor. While custom-made or “bespoke” clothing is more expensive than off-the-rack or made-to-measure, it offers the opportunity to talk one on one with an expert who can suit pockets, sleeves, fasteners, and other internal details to individual need.
At the very least, tailored alterations should be able to make an off-the-rack suit fit better, altering the shape of the garment where the wearer’s body needs it. A fit that is comfortable at all points and drapes neatly over your frame should be the primary goal of all clothing-seeking men, and even more so for the gentleman with a handicap.
Style Suited to Personal Needs
Beyond offering convenient dressing and comfortable wear, quality men’s clothing should have the relationship the wearer desires with his body. Some men prefer to conceal or de-emphasize physical conditions that affect the shape of their bodies, while others choose to dress in a simpler and more revealing manner — neither approach is wrong, and the choice is always the gentleman’s.
Clothing should be selected to achieve the desired result, whatever it may be — ignoring a disability entirely and simply draping off-the-rack clothing over it is unlikely to be flattering, while adjusting it allows a personal statement to be made about the wearer’s relationship with his physical condition.
Distinctive Personal Style
Just as the man of unusual height or weight seeks to be remembered for more than the shape of his body, a handicapped man wants to be remembered as an individual, not as a visual impression. A strong personal style gives the viewer something to focus on other than the shape of the man’s body, and allows the man to define himself on his own terms. Distinctive clothing will help set a handicapped man apart as someone who wants to be set apart and remembered, not as someone who can’t help drawing attention.