Visual impairment can be identified as a loss in the ability to see to a certain extent and is a condition that is not fixable by interventions such as glasses or surgery. On the other hand, blindness is the complete loss of vision due to injury, disease, or a genetic condition. Both visual impairment and blindness come with daily struggles that others with more functioning vision may not have to face, such as dressing themselves. There are several ways to overcome the challenge of creating your style, setting up your closet, and getting dressed. Whether it be labeling laundry, utilizing sighted help, or preparing outfits beforehand, there are many options to effortlessly and efficiently get dressed as a visually impaired person.
Choosing Your Style When You're Visually Impaired
Choosing your style is no easy feat, and doing it with impaired vision makes it a significant challenge. With so many things to consider, such as color palettes, design choices, and outfit combinations, it can become an overwhelming task for someone with low vision. When it comes to choosing your style of clothing, some tips and tricks you can use as a visually impaired person include:
- Work with a stylist.
- Shop with a friend or loved one.
- Ask the store associate, or personal shopper, for assistance in describing the clothing.
- If you have low vision, bring an extra source of light and a magnifying glass to ensure that you can see the clothing as clearly as possible.
- Prepare your sizing, color options, and style preferences beforehand.
When completing this task, it is beneficial to engage sighted help in the initial process. Speaking with trusted sources is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, receive feedback from those who know you best, and gather all the necessary information you need to create your desired wardrobe. Once you have locked down your style, it will be easier to shop moving forward, as you will have a guideline for yourself and others to follow to build your wardrobe.
Closet Organization for the Visually Impaired
Once you've discovered your style and collected some clothing items, it is crucial to organize your closet in a way that is manageable and easy to navigate when it's time to get dressed. The proper closet organization will ensure that you are aware of the clothes you are putting on without needing help from someone else. To accomplish this, label your clothes, utilize storage systems, and create preset wardrobe combinations.
Labeling your clothes is a great way to incorporate tools for the visually impaired to know what you are handling. For example, using braille clothing identifiers allows you to label the clothing item based on color, clothing type, and other notable attributes. Braille clothing identifiers can be sewn on clothes so, once washed, they stay on and do not have to be reapplied.
Utilizing storage systems unique to your different types of clothing items is another great way to organize your closet as a visually impaired person. Using different storage container sizes and styles in your closet allows you to locate items. You can store items in categories based on color, clothing type, shoes, jewelry, fabric, and other factors.
Creating preset wardrobe combinations can be tedious at first. However, it is a great way to quickly and easily get dressed daily as a blind or visually impaired person. This task is best done with help, as a sighted person may be able to guide you in planning outfits that coordinate with each other. Once selected, they should be placed on the same hanger system and labeled for your future use.
Getting Dressed as A Blind Person
You've set up your closet and labeled your clothing items, but now comes the task of getting dressed. As a visually impaired or blind person, your greatest challenge in getting dressed will be ensuring that your clothes are on correctly, not backward or inside out. With most clothing items, finding the sewn-in tag tells you where the back of the clothing item is. However, some clothing tags are printed or placed on the sides, making this confusing.
If there are no tags or they are in an unhelpful position, you should rely on your closet organization to assist you. When hanging your clothes, place them on your hanger in a manner that helps you identify the front and back of the clothing item. The placement of your labeling system could also be in a way that allows you to know the position of your clothes. For example, your braille clothing identifiers can be where sizing tags would typically be, indicating the back of the clothing item.
Overcoming Obstacles
Being a visually impaired or blind person comes with its own set of challenges, but those challenges come with their solutions. When it comes to getting dressed, choosing your style, organizing your closet, and learning to put your clothes on correctly can be overwhelming. However, as you identify your unique style, master labeling and organization, and get acquainted with getting dressed, it becomes an easier daily task that requires less effort and time.