Fashion! Bras & Coats

   When it comes to fashion I'm no expert by any means. I just have never liked to shop! I knowww sorry girls to disappoint you but I'm just more of the Hunting type. I have just always dread shopping. But this accident has made me try to be a little more fashionable. I think it is just me trying to compensate for the lack of an arm. I believe it is the mentality that if I look good then maybe people will look at me and not the lack of an arm. But at times the way some stare I think I could be on fire and they would never know it. They would just be like, "did you just see that one arm chick!", not "OMG that girls on fire!"ha! Being an amputee and shopping can be difficult to find clothes that you feel that is flattering. I hope to bring you some helpful ideas to make you feel more confident in what you wear. Feel free to let me know what you like to wear and what ideas you have as well.

     Lets start with the basics. After my accident I wasn't able to wear a bra for a while due to the incision and broken bones. My healing time took longer then expected therefore I needed some type of loose bra, a sports bra was too tight and I couldn't wear anything with under wire, under wire just cut into my incision line. I stumbled upon these bras at Victoria Secret they feel amazing and are adorable! They also make a cute under shirt as well. They worked well with my incision line because the bottom was lace, this allowed some give where it would just lay comfortably on top of my incision as oppose to a tight band in a regular bra. This bra also has the adjustable straps which is important so you can loosen the band up enough so that there is not pressure applied to the incision. The down side is I did feel like I was back in a training bra due to lack of support but hey! better than nothing right? 

     ttp://mobi.victoriassecret.com/bras/wireless/lace-bralette- pink?ProductID=50912&CatalogueType=OLS 

     They make other sports bras with the adjustable straps that would also be good as well you just have to make sure it is not too tight. That way you can loosen the straps up so it's not tight on the side they amputated. Now if they amputated below elbow you may not have the same issues except for with trouble fastening your bra. Still today when wearing bras I can only tolerate them for so long due to the pressure on my scar line, an I am four months post op. When I wear a more fitted sports bra working out, comfort is really important. I went and did some cardio for 30 min the other day and the pressure from mine was killing me by the end. So you never can tell.

    What I have learned is to fasten my bras first, before I put them on. Then I will put the bra on and take it off like a shirt. Then I will just leave it fastened for ease for next use. Comfort is key don't rush yourself in getting back into a bra trust me! I did it and it aggravated my incision and hello infection! At least the doctor was nice enough to send me home for a two day vacation before I came back to the ER for surgery :).  So listen to your body and take care of it!
   

Coats!

      I know that spring time is coming, but I would like to address dress coats. Now is the time to get some bargains for next year. With light coats I normally just tuck the sleeve in the pocket, but with heavy dress coats it doesn't work as well. My aunt told me about cape coats and which I tried one on and fell in love! It was perfect for me! The coat to the right is a Kenneth Cole Reaction cape. 


     Other than the cape have fun with other types of jackets such as the different lengths of the sleeves. Here are two more examples.

 

 Have fun with it and most of all be confident! And remember your beautiful!  

How-To Videos

    I know how difficult it can be learning to do things differently. Your life changes completely and I know for myself going through therapy I would often hear I was their first arm amputee. It became a challenge and a learning experience when trying to figure out how to do things one handed. Some therapists just wanted to point me to a catalog to buy a gizmo for everything, and which most devices were outrageously expensive! Then I had another therapist, a student OT, who would work with me to figure things out and make gadgets out of everyday household objects. Not only will I be providing useful videos of my own but I also will be providing you with videos that others have done as well. After my accident I would search the internet for hours looking up ways to do things, it was very frustrating. I hope you find these videos useful. Email me if you have a specific video requests.

 1.) Two Ways To Clip Your Nails With Regular Nail Clippers  One Handed:

 

 2.) Three Ways To Help You Button Your Jeans- PT 1 Using a Wire Clothes Hanger:

  3.) Three Ways To Help You Button Your Jeans- PT 2 Using A Picture Wire:

 4.) Three Ways To Help You Button Your Jeans- PT 3 Using A Tight Belt:

Hair, Nails & Fashion!!

   Living life as an amputee is difficult enough, but I believe it is even harder for women or young ladies to grow up in this society when so much emphasis is placed on appearances. We all have something we don't like about ourselves. I used to worry about my weight a lot and of course wonder if I looked too fat in an outfit. Now my mindset has flipped to, "Does my arm look to skinny in that", meaning my sleeve when I pin it to my body. Ha I never thought I'd be saying that. It's a whole new world I'm introduced to. I had to relearn everything; from fixing my hair to tying my shoes. My goal is to bring you helpful tips on clothing that has worked best for me while trying to remain fashionable, helpful tips and videos in styling ones hair and how to do ones nails. Feel free to share your ideas by posting them below or emailing me.I hope to hear from you.

 

Nails!

     What is a woman without her hair done and her nails did? Ha! In the hospital at inpatient therapy I was asked to make a list of all the things I would like to learn how to do in therapy. I was the only arm amputee they had experienced so it was more so I would give them homework and they would try to figure out the tasks. We would just work together through it day by day coming up with solutions and looking through catalogs for ideas. One important thing I wanted to know how to do was, how to paint my nails? Of course easy answer is having someone paint them or simply go to a nail salon, after all they are half off now ha! My occupational therapist had an idea of a idea of a stand to hold the nail polish cap and it was elaborated on by the OT student Whitney. So me an her put it all together and painted it and it is amazing!!! I love it! All we did was take a doll stand, which typically holds Barbies and such, and glued that to a wood slab. Then we glued small clothes pins to the piece of wood, which can hold nail files and cotton balls.  Easy as pie! Another quick way I paint my nails is I just use my mouth, I just stick nail cap in mouth and paint my nails. I do this when I don't have my board.