I was having a conversation with one of my friends recently where they had asked me if I had any tips for clothing shopping with sensory processing issues and tactile defensiveness. In my practice, I have met many people with visual impairments that experience sensory aversions to clothing, who get overwhelmed when shopping for new clothes, or that prefer to wear the same items over and over again. Here are some of my favorite clothing shopping tips for sensory processing issues, for people of all ages.
Document the fabric fiber compositions of favorite clothing items
I noticed that one of my friends would wear a specific t-shirt at least once a week, and they mentioned that they wished that their entire t-shirt collection featured items with this fabric. While it isn’t practical to replace all of their shirts at once, I looked at the clothing tag with a magnifier to document the fabric fiber composition so that they could search for items that were made with the same material. Fabric fiber compositions are often listed on online product listings as well, and contain the percentage by weight of each fiber making up that fabric— for example, the dress I am wearing right now is 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane.
To read clothing tags, I recommend using either a video magnifier app, phone camera, or a visual assistance app, as these options make it easier to extract text and copy/paste it into another application.
Related links
- Making Clothing Stores Accessible For Low Vision
- How To Write Alt Text For Casual Outfits
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
Take measurements of the wearer’s body as well as clothing items
When I am shopping online or in-store, it helps to have accurate body measurements for myself so that I can figure out how a particular item will fit me. I also measure the dimensions of my favorite clothing items with a tape measure, and will compare the measurements of these clothing items to items I am considering purchasing— this is especially helpful when visualizing the length of dresses.
For people who cannot take measurements of their body on their own, many tailors and alterations stores provide professional measurements for a nominal fee. I was able to get measurements taken for free when I had to get a few items hemmed, which has helped me a lot when ordering items online.
Related links
- Writing Image Descriptions For Red Carpet Outfits
- Choosing Jewelry With Chronic Pain
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions For Jewelry
- Organizing Jewelry With Vision Loss
Consider online shopping
Once someone knows their measurements, sizes, and preferred clothing fabrics/styles, it can be easier to shop online compared to physical stores that can be overwhelming. I prefer to shop online over physical stores because it is easier for me to find items in my size using search filters and examine clothing labels, plus it is easier for me to make online returns than to go back to the store. Also, I tend to get overwhelmed when I have to try on a bunch of items in a set period of time, and prefer to take breaks or try on items in an environment I have control over (in terms of lighting, seating, etc.) and where I don’t have a time limit for how much time I can spend in the store.
While web accessibility barriers can make it more challenging for me to shop at certain stores if the website does not support enlarging images or doesn’t offer text scaling, I still find it easier to shop independently online from the perspective of sensory processing issues.
Related links
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions For Jewelry
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions For Online Products
- How I Use The Stylebook App With Low Vision
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
Try on clothing for 10-15 minutes and move around
I’ve tried on many clothing items that seemed comfortable when I first put them on, but after a few minutes I would discover that they restricted my movement or otherwise felt uncomfortable. When I am trying on online purchases or trying on clothing at home, I try to leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes to get an idea of how comfortable it is, and move around to see how the item fits. Of course, if an item feels itchy or uncomfortable shortly after I put it on, it goes in the “return” pile and I don’t force myself to keep wearing it.
Related links
Learn basic clothing terms
One of my friends was telling me how much they liked a sweater they had, and mentioned wanting to get more, but had no idea what the style was called or how to search for it. Learning basic fashion terminology and garment vocabulary is helpful for people who are trying to figure out what types of items they like the best or which items are completely uncomfortable.
Some examples of helpful terms to learn include:
- Necklines. For example, my friend discovered they love cowl neck sweaters, but hated turtlenecks
- Fabric patterns and/or types. Some people may have a strong dislike of certain patterns or fabric types/textures
- Silhouettes for dresses and skirts. I love a fit and flare dress or A-line skirt
- Pant styles. This is inclusive of jeans and other types of pants
Buy used/secondhand items from favorite brands
A few of my friends that experience tactile defensiveness have mentioned that they like to buy used or secondhand items from certain clothing brands because the items come pre-washed and are often softer than brand new clothing. Many online secondhand shopping stores like ThredUp allow users to filter by brand, size, clothing category, and even fabric. I’m also a fan of GEM, which makes it easier to search for secondhand clothing online across multiple websites.
Some brands have their own resale or authorized partners for secondhand items, some of which ship directly from the company. Examples of websites I have used include Allbirds ReRun and Pact Circle.
Related links
- GEM | Find Secondhand Clothing Online
- ThredUp | An Online Thrift Store
- Organizing Shoes With Vision Loss
- My Favorite Shoes For Chiari Malformation
Choose items that can be layered
I have a secondary medical condition that affects my ability to regulate body temperature, and this can extend to clothing sensitivities. For this reason, I try to buy clothing items that can be layered whenever possible, and add/remove layers throughout the day as necessary. One example is choosing sleeveless dresses and tops that can be layered with a longer sleeved jacket or sweater, instead of layering two long sleeve items, which can feel uncomfortable.
Related links
- Classroom Accommodations For POTS
- Tips For Going To Prom With Chronic Illness
- Bedding Hacks For Chiari Malformation
Other clothing shopping tips for sensory processing issues
- My everyday wardrobe consists mostly of the same items in multiple colors, because I like the familiarity of knowing what items will feel like and not having to think about items restricting movement or being distracted by uncomfortable or unfamiliar textures. This includes dresses from Pact and specific styles of slip-on shoes that don’t have laces.
- Some people with clothing sensitivities may have a strong aversion or preference for items of a certain color, even if they have no usable vision. For example, one of my blind friends loves the color neon orange, while another friend has a strong dislike for green
- Compression garments such as leggings can be layered under dresses or tunic tops for wearers that prefer deep pressure
- While this post doesn’t cover tips for sensory processing issues specifically, all clothes do need to be laundered at some point— check out strategies for doing laundry with low vision at Tips For Doing Laundry In College With Low Vision
Published July 1, 2020. Updated November 2025