Design Matters: Will You Be My Accessibly Fashioned Valentine?
By Stephanie Alves, ABL Denim
We just put the bubbly away and now we’re worried about blizzards back east and El Niño out west. But let’s not think about that right now. Let’s talk about love. Love of your family, love of dear friends, love of those who are good to you. Valentine’s Day is about giving a token of gratitude. Being kind to yourself also goes in that category. On this Valentine’s Day, how about something nice to wear for yourself or someone that you care about?
Hot New Fashion Trends Made Accessible for You
In my last Abilities.com blog in the Fall of 2015, I talked about adding some punch to clothes already i
n one’s closet. Adding appliques and embroidery is an easy way to update what already exists and is a trend that continues to build. Now there’s a surprise gift that costs next to nothing.
Speaking of next to nothing, that brings me to the next trend. Valentine’s Day or not, consider lingerie and lingerie-like clothing. Ruffles and flounces and off the shoulder tops, black or pink lace with white satin slips mixed with black pants, shorts, or skirts. Wrap skirts like the one featured here are in style again and are a great accessible choice. Wear a choker with this look as they have found their 
way back in style, and are very feminine and sexy. Don’t forget the new pointy shoes!
For more rugged looks, pants are getting wider and bigger in the legs for both men and women which certainly helps add ease in dressing. Cropped, flared pants with clunky shoes or heeled boots look great for women who use wheelchairs and are short enough not to get caught in moving parts. Wear them with an enduringly trendy bomber jacket. As you can see, these jackets look great on women and, for the guys, it’s a masculine no-brainer. Need to make it easier to throw on if you’re wheelchair user? Add a zipper up the back and leave it open. Make sure it’s protected so the zipper teeth don’t rub against your body (and tear the shirt).
Loose and sporty, denim sweatpants continue as a trend for both men and women and you’ll never go wrong giving the gift of comfort and style. You’ll find them in abundance at ABL Denim. New colors for the season that can also work with denim include strong new shades of rust and green especially in looser pants and sweaters. Don’t forget to dust off that old jean jacket to mix in with these new styles!
This brings me to that perennial favorite: denim. Mixed colors, pinstripes, premium or value-priced, the authorities have been saying head to toe denim for 3 seasons now, but I have loved it forever. Just don’t try to match it. There are now adaptive versions to fit many needs. THAT’S a gift worth giving.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Bring that bubbly back out.
About the Author:
Stephanie Alves is the Founder and Designer of ABL Denim, a premium denim adaptive jean line made in U.S.A. for men, women and children.
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