so i am newly in a wheelchair which has been a Massive gain in my ability to go out and about. but i realized that i have aprox 0 clothes that look Good while seated. its a completely different silhouette and i am at a loss as to what to do for it. do you have any suggestions for what could look good seated? preferably no skirts or dresses.
Congrats on chair acquisition!!
Since you're sending this to me specifically I am working under the assumption that you mean to do some amount of sewing.
A high waisted silhouette definitely works best for sitting. I make all my pants with the waistband at my natural waist, and a bit of pleating or gathering at the back just like they did on 18th century breeches, and I've never noticed any particular discomfort from sitting in them. (I think high waisted pants are more comfortable in general, and that low rise jeans are evil.)
It's something I've never really thought about before, but sitting is a very legs-forward position, so perhaps a colourful or fancy stripe down the side would work well.
(I made this pair 10 years ago and they didn't fit well and are long gone, but I should do a better version someday...)
Or some other form of side seam decoration, like these fabulous button tabs.
(I don't know what the source for this mid 19th century fashion plate is.)
Cropped jackets would also be good. The first thing that comes to mind for me is the Carmagnole, which was a style worn by French revolutionaries. It's got a pretty similar cut to a regular 1790's coat, just shorter.
(Source)
(Source)
And there are other styles of short jacket, like this one from a few decades later.
I think it might be possible to get a similar effect from cutting down a thrifted corduroy jacket, depending on the pocket placement? It's not something I've done myself though.
A fancy little bolero could be a lot of fun too! I quite like these ones made by Marlowe Lune. Super easy to sew, and could be patterned by cutting down a bigger pattern that fits the torso.
They'd be a good thing to try if you have a smallish piece of fancy fabric, or a small bit trim to use, or want to try a small amount of embroidery.
There are lots of historical styles with sleeves too, and all sorts of decorations.
(Dunno the source for this one either, unfortunately, but the pin says 1880s reception dress. I think a little jacket like that would look good with a puffy shirt and pants.)
Short capes might be practical too, and the late 19th and early 20th century have tons of fancy capelets for inspiration, like this one.
Or this one.
I hope this is somehow helpful! I don't know if you're looking to sew things from scratch or to buy and alter stuff or what, and I have no personal experience using a wheelchair, but these are the best things I can think of for a suitable silhouette. Dramatic sleeve/shoulder puffs would also be shown off to great effect, if that's something you'd like to wear.
Adisabledicon on IG has started sewing her own adaptive clothing and talks about specific patterns that she has used as a base for ideas!
Thank you!! Actual wheelchair users are infinitely more qualified to give advice on this than I am!
@sybilhallward also suggested https://izadaptive.com/
Hello! actual wheelchair user into historical fashion here!!! we don't have *much* overlap since i prefer skirts and dresses however i can still give a few tips!
having things sit or end at the waist is good advice, it make the silhouette nicer and importantly: does not put the bulk on your hips. Generally, i like to avoid bulk or seams at my hips because I've found that gets painful fast, and makes it hard to sit!
Additionally, if you sew for yourself, and you haven't done so already: Retake your measurements while sitting!!!!! I know i have to add a few inches to my waist and subtract a few from my inseam so that they look nice whil I'm in my chair. keep in mind your thighs will also be more compressed!
If you have a manual wheelchair, make certain to keep anything within two or three inches of your wrists well-fitted, especially to avoid them puffying out and getting Wheel Gunk on them.
Also, I would invest in things to secure clothing. Somehow, I find my clothes frequently need re-adjusted, and when your hands (or hand, for electric) is what keeps you moving... having to stop to re-adjust clothes can get frustrating! So, pins, clasps, ect!
If you do not have a tie-on pocket, I found making myself one was a very smart idea. Bernadette Banner has a video on making them, but I adjusted the pattern to be smaller, because again, bulk can quickly become Too Much when in a chair. The reason this pocket is a life saver is because I've found many pockets sit too high up close to my hip joint and too far to the side to be properly useful, because i just Cannot get my hands in, nor can I actually Store things in there. but a tie on pocket can be tied at the waist and shifted to sit further towards the front of my body!
Furthermore, here's something fun: no one will ever see the back of your waistband ever again. if something has pleats you need to take out, take them out from the back first, and you won't need to redo them because no one will see (and also pleats hurt to sit on).
Agreeing with Vincent that decorations along the front of pants will look very snazzy!!! side could be nice, but isn't as likely to be visible, though it varies person to person!
And, for any modern fashion you may or may not wear: i find shorter pants/trousers tend to look best if they hit at or below the knee. Especially if you have belly fat (not a bad thing!!!!!!) , your tummy will cover will cover the top few inches of your thighs making things look much shorter, and also you just don't wanna flash people from the front.
Another good thing for manual wheelchairs is you'll want to make certain you have flexibikity in your shoulder and upper arm, so ensuring you have a good fit on your arm scye is a must!!
also... depending on your height, avoid super tall hats (i.e. stovepipes.) people will be viewing you top-down, so a medium or short length hat might work best!!
also: Congratulations on the chair!!! I hope it serves you well for many years to come, and that you teo get to go on many amazing adventures together!!!!!
now, i believe i need to make myself a capelet for winter...