Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts

Sunday, 27 August 2017

Where to Buy Fashionable Medical Grade Compression Stockings in Australia.

[Image: a woman's legs lie on some colourful velvet cushions. She wear yellow compression stockings (Kings Cross Yellow, last season's German Juzo colour range and deep red shoes with bow ties. In the distance a white chair and wall can be seen along with a plug, fairy lights and the edge of a couch.]


Here is the fair old land of Oz purchasing medical grade compression stockings, particularly fashionable compression stockings, can be a frustrating and difficult endeavour for a number of reasons.
  1. It can be incredibly expensive. Even the most basic of compression styles, particularly if you also want quality and a medium to high medical grade compression level, are going to put a large dent in your purse. 
  2. There are few places in Australia selling anything more than the basic beige, black and navy version. Fashionable options can take a lot of time and determination to find. 
  3. Compression socks in a range of styles can often be sourced but stockings either thigh high or waist high are not so easy to find.
  4. We often have purchase our compression stockings from overseas companies. 
  5. With exchange rates at present this can be incredibly expensive.
  6. Some companies postage rates are also prohibitive. 
  7. There are a number of companies selling compression stockings that are not medical grade compression eg Scholl. They are cheap and more easily accessible but in the end if you are purchasing on the advice of your Dysautonomia specialist you need a medical grade level of compression. (It is suggested that waist high 30-40mmHg are the preferred strength and length for Dysautonomia. However given that many patients also experience abdominal pain a lot of patients still find adequate relief from the use of maternity stockings which have less stomach compression and thigh high options. Additionally 30-40mmHg can be incredibly hard to put on if you have any hand weakness or joint instability and many, myself included, use 20-30mmHg with success.)
So what to do and where do you start?

Australian Companies:
(Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, just a starting point.)


Appliance and Limb Company (now part of Oapl): One of the few local companies selling Juzo compression wear (socks, thigh and waist high, maternity and also arm sleeves and gauntlets) in both the US and German colour series are Sydney rehabilitation company Appliance and Limb Company (now part of the Oapl group). Currently there isn't an option for online sales and you must either ring or email the company. There is also a requirement for a doctors prescription for compression stockings (including the grade of compression). I have used this company a couple of times and while the ordering process is somewhat cumbersome and frustrating at times, it does provide the one of the cheaper access routes to the German range of Juzo colours (see video below).
Update: Oapl will be putting the Juzo in their online shop, with a PayPal option in coming months so the process to buy them should be far more streamlined than it has been.




Sigvaris Australia: Sigvaris have an Melbourne-based shop front where you can both purchase and be fitted for compression stockings. Sigvaris have a selection of four colours currently available (see below) as well as the Allure range (see my review of the Allure here). They also have a listing of local distributors where you can also purchase these versions. Sigvaris also has a FB page and are reasonably responsive.




Compression Socks Shop: as the name suggests Compression Socks Shop stock a large range of compression socks in some amazing colours and patterns. If you are one of the lucky Dysautonomia patients who can get away with socks instead of stockings this company has a large and ever changing range from a number of different brands. They also have a limited range of lower grade (Class 1 or 18-22mmHg) colours (eg Bordeaux is a mulberry colour) and basic colours in a medium grade (Class 2 or 23-32mmHg) in compression stockings in waist high and maternity.

2XU: Australian athletic company 2XU has a limited range of products which range up into the medium range of medical compression (around the 22-30mmHg range and some lower ranges). For those who prefer a more athletic look as opposed to the traditional medical compression stockings these can provide a nice alternative. Additional bonuses with 2XU are that they are easy to purchase both online and in multiple sporting outlets, and even better, they often have sales where you can pick up both socks and leggings at great prices.

Below are some 2XU options that fall in a Class/Grade II or Moderate compression range.
(NB: all of these are footless tights. Depending on how poor your peripheral perfusion is these may not be an option. Speaking as someone who ends up with purple sausage toes or feet from toeless compression stockings and compression tights it is important to consider this aspect of presentation when selecting compression options.)

Power Recovery Compression Tights (20-30mmHg - Firm)
Refresh Recovery Tights (20-25mmHg - Firm)
MCS Run Compression Tight (23-26mmHg - Firm)
Mid-rise Compression Tight (22-25mmHg - Moderate/Firm)
MCS Cross Training Compression Tights (23-26mmHg - Moderate/Firm)
Chemists: most local chemists will offer at least one brand of compression stockings (Jobst seems most popular and was what I was offered first up at my local chemist). Lower grade or non-medical compression can usually be bought off the shelf. However higher grade ones need to be ordered in. Some chemists will offer a fitting service and some will require a doctor's prescription. It's a case of going into your local chemist or giving them a ring to see what they offer. This can be a reasonable starting spot if you are new to compression stockings.

Private and Custom Fitting: there are a variety of companies that offer custom fitting. This can be a good option if your body proportions don't fit well with the structure of mass produced stockings or if you have a specific medical need. It is worth ringing your local OT or Physiotherapist to see what companies are available in your area. Some orthotics clinics can also offer this service. Just a heads up that custom fitting is usually quite expensive. (Oapl and Vennosan are two companies that come to mind for custom compression)



Other Australian-based companies that offer basic brand specific stocking options are:

Bauerfeind Australia:  Bauerfeind Australia offer free postage for the VenoTrain range of compression stockings. I did also find a Melbourne-based orthotics centre Melbourne Orthotics who are able to get Bauerfeind products in if you already know what you want/need.

Venosann


BSN Medical stock Jobst products.


International Companies:

The options to purchase compression stockings from overseas are too extensive to list completely here. Instead I'll list a couple of the main companies that are used by local patients. Currently US companies are a little cheaper than European companies due to the exchange rate.

Brightlife Direct: US based company Brightlife Direct offer a wide range of compressionwear including fashionable options from brands including Juzo, Rejuvahealth and Sigvaris. Brightlife Direct have a great social media presence and have been very supportive of the Dysautonomia community. Their blog is also a great source of information on topics such as the best sheers, to how to get the wrinkles out of your compression stockings. They have also been very receptive to Australian consumers concerns about issues such as the exchange rate and postage costs often offering up special codes to help with costs. I have purchased stockings through Brightlife Direct with no problems to date.

Compressionstockings.com: US based Compressionstockings.com also offers a wide range of compressionwear including similar fashionable options from brands including Juzo, Jobst and Sigvaris. I have purchased stockings through Compressionstockings.com with no issues however I have heard others in Australian patient groups who have experienced issues with the company. The main complaint has been in relation to communication. Given that we are in a different time zone getting in touch with the company if there are problems with delivery or product is generally through email and this has proven problematic according to some of the messages I have been sent.

Compressionsale: Similar to Brightlife Direct and Compressionstockings.com, US based Compressionsale also offers a wide range of stocking options. I haven't purchased from Compressionsale but have had favourable reports from other Australian patients who have.

Rejuvahealth: US based Rejuvahealth was one of the first companies next to Juzo that I discovered in my hunt for fashionable compression. Sadly their range of thigh high and waist high fashionable compression has shrunk in favour of an extensive compression sock range (in the photo below is their lovely floral pattern they used to stock. I reviewed them here). You can still sometimes pick up their lovely Black Sheer Dot pattern stockings on the site and on other end of line sites. The main prohibitive aspect of Rejuvahealth is that there postage is quite expensive compared to other similar companies.


Tramps Fashion Compression Hoisery: Tramps is a relative newby on the fashionable compression scene. I first wrote about them back in 2016 when they popped up in my searches with what often feels elusive, patterned compression stockings. While patterns and compression can be found in upperlimb brands like Lymphedivas or in compression socks, the compression stocking market has been very slow to adopt any printed options (Juzo do a tie-dyed(US) and batik (German) print, as well as some lover level compression leggings in their Signature range, Sigvaris offer the Allure and Jobst the Ultra Sheer Patterned, Rejuvahealth did for a time offer some great prints.).  Tramps offers the Bryanna Cheetah Jacquard in the 25-30mmHg range and Bryanna High Waist and Jocelynne Hip Hugger is some vibrant colours.

Zulily: US based retailer Zulily can be another source for end of line compression stockings. It's a bit of pot luck what turns up, but if you already have an account then it's easy to check out their compression stocking and compression sock sections.



That pesky thing called 'cost'.

Quality compressionwear is a significant financial investment. The more unique the item the more the cost. Items manufactured to specific individual measurements can be incredibly expensive. The financial burden of compressionwear continues to be a major factor for patients as not all insurance companies or government suppliers will pay for compression wear, or will only provide the most basic of styles. But there are a number of ways to cut costs.

Private Health Insurance: If you have Private Health Insurance get your doctor to write you a prescription for your stockings. Depending on your insurance provider and how you have structured your scheme, you can sometimes get all or at least part of the cost of the stockings back through your insurance company.

Sign up and First purchase discounts: A number of sites will offer buyers a discount on their first purchase. These discounts can range from 15-20% which can be a considerable benefit on a tight budget.

Coupons: There are a wide range of coupon sites offering discounts for various compressionwear websites and specific brands. Simply Google coupons and the brand or company you prefer and see what comes up. Most coupons are time limited so if you find a good one get on it pronto!

Sales: Most websites will have a sale section These can provide you with considerable savings (50-70% in some cases). For example at the time of writing, Rejuvahealth have some lower strength, 15-20mmHg, patterned pantyhose down to $30US score! Get on that people. End of season colours often come up in the sales a month or two after the change over. You sometimes have to put in the hard yards and search but if you have a colour or style you like for the last season pop it in Google and see who has any left. It can be pot luck as to sizes, styles and lengths available but I've scored some bargains over the years. If you're after a pair of stockings to wear under jeans or long skirts the world's your oyster with well known sites like Zulily having reputable brands at bargain basement prices.

Shop around for postage: Postage is the nemesis of anyone living in the Southern Hemisphere. Current rates can be highly prohibitive even if the stockings themselves are a bargain. Sometimes it is worth contacting a company to see if they will take pity on us poor folk down under and be willing to wave their postage or at the least provide a discount.

Shop local: Related to the postage issue is the currency exchange rate. Our piddly little AU$ is doing it tough when ordering from OS. However, sometimes local distributors can provide a cheaper option. For example here in Australia The Appliance and Limb Centre can source Juzo Softs from both Germany and the US at a much cheaper rate than using OS suppliers at present. Always keep an eye on exchange rates. Given the uncertainty of world events such as the recent Brexit, exchange rates can change rapidly. 

You get what you pay for: There are many companies selling compression stockings for next to nothing. I saw some fabulous Beetlejuice-style black and white ones out of China for $10US be still my heart! But alas, when I contacted the company it became clear that we differed on the definition of 'compression'. With cheaper versions it is often hard to find out the exact compression rate and if the compression is graduated. Many companies wont respond or respond with automated emails with little to no detail.

Whilst compression stockings can be fashionable they are first and foremost a medical device and like any medical device you shouldn't scrimp on quality. If the compression is poorly designed it may not perform properly and can lead to problems in how fluids are returned. Remember we are buying these stockings to help with a medical problem. It is better to save up and buy one good quality pair of stockings from a reputable brand, than to have five cheap, but dodgy, pairs.

Sizing.

Brightlife Direct now have a size/brand calculator the Brightlife Direct Size Calculator which I tried out the other day. It's a great option if you are just starting out looking at compression stockings and are feeling overwhelmed at what to buy. You simply put in your measurements and style you're after and it pumps out a list of brands that may suit. To give you an idea of how it works I popped in my measurements and usual length and compression. As you can see below it suggested a number of products that may work for me. I would always recommend double checking a brands individual sizing to be sure, simply because it can be such an expensive outlay, but this is a great starting point.
For more on compression wear 
check out:


Compressions Stockings from Beige to Brilliant Guide. My basic guide to selecting and buying compressionwear. I wrote this way back in 2012 and it's still one of my most popular posts.

Fashionable Compression stockings: 2016 Update Options and New Tips.

Metamorphosis: marketing Medical Compression as Fashionable and Transforming the Narrative around Disability.

Below are a few reviews for different brands I have purchased over the years and a bit of a tongue in cheek post about how I style my compression stockings.

Compression Stocking Review: Sigvaris 712N Allure 20-30mmHg patterned Thigh High Compression Stockings with Lace Silicon Border in Black.

Rejuvahealth Review.

Allegro, Microfibre 20-30mmHg Black Thigh High Compression Stocking Review

LympheDiva Gauntlet Review

Fashion blogging is not for the faint of heart

Go forth and good luck with your purchasing.

Michelle

I've been listening to the Waifs while writing so it only seems fair to have one of their songs as my musical accompaniment today. I love these lines every time I hear this particular song.


You say that I shouldn't be so

Vague, inattentive, a law to myself

I guess that I live in a world of my own

And all that I know now is all that I've known
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Yet again I am reminded that the Australian Fashion Industry does not see me.

(Elle Hungary featured amputee Reka Lukoviczki (aka Robot Girl) on their Love Your Body cover).

This morning I awoke to see a video of a fashion parade in Ethiopia featuring disabled people. The project created by the Ethiopian Fashion Designers Association included designs by 15 different fashion designers. The clothes were fashionable and stylish. During the accompanying package of the the designers, Tseday KebeDe, spoke about the need to design for disabled bodies. And importantly,
that fashion is for everyone. 

My usual morning scroll through Instagram showed the stunning Jillian Mercardo gracing another magazine cover (below). This time photography magazine, Glassbook  In demand, this US disabled model has graced multiple magazines, and been involved in multiple campaigns, including  Beyonce's Formation campaign.
 



A few posts down and the beautiful Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes is featured in the pages of Harper's Bazaar Mexico wearing Dior. The talented French actress, artist, activist and model, is regularly seen in fashion campaigns.


 A quick look around and the trend of including more disabled models in fashion campaigns overseas continues.

Model Alexandra Kutas made her debut at Ukraine Fashion Week in 2015. She continues to has grace runways is gorgeous designer gowns. 



(Alexandra Kutas. Photo Credit Andrey Sarymsakov, from his Break Their Chains project)

Lebohang Monyatsi  (aka The Rolling Goddess) is gracing runways and photo shoots in her native South Africa.

(Lebohang Monyatsi; Maboneng Fashion Week 2016)

Latvian-born, British model, singer, song-writer, DJ and Bionic Pop Artist Viktoria Modesta embraces avant garde. She has graced many a fashion magazine and fashion show and is an ambassador for bespoke prosthetics company The Alternative Limb Company.

(Image: Viktoria Modesta wearing the Spike Leg, created by Sophie de Olivera Brata and Kaos Art, Fitted at Ability Matters Clinic, Photographed by Ewelina Stechnij and Lukasz Suchorab.)

Haitian- American blogger Mamacaxx describes herself as "Survivor, Blogger and  Role Model". She is also an Alleles Ambassador (Alleles manufacture stylish covers for prosthetics.). Her Instagram is a stunning fashion journey. She has featured in multiple magazines and continues to dismantle preconceived ideas around what disabled should be and should look like.



The fabulous American model Melanie Gaydos has featured in multiple campaigns. In particular high end and experimental fashion.

A post shared by Melanie Gaydos (@melaniegaydos) on

US based artist and model Caitin Stickels aka Caitin kitten is yet another disabled model demonstrating the beauty of difference. Her V Magazine shoot is simply stunning.



American actress and model Jamie Brewer (love her in American Horror Story) has walked in New York Fashion Week and been featured in various inclusive fashion campaigns.


These are but a handful of the disabled models working around the world. Featuring in magazines and on runways.

Australia does have disabled models.

Madeline Stuart has walked in New York Fashion Week amongst others and has featured in numerous magazines, and now has her own clothing line, 21 Reasons Why.


The lovely Angel Dixon recently featured in Target's new campaign and has walked overseas for brands such Bezgraniz Couture.



Last year model and athlete, the gorgeous Robyn Lambird (I have serious hair envy) also appeared in a Target campaign.

A post shared by Robyn The Trex Lambird (@robynlambird) on


Yet here in Australia I am yet to pick up a magazine, other than a Target catalogue, and see a disabled model. I can flip through everything from Australian Women's Weekly to Vogue and no where do disabled models appear. (Update: Turia Pitt is currently on the cover of Australian Women's Weekly as the featured interview. Whilst not modelling per se, her position on the front of a such an iconic and well-known magazine is still incredibly powerful given how few people with facial difference appear in, let alone on the front cover, of well-known magazines. Of note her first cover in 2014, was the biggest selling of that year.)

When brands and companies proudly announce they are embracing diversity, disability is never part of the campaign (Think Vogue's 2017 attempt at a diversity cover. Problematic for so many reasons, one of which was their continued obliviousness to disability in their diversity brainstorming. Or local company Myer in 2016 alerting us to their new enlightened direction to move beyond the overwhelming whiteness in their shows. With no mention of age, size, or, disability.)

Brands continue to pat themselves on the back for embracing different races, plus-sized models and more recently older models, (which is all fantastic) 
but disability continually fails to be included in the mix.


Which leads to the question: do disabled people simply not exist in the minds of the Australian fashion industry?

I am a disabled 44-year-old woman who loves fashion. I use a walking stick and a wheelchair. I wear compression stockings. I dress up nearly every day. I celebrate self-expression through fashion. And I want to see myself and other disabled people represented on the catwalk and in the pages of multiple magazines. I want to know that the Australian fashion industry sees me, embraces me and values my existence. While I did love seeing Angel Dixon in the Target campaign recently, I am acutely aware how rare this experience is. With adults with disabilities largely forgotten by the industry.

I am not alone in my frustration. It is one shared by many other disabled people in Australia. Many of us, myself included, have not been happy to accept the status quo, instead creating our own fashion world on platforms such as Instagram (was rather excited to be part of this article by Revelist). We share our fashion expression and tips for dressing with style when using various mobility aides. We share knowledge of brands embracing disability (eg Target, Nordstrum, FTL Moda) or creating specifically with disability in mind (eg Bezgraniz Couture, Sue, Vanilla Blush). We note those companies who see our adaptive needs as a means to express ourselves (eg Alleles, Adaptive Limb Company, LympheDivas, Top and Derby, IzzyWheels).  In the process our presence is actively challenging societal perceptions of what disability looks like and how we live our lives.

Disabled people are actively engaging in fashion. 
Why isn't the industry here in Australia engaging with us? 

The vast majority of fashion brands including, or actively making clothing for disabled people are still located overseas (with current dollar conversion rates and postage, frequently making them inaccessible to Australian residents).

When will we see the same push for the inclusion and valuing of disabled people by the fashion industry here in Australia? We are continuing to lag behind the rest of the world when it comes to disabled models on the runway and in fashion magazines. Target and Kmart are still two of the few companies here in Australia including disabled models in their advertising, especially when it comes to adult fashion.

Organisations such as Startling with Julius are actively advocating for the inclusion of disabled people in advertising. Thanks to their hard work there has been a slow but perceptible increase in the inclusion of disabled children in campaigns. However adult representation apart from the aforementioned campaigns, remains sorely lacking.

It's not good enough.

In Australia 1 in 5 people are living with some form of disability (roughly 4,756,000 people). Why aren't we represented in advertising, in magazines or on the catwalk? Overseas numerous fashion weeks and magazines are including disabled models. From Russia to Ethiopia, South Africa to Mexico, Japan, the USA, Hungary, the Ukraine, the UK, the Netherlands, the list goes on, all have included disabled models. If they can see the value of inclusion and embrace the beauty of difference why don't we?

I ask the Australian fashion industry once again,

"Why don't you see me?"

Michelle

Musical accompaniment had to be the amazing Viktoria Modesta with Prototype.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Thursday, 30 March 2017

Metamorphosis: Marketing Medical Compression as Fashionable and Transforming the Narrative around Disability and Illness.

[Image: Nine photos 3x3 showing me wearing a variety of colourful compression stockings in a variety locations. The photos are all from the last year and reflect my changing hair colour from green to purple to pink. I am seated, in my wheelchair and standing with my walking stick.]

Note: The Juzo, Mediven, and Sue websites I've linked are not in English. Each page should give you a translation option, otherwise there is a translation icon that should pop up in the right side of the URL bar.


*****


Recently, the promotional video for the new season trend colours, was released by the German arm of compressionwear company, Juzo.



I sat watching with a huge grin on my face. Not only were the colours fabulous (Happy Red is a personal favourite), but the promotional video and the behind the scenes short film both framed medical grade compression in an energised, stylish, more inclusive and fashionable manner, not unlike what you would see for any fashion brand. A rarity in a market that sees clinical practicality as it's primary driving force.

This is not the first time I have been struck by Juzo's attempt to merge fashion into the medical grade compression world. In 2015 they released a similar video for their Urban Jungle range (below is the behind the scenes video for the range).


(The 2015 campaign sent me in search of their products. And the bright Kings Cross Yellow in particular became a favourite that I frequently wear.)


Both videos have moved medical grade compression stockings from the clinical, sterile, medical domain to a fun, stylish and normalised aspect of life. There is also a move away from a product primarily aimed at an elderly market (mind you 43 or 73 I want a bit of wow in my compression stockings) or a practical work component (eg nurses often wear compression stockings as they are on their feet all day).

Juzo are not the only company to actively seek to reposition their compression stockings away from a purely medical product to a fashionable product. Mediven showcased their Elegance range at Berlin Fashion Week 2016 (read more here). I love their write up and the photos showing how integrating medical grade compression and stylish fashion can be effortless and looks fantastic.



Both the Juzo and Mediven campaigns are exciting. They mark a distinct move in the market: where fashion has become an important part of design. This is a move that those of us who purchase these products have been seeking for a long time. It also represents a realisation that real people are wearing their products and that fashion matters to those wearers. This is a distinct move from a traditional medical products market that has historically designed for, and targeted, large organisations who's purchasing guidelines are based on practicality and fiscal responsibility.

The disability and illness communities have their own purchasing powers and no longer rely exclusively on organisations to provide them with products such as these. The proliferation of online shopping means that we are no longer beholden to the dictates of the medical system where we are told what is on offer and what we will receive. In a sense the middle man is removed from the equation and some companies are recognising that they need to market to the individual user. Though cost continues to be a limiting factor for many on low incomes and for those of us living in the Southern Hemisphere where postage and a poor $AU can create an added level of financial burden. Options to decrease costs and source sales are available but it can be time consuming.

They also change the narrative around a product that is often associated with a negative representation of increasing age or illness. A necessary evil that many must purchase, but hate due to the illness they represent, and a previous lack of attention to their aesthetic value that firmly places them into a hospital or medical model.

In reality, compression stockings increase functionality. As a long term user for me they represent an increase in endurance and a reduction in pain and swelling. They help to reduce my symptoms and in so allow me to do more. They add to my overall level of functioning and in turn aid me in getting the most out of life. And with these new ranges they can also be integrated into my personal style. A win on many levels.

Out the front of our local where we tend to always go for date night. You can see the stockings better in this one. They are @sigvaris (although @Jobst) do a similar pair). It can be hard to style #compressionstockings in Summer or it you're going out but it is possible. I wear them with shorts and dresses all the time. I don't pretend to have any fashion styling prowess, I simply wear what works for me, but if you are confident and forget they are a medical product it is possible. Especially with all the fashion options avaliable these days (check out my blog for links and reviews). * * I also take inspiration from fashion bloggers I love like @ladymelbourne who made me really think about personal style and confidence to take a chance and embrace what I really love. Or wheelchair and diasbled fashionistas like @itslololove and @cur8able (the idea of lengthening limbs when sitting by simple tricks like pushing up sleeves on a jacket are gold). And I broke out my high heels again in part thanks to @angelarockwood_official. There are so many amazing disabled and chronically ill fashionistas to take inspiration from. And it is possible to tweak current looks to be disabled friendly with a little thinking outside the box. * * I really wish we could see a more visible disabled presence on runways here in Australia. I wish we could see disabled fashion presented like you would any other (@IZadaptive did a great campaign this year but are sadly closing). The importance of that visible presence can't be underestimated for disabled and able-bodied alike. * * Fashion is for everyone and should be accessible for everyone. Across a whole host of styles for people who like fashion as a medium of self expression (gosh I love @viktoriamodesta avant-garde looks) or simply want to frock up on occasion. We aren't a niche. We are consumers with cash who want to wear fashionable clothes. #dysautonomia #chronicillness #disability #fashion #frockingup #fashionblogger #ootd #wiwt #everydaystyle #40plusstyle #wheelchair #wheelchairstyle #wheelchairfashion #disabledfashion #disabledstyle #streetstyle #ruraldisability #ruralstyle #ruralfashion #Australia #gippsland #upanddressed
A post shared by Michelle Roger (@michelle_roger) on

Fashion can increase usage rates.

Like many Dysautonomia patients I wear medical grade compression stockings every day. Prior to any pharmacological intervention they form an important component of first line treatment, alongside increased salt intake, increased fluids and a graded exercise program. We know that peripheral vascular flow is frequently impaired, as seen with visible blood pooling and swelling in lower limbs, and that this is part of a systemic process that contributes to many of the symptoms patients experience.*  However, the implementation and continuation of this management technique is often low.

Compression stockings are notoriously difficult to don and remove even with the various techniques and devices offered. They are also hot, a significant problem when you have a disorder in which thermoregulatory control is often impaired.


But by far the biggest complaint regarding medical grade compression stockings is related to how they look. 


Despite doctors frequently prescribing compression stockings to treat issues such as poor venous return or oedema there continues to be a lack of knowledge about fashionable options. Patients may be given a pair of  white TED stockings during a hospital stay, or head to their local chemist and find information about black, white, beige and perhaps navy. But any discussion of fashion tends to be confined to lamenting it's lack in the compressionwear market.


I have been writing about my search for fashionable compression stockings since 2012. At that time I was stuck in the compression purgatory that many patients face. I was given a scribbled prescription from my cardiologist with little to no information. I was to seek out a pair of 20-30mmHg waist high compression stockings. There was no information on brands or where I could source them beyond a vague "ask at the chemist." At my chemist I was met with confusion. Why would a then 33-year-old woman be asking about compression stockings? Were they for my grandmother?  I was shown a catalogue of limited styles and ended up with two pairs of very uncomfortable waist high, very practical, black compression stockings. It was a step up from the beige I had been offered originally but depressing all the same. Then in 2012 I found my first pair of coloured compression stockings and a new world opened up.

Since that time I have shared every fashionable option I have found with readers here on the blog, in support groups and on Instagram. It is like a new world opened up. Whilst always a practical medical item at their core, it became apparent that they could be matched to personal style. No longer were they something to be worn with spite and loathing. Instead there was a transformation and a normalisation of a medical product. A way to take back some control of my life from the relentless medical need. And I like many others wore their stockings with increased regularity and in turn increased functioning. (I feel a little like I should we lived happily ever after at this point!)

Where is the Disability Representation?

The Juzo video features a range of models, including a variety of body types, ages and sexes (although, unlike their 2015 campaign, only white models are used in 2017). I applaud their move towards diversity, something rarely found in the compression stocking advertising, however disability again is missing from the mix. This seems a surprising omission in what is at it's core a medical product. A quick scan of social media platforms such as Instagram, reveal a large population of disabled fashion lovers. The incredible work of Alleles prosthetic covers, the beautiful bespoke pieces created by The Alternative Limb Project, the increase in accessible fashion brands such as Bezgraniz Couture or Sue flourish thanks to a huge fashion loving disabled market seeking more fashionable options.

Disability representation for a product like medical compression should be part of any advertising campaign. And while the overall feel of this new wave of campaigns is very positive the neglect of a key group in the market is disappointing. I am cognisant that some of the models in these campaigns may have an invisible disability, I know prior to my need for mobility aides I looked very healthy despite my underlying medical issues, but the importance of visibly disabled models in campaigns such as these cannot be underestimated. Visibility changes how society feels about disability. Visibility changes how we feel about ourselves. I both love these campaigns and fully embrace the change in narrative surrounding a product with what could only be described as a PR problem, but I am disappointed that a disabled model is not part of the mix.

Advertising is often framed in terms of aspiration, in the case of the Juzo and Mediven videos a fun, stylish and energised life. Surely we as one of the largest user groups of these products, we should be included in this aspirational narrative. I know that many disabled fashionistas are living fun, stylish and energised lives, our inclusion seems obvious. While at a grass roots level we are gaining momentum in changing how we are viewed by choosing how we are representing ourselves, it would be nice for brands to come on board and follow our lead.



 Where to from here?

Companies such as Juzo and Mediven are slowly changing the narrative around compression stockings. However, awareness and availability of fashionable compression stockings desperately needs to increase.

Even with fashionable products available in the market, their lack of visibility and availability, means that the more traditional and basic options continue to dominate and tend to be the only styles offered to new patients. We are stuck in a self-fulfilling prophecy where by patients don't request fashionable items because they don't know they exist and the gate keepers of these products don't stock them. And the gate keepers say that they don't stock them because no one is requesting them.

Whilst, medical professionals continue to prescribe compression stockings for a range of issues they are rarely aware of fashionable options and they have no idea that they can be integrated into our personal styles.

It is clear that a wider advertising campaign needs to occur. At present, information about fashionable options are shared patient to patient, on blogs such as this or other forms of social media such as Instagram, or on forums. This informal advertising whilst fabulous, is still haphazard and reliant on luck and at least one patient who spends her nights working her way through Google looking for new fashionable options and tries her hand at styling them. I'd love to see compression brands on more runways and in mainstream fashion advertising. Or taking tips from sporting compression companies such as Skins or 2XU who have moved from elite sporting environment to become household names and found in gyms and sporting fields all around the world.

And I would love to see disabled models featured in their campaigns. 

Like many in my position I spend enough time in the medical system and I have no desire to wear a piece of cold, clinical hospital every day.

What I do want is something that meets my practical needs but can also be incorporated into my personal style. I am happy to flaunt my bright yellow, or red, or green, or blue, or patterned legs all year round. To wear them with shorts or dresses. To get on with this business of living knowing that I can be both practical and fabulous.

Reframing a traditional medical product in the new wave of campaigns helps to change how we think about those that wear them. It helps to change how we feel about ourselves. So much of my life and the lives of those around me are dominated by medical needs. Reframing how we think about and relate to items like compression stockings helps to remove stigma and improves how users feel about themselves. Incorporating fashion into practical medical products is a simple way to change these attitudes. And a definite selling point.

Fashion, medical practicality and disability can coexist. Time for more companies to come on board.

Michelle

*There is also evidence of abdominal blood pooling, in particular in Neurocardiogenic Syncope (NCS), and abdominal binders/compression are now often recommended alongside waist high compression stockings.

Some more resources here on the blog:

Compression Stockings: From Beige to Brilliant 

 Fashionable Compression Stockings 2016 Update: Options and Tips.

Rejuvahealth Review.

Allegro, Microfibre 20-30mmHg Black Thigh High Compression Stocking Review

LympheDiva Gauntlet Review.


Fashion blogging is not for the faint of heart

Goldfrapp's Happiness seems an appropriate musical accompaniment as fashionable compression stockings makes me very happy.

Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Yes, Disabled People Wear Lingerie.

[Image: black and white photo of a walkingstick in a window with a bra handing from the handle. And because it didn't occur to me to dust, there is a scattering of dead black insects and some cobwebs on the white windowsill.]

Last year I rolled into a lingerie store to check out a rather fabulous emerald green bra and undie set that had caught my eye in their display window. I rolled around the tightly packed store grazing racks of g-strings and t-shirt bras until the inevitable happened. On the back of Lucille (my electric wheelchair) are a set of handles that allow another person to push the chair if I run out of batteries or become too incapacitated to manage my joystick. I forget they exist 99% of the time. They are behind me and I am highly unobservant even on my good days. The 1% of times are times like that day when, dazzled by the wall of lace and satin, I had deviated 1° off my safe path and caught a rack of lace teddies on a handle. I promptly pulled the entire rack of teddies to the floor. I stopped mortified as the loud clatter of plastic hangers dwindled into silence. Looked back to find a pile of plastic and lace on the floor and a single sad white teddy hanging haphazardly off one of my handles. I waited for assistance.

And waited.
And waited.

The attendant didn't even look at me and I was faced with a set of tight, black clad shoulders that either belonged to the ghost of a past store attendant, or, she clearly had no intention of turning around. Embarrassed and leaning precariously from my chair, I tried to pick up the pile. When it became clear my attempts were going to end in a possible worsening situation, that of an uncoordinated disabled woman plummeting from her chair to take out an even larger display of lace and satin, I leaned back. I twisted. Grabbed the lone teddy from my handle. Hung it back up on the chrome display pole. And rolled out. When I looked back the attendant was clearly relieved I was gone.

At no point from when I rolled in to when I left did she make eye-contact. She saw me enter, turned her back and continued to speak to the only other woman in the store. I felt like I was back in high school when the cool girls would deliberately ignore my decidedly uncool self. The classic exclusionary tactic employed by teenage girls throughout history: turn your back and continue to talk like the uncool girl never entered the room and doesn't even exist.

It was clear that I was not welcome. 
A disabled woman in a lingerie store? 
No thanks.
Too difficult.
Too ick.
Too "why would a disabled woman even want lingerie?"

I know I'm not alone in this experience and have had multiple conversations with  disabled friends who have felt excluded or discriminated in lingerie stores. People have difficulty with the concept of disability, and in turn interacting with disabled people. But the combination of disability and sexuality makes people profoundly uncomfortable. However that sexuality is expressed, from purchasing lingerie to dating, exploring sexual identities, or participation in different lifestyles, it quickly becomes clear that society doesn't want that connection to exist. (There was a massive blow up on a popular disability site a few years ago when a sex positive story about a disabled adult attending a completely legal sex party in Canada was published. The gentleman in question found it a celebratory, inclusive and empowering event. Responses were clearly split between those who did and didn't have lived experience of disability. Disabled commenters were predominantly happy for him. However, many parents of disabled children, carers, and adults without lived experience of disability were horrified even threatening to report the event and the group to authorities. Similar responses also occur when there is mention of the use of sex workers to aid disabled people in exploring their sexuality.)

Disabled people are seen as asexual by many. Or undesirable. Or as frequently comes up in comment boards when disability and sexuality are discussed, special snowflakes, or forever children who should not be sullied by icky notions like sexuality. Many simply go straight for the "how could a disabled person possibly consent to sex or any expression of sexuality?" That there are different types of disability, that we could consent, or be taught about bodily autonomy, choice or safe sex practices doesn't even enter the public conscience. That sex is a part of the human condition and should be considered a human right for non-disabled and disabled people alike is rarely discussed. We are not supposed to be confident or feel attractive. We are not supposed to own our own experience. We are to inhabit the realms of pity or inspiration and never dare to mention that our wants and needs are strikingly similar to those who are not disabled. And the idea that we might simply want to wear some hot lingerie that makes us feel confident, for ourselves, not anyone else, isn't even in consideration. The woman in the lingerie store let me know that I wasn't welcome. And she definitely didn't see me as a potential customer.

Pfft to you rude woman! I'll spend my dollars elsewhere.

Yesterday, NZ company Lonely Lingerie's new campaign came to light. It stars 57-year-old Mercy Brewer. The photographs show a confident older woman wearing some fabulous sexy lingerie. Stylistically the photographs and the lingerie are no different to what you'd see in a campaign with a younger model. This is not the conservative, stodgy, lingerie we are routinely shown in advertising directed at older women. It is unashamedly sexy. And it is fabulous. It defies so much of the narrative around older women. Women in Mercy's demographic tend to be framed as mothers or grandmothers, and advertising and society tells us there is only one acceptable form of mother/grandmother. I can't help think of Madonna wearing a revealing outfit at the Met Gala last year which was met with cries reminiscent of Maude Flanders "won't somebody please think of the children!" As if motherhood or grandmotherhood, or age, (or disability) automatically wipe away a woman's sexuality and self-expression. As a purple-haired, side-shaved, mini-wearing, 43-year-old, disabled woman and mum of two son's, I call BS on that.


[Image: An older woman leans against a wallpapered wall wearing a black bra. The entire photo is in sepia tones. Text below says "Aging can bring a quiet confidence unknown in youth, what use is beauty without confidence to recognize yourself?" -Mercy Brewer #LonelyLingerie]


I read a piece discussing the Lonely Lingerie campaign that stated that age was the final frontier of lingerie advertising. I would have to disagree and say that disability continues to be the final frontier as we so hard pressed to find any disabled women, or men, in lingerie campaigns. And an older disabled woman? I swear I belong to a group of mythical women dwelling in a land that time and advertisers forgot. I met a woman just like me at a concert recently. She had no idea that other older, less conventional, disabled women in wheelchairs existed. We bonded on shared experience and anger that we are never represented in advertising, or media, or life.

While the lack of disabled women in advertising is clear, it is equally apparent that even the concept of such a thing as diverse women's bodies remains controversial (that mythical land of diverse women is pretty bloody full! And only a few hardy adventurers/advertises seem willing to go searching for those far lands.). There is a particular part of society that is vehemently opposed to diverse women who are comfortable and confident living in a body that much of society and the majority of advertising would prefer be hidden away. Add in any hint of sexuality for those who have a different body type from the dominant advertising norm, and people become even more uncomfortable and frequently vicious.

Today I watched as US company Livi Rae Lingerie's was told that their images of diverse body types, including a disabled woman in a wheelchair were in "poor taste" and should be removed. The images show confident women speaking for and about themselves. These women, like the Lonely Lingerie campaign, defy the standard lingerie images we see that use young, thin, white women/teenagers. When this was revealed, an online campaign developed #NoShameLiviRae, and following the overwhelming publicity and backlash, the decision was reversed. How they were in anyway offensive boggles the mind. Stylistically these photos are definitely more on the conservative side of the ledger, especially when compared to the Lonely Lingerie campaign. And still someone got their knickers in a knot (all puns intended).

Won't somebody think of the children!



[Image: A smiling woman sits in her wheelchair wearing a beige strapless bra and white half petticoat. Caption says: Real Women. "I want to be an example MS or not. People can do what they set their mind to. I always felt the desire to encourage anyone, at any age to never give up and to believe that they are amazing and perfect just the way they are. Even a girl in a wheelchair can be influential" -Stacey Shartley LiviRae Lingerie Ambassador. Livi Rae Lingerie #RealBrasRealWomenRealStories #LiviRaeLingerie]
(Source: Livi Rae Lingerie Facebook Page)


These two campaigns are very different. But in both cases the women are confident. They are from groups who are not regularly seen in lingerie campaigns. They are expressing themselves. And owning their lives and their experience. For themselves and not for anyone else. And that makes many people uncomfortable.

Personally, I love the Lonely Lingerie campaign, and think the company could do great things for disabled representation in the lingerie market.

I want to see a disabled women shown as a confident sexual being.
I want to see what lingerie may look on a body similar to mine.
I want to see her unapologetically owning space and her image.
I want to see her giving a big F U to the naysayers. 

As an older disabled woman, simply seeing an older woman portrayed in this manner made my heart sing. If I were to see an older disabled woman portrayed in this manner I may break out in song and my best jazz hands and spirit fingers.

Diversity in advertising makes financial sense. If companies can't make the move because it is the right thing to do. Then surely attracting a wider market that will increase your profits is attractive.

Diversity in advertising is a powerful tool in changing the way we think about difference in our society.

Diversity in advertising is also powerful for those who are part of those diverse communities. It says I'm here. I'm not alone. I'm part of the community. And I have value just as I am.

I'll never go back to the lingerie store where I was ignored. But I do want to buy lingerie that makes me feel confident.

And I want to buy my lingerie from a company that sees me.

Michelle

Sing it JT!
Posted by at 5 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)