Words I use when searching (image-google and you will instantly find lots):
Widelegged/wide leg trousers/pants/jeans
Palazzo pants/trousers
Hakama pants (Japanese Martial Art pants, seems possible to make a DIY-version)
Martial art pants
Cargo pants/trousers
Rave pants/trousers
Hip Hop Parachute Cargo Dance Pants
Hiphop pants
UFO pants
Maxidress/dresses
Maxiskirt/skirts
Boho skirt/skirts/dress/dresses
Bellydancing skirts/outfits
Hippie skirts
Harem pants/trousers
Berber pants/trousers
Fishermans pants
Some of the shops I check out:
www.ebay.com
www.asos.com – Large selection of widelegged trousers/pants. Worldwide shipping.
Dorothy Perkins
H&M
Marks & Spencer
www.artfulwears.com – lots of stylish and comfylooking widelegged pants/trousers (ie these)
www.missethnic.com – beautyful long skirts, dresses and more
www.shukronline.com – Islamic clothing – widelegged trousers/pants and long skirts.
www.boutique-coline.fr – lovely French label with comfy, funky, cheap stuff
www.goddiva.co.uk
www.very.co.uk
Others:
www.hijabulous.blogspot.com – Islamic fashion blog, also useful for lymphers of any religion.
Tips about Lymphedema and clothing in the posts about my day with the personal shopper here and here and the post about Sophisticated Tina.
If you have any tips on this that fellow lymphers might benefit from you are extremely welcome to share. Thanks ;-)
I have lymphedema in my left arm from lymph node removal. It sucks big time trying to find clothes! I would love to wear cute summer dresses and tank tops but I'm not comfortable with how one arm is so disproportioned to the other. I have a small frame, which is unfortunate because I tend to wear XL size tops, which really hang on me, but do fit my "hippo" arm, as I call it.
ReplyDeletewww.holyclothing.com has some really nice clothes. I've bought a shirt from them, and they also have a style of pants that has large leg holes and many skirts and dresses.
Dori
It's 4:30am and I can't sleep because I'm so distraught over the severe lymphedema in one leg and with it starting in the other leg. I just found this site and I'm elated to see there a slacks to choose from that just might fit. I spent the afternoon at the mall today only to come home in tears of frustration and sadness. I think I can fall back asleep now. Thank you!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 19 July; Dori, thanks for commenting :-) You are so right, it sucks trying to find clothes. Thank you for the link, they have some really nice things there.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 21 October; thanks for commenting. I so know how you feel, about possible lymphedema in the good leg and about finding clothes. I lost the interest of shopping completely after the lymphedema started, it's just not worth browsing through the shops when all there is these days are tight jeans and leggings. Webshopping is more fun :-)
Shopping is rough, here is another idea. Check out plus size online shops like Catherines, and Women Within. WW has some decent sales, and they both have clothes with wide sleeves/legs. Also, I'm noticing a lot of people since last winter are wearing a style of cardigan without buttons/closures, and big flowing sleeves. Dori, maybe this style would work for you? There are light weight sweaters, it is all about a layering look verses bundling up for real warmth.
ReplyDeletewww.anthropologie.com pants are amazing!!! You can find great finds there!
ReplyDeleteI was born with primary lymphedema and was able to manage it until I had a lymph removal procedure. I am often told that I am disabled and I should stop working. I don't see it that way. I see it as a challenge that I can beat. If I can workout, knee board, run, yoga and do the daily activities that I love to do then I am no where near disabled (physically). Emotionally, I am a mess. Every time I think about shopping I panic. I get discouraged and go home rather quickly. I want to wear clothing that is professional for work and in style when I am off. Luckily, I came across your blog and I feel like I have entered a whole new world of support. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy, thanks for writing :-)
DeleteDisabled??!! I don't get that. I'm with you as to seeing it as a challenge that can be beaten or at least controlled. Why be a victim. It's really great that you can work out, run, do yoga and even kneeboard, how cool! You are definitely not disabled! I have never thought of myself as disabled as such, just having a little challenge.
I know what you mean about shopping, I feel the same way. I buy most of my clothes online now or with a personal shopper. I have made another appointment the day after the big summer sale starts, hopefully I will come home with some good stuff.
Thank you for saying those nice things about my blog :-)
Warm regards,
Liz
Hi Amy, how do you manage to do all that? I'm trying to get back to exercising after being diagnosed with primary about 14 months ago and keep getting very cautionary messages - hearing about people like you is really inspiring. Any thoughts/advice you might have is great!
DeleteBut what about shoes??? I have lymphadema in my left leg and as a result the circumfrence of my left foot is considerably larger than my right, so I have all sorts of problems buying shoes. I'm so tired of those orthopedic-looking velcro sandals. Will I ever be able to wear "girl shoes" again?? My two feet have the same measurements in length and width, but the circumfrence is all out of whack and I can't get my foot into a shoe.
ReplyDeleteHi Brooke,
DeleteI know, shoes are a nightmare :-(
The other day I saw a Lymphedema sufferer recommending the following but I don't know if they are any good for you. Here goes:
An Earth shoe at http://www.zappos.com/kalso-earth. The name of it is Innovate Too.
Clark UN.KNOT.
Dress shoe called Savonna, it's by Joseph Seibel.
Rockport mesh and Nu-buck.
Do you think the first one could work if you got it perhaps half size bigger than your usual even just to give your more room? Perhaps a shoemaker could make adjustments.
I have a shoeguide here on the blog but I don't know if it is any good for you.
Dear Brooke
DeleteYes, the 'shoe issue' is the most depressing, in my view anyway.
However, I have found a certain type of proper feminine shoe will fit, even including some of my old shoes from before. What they have in common is open sides, almost a sandal. So there's a bit that the toes go into and then a strap round the ankle, if you see what I mean. Of course it depends how swollen your ankle is but I can usually do them up on the last hole and I reckon a good shoe-mender could do something to extend a strap. There are also shoes with tie straps which should be ideal, though I don't have any.
I bought a pair like this in black this summer and they fit fine. http://www.office.co.uk/search/keyword-is-rara
Of course all these girl shoes make the top of my foot swell up like a balloon so I save them for special occasions/nights out. But it's comforting to know there are some options for dressing up.
If I knew how to post it, I'd take a photo of my collection of 'shoes that work'. I think you would be surprised.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Shoe shopping for me is soooo depressing!! I have primary lymphendema in my left leg clothes are not an issue for me but shoes are. I LOVE shoes especially heels and for me not to be able to wear them is an big adjustment. I was 27 when I was diagnosed with lymphendema. My cousin is a fashion designer alwaysalady1103@yahoo.com. She's great especially custom pieces.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I know, shoe shopping is depressing! I used to sometimes wear fancy, long boots with heals, how I miss that...
DeleteHeya i was wondering if you knew any good shops with wide legs. I've got severe lymphedema in my right leg. Its really frustrating to find jeans. I always end up coming out of the store in tears and it sucks. I did Physical therapy and also used a machine called the flexitouch which helped bring it down some. Still working on the jeans goal. If you know any good places please email me at sweetdreams4u22@yahoo.com thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth, I am afraid I don't know of any specific shops with widelegged jeans. What I do is buy mine from a (Danish) place a little like eBay, a place where shops and ordinary people can sell new and used goods. I do a search for new items every week and if I see some jeans that look like they may be an option I ask the seller for measurements at the waist, the length (measured from crouch to foot) and most importantly the width of the leg about 53cm from the top as this is where my knee is. By now I know exactly what works, so if the measurements fit, I buy (haggle first, of course ;-) . Mostly the jeans I get are used, but barely. We have to settle. I go for the ones marked as "new" or "as good as new". I hope this was helpful.
DeleteWarm regards.
I AM A 51 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE Lymphedema and it's very hard to find pant's that fit. I get upset when my daughter take me shoping and can't find ant pant's that fit .My in in my right leg only. Please help my find some jeans i canfit.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I totally know what you mean, believe me! In fact I have given up finding jeans in shops and I buy mine secondhand from online sites like eBay. If I see something that look like it might fit I ask about measurements of the waist, length and width 52 cm from the top - that is where my knee is. I have some more about this in another post. I can't link to it here in the comment box but you can copy-paste this:
Deletehttp://lymphedemagirl.blogspot.dk/2013/01/shopping-for-jeans.html
This works quite well for me, I have gotten many good pairs of jeans this way.
Good luck - and have hope - there are jeans out there for you, I know :-)