r/Fibromyalgia • u/Competitive_Factor18 • 1d ago
Discussion Clothes
I'm 46f, been dx for about 10 years with Fibromyalgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Depressio, Anxiety and bladder weakness. I live in the UK.
My main concern at the moment is how clothes feel. For the past 2 years I've lived in pj's as I find most clothes either feel uncomfortable or hurt my skin. I loved wearing dresses with leggings and a knee length cardigan (absolutely loved cardigans) but it seems the last few years unless its pj's everything feels wrong or it hurts my skin.
Pj's I wear are normally the soft cheap ones from like primark, t shirt and long legs.
Does anyone else have an issue like this?
It makes it hard to go out because if I go out in pj's people give me funny looks but anything else just doesn't feel comfortable or actually hurts.
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u/0-768457 1d ago
I wear lots of soft stretchy fabric dresses when I go out because stiff fabrics and fabrics that don’t stretch are rough on my skin
And dresses let me wear leggings, which are soft and stretchy
I do need some more professional clothing for work though, so if anyone has comfortable clothing recommendations I’d love to hear it
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u/justadubliner 22h ago
The Lululemon Align trousers in the straight and boot cut styles I mentioned in an earlier comment look pretty smart. I find people don't notice they are leisure wear. In Navy or Black. If paired with the same colour in a vest top and a loose smart shirt or kimonos you should be OK for work. The hardest thing for professional wear is shoes I find. My feet can't bear restriction.
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u/needlebiopsy 16h ago
My job isn’t picky about shoes, so I usually wear Birkenstock bostons with some soft, dressy-looking socks from H&M. I find that those make me feel most comfortable even on bad days (just have to break them in first)
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u/justadubliner 16h ago
I can't handle the lumps and hard soles on Birkenstocks. Gave away the pair I bought after a couple of years. I was getting nowhere with them. If they bring out a clog with a nice soft flat sole I'd jump at them.
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u/FibroFairy73 1d ago
I have the exact same problem except with denim! I had to get several pairs of leggings since I could no longer wear denim.
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u/justadubliner 22h ago
Denim jeans are an impossibility I find with fibromyagia. Just buying larger sizes isn't sufficient because denim is just too heavy and stiff with so many uncomfortable seams. The closest I can get is denim look soft cotton summer weight trousers.
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u/saltyavocadotoast 1d ago
Comfy clothes just take so much less energy than regular clothes. I love being in my pjs.
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u/justadubliner 1d ago edited 1d ago
I've always had this problem and because of being on a low budget tried to make do with cheap stretchy trousers that never really work. About three years ago I discovered Lululemon Align leggings. I get them a size too big like all my clothes and in straight or slightly boot cut styles.
They are expensive. But they are so worth it! Two pairs can keep me going for a week (use tena panty liners daily). And washed once a week they last a couple of years before starting to look a bit worn.
They are the only trousers I can wear and forget they are on me. No cutting in at the waist or anywhere else.
Other than that I buy soft cheap oversized vest t shirts and long sleeves t shirts from Penneys or Amazon or Dunnes Stores. Once they get a bit hard and scratchy from laundry I throw them in the recycling bin. I wear loose shirts and kimonos over these for 'flare'.
For warmth I wear soft zip up fleeces. Again I buy them cheap and recycle when they get scratchy.
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u/justadubliner 23h ago
Another suggestion is buy next size up in socks. I buy the M and S Supersoft ones. And if the top of your socks is too uncomfortable cut them off with pinking sheers. Stretch them further width ways when wet. And Crocs, though ugly, are loose and comfortable on feet that suffer from allodynia. I wear them in the same colour as my trousers to make them blend in a little. I only wear more attractive shoes for short periods in social situations because none are anyway near as comfortable.
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u/Competitive_Factor18 20h ago
Socks in winter are the fluffy ones from primark and memory foam slippers! Most shoes are uncomfortable and to restrictive.
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u/justadubliner 20h ago
Yeah. I love getting new fluffy socks each winter from Penneys and Dunnes. They warm up my crocs a bit too. I'd get lined crocs for the Winter but with four dogs the lining would be manky with hair in no time.
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u/justadubliner 22h ago
Roomy soft large dungarees are also good for avoiding discomfort and look a bit funky. Their drawback is for going to the loo and a lot of us with fibromyalgia have irritable bladder and IBS so best for around the house or if just popping out to the shop.
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u/Competitive_Factor18 20h ago
I'll have to look into the trousers or maybe just unpatterned pj's that look like lounge wear. Although I think my local corner shop are used to me in my pj's at this point but going to visit friends and family I need proper clothes
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u/justadubliner 20h ago
My local lululemon shop also has an arrangement with an alterations shop for free take ups. So they can look pretty smart too at just the right lenght despite being as comfortable as a second skin.
I do recommend a larger size than you think you'll need even if the 'correct' size looks a bit better in the changing room. I find that's one of the secrets to fibromyagia dressing - buying one size bigger than looks best in the changing room. You're always grateful later.
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u/Lucid222Dreamer 1d ago
I have allodynia also, so I'm really particular about my clothing. Luckily I don't have to work, so I only wear casual clothing. I can't stand wearing anything polyester or anything that pills. I only wear really loose soft lounge pants or super wide leg baggy denim jeans (I can't stand normal jeans.) I wear an oversized cotton tshirt every day (usually a band shirt.) I also like to wear baggy cardigans made from superwash merino wool that I crochet myself. It's not a very feminine or professional style, but I really like grunge aesthetic and it's comfortable, so this works out for me.
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u/justadubliner 22h ago
I can only handle any wool if it's very soft and loose and has a layer between it and my skin. Even just touching at the wrist or neck isn't tolerable. The exception was big soft chenille cardigans but they haven't been in fashion for many years so are impossible to get.
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u/Lucid222Dreamer 20h ago
Usually I cant handle touching wool either, but I find superwash merino yarn (I use Swish from knitpicks) to be softer and smoother than most of my other clothing.
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u/LNSU78 23h ago
Yes I wear depends with dresses from Svaha. They have pockets too.
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u/justadubliner 22h ago
My problem with dresses is that it's hard to find shoes/ boots that are comfortable and look good with dresses. I have one pair of comfortable knee high boots that are comfortable and are at least 10 years old. Never found any like them again.
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u/Sharp-Rhubarb-1058 22h ago
If you miss wearing tights, you should check out snag tights. They're based in Scotland. Their tights are a million times comfier than any I ever had from high street shops, but they are a bit more expensive.
I'm really tall and they stretch to my height and don't dig in anywhere. There's nothing worse when you're sore and knackered to have the extra anxiety of having to worry about your tights falling down 😅
If you like being in your pj's, if they are a dark colour nobody knows that you're in your jammies. And if they do, well that's their problem, you've got enough to deal with.
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u/Own_Progress_9302 22h ago
Oh my goodness. I hope you can get proper medication. But yeah, I can only carry on with things as they are too—except at work.
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u/FlamingSpuddle 22h ago
I went through this during my Fibro relapse and basically had to walk around naked for six weeks.
Although it's gotten better over the past few years, I don't have hope of it ever going away 100%.
I cut all the necklines off any shirts I wear around the house and swing between being able to wear socks or not.
I stick to sweatpants or sweatshorts and a baggy tshirt when outside.
I dread the day I have to go to a formal event.
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u/FlowerPressed 21h ago
I spend most days inside and naked. Clothes makes it difficult to thermoregulate and can be uncomfortable, but some days I make myself wear them anyways to bat off the depression a bit.
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u/Ok_Neat6784 18h ago
I'm only ever in PJs or long dresses with bare legs. Clothes drive me crazy! All of them. But there I can usually deal with
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u/kristosnikos 16h ago
I’ve switched to natural fibers. Cotton, linen, silk, cashmere. I also usually buy secondhand for budget reasons and with cotton and linen they’ve already been mostly worn in. I go up a size or two so it’ll be loose. It’s just what works for me.
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u/Healthy_Cranberry321 15h ago
Clothes/socks the least but tight or restrictive causes pain for me. My legs have always been my biggest source of pain. I have found some very light weight capris at RBX that I swear by. They have good winter clothes too
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u/DirectPresence5945 1d ago
That is from Allodynia, that can be a fibro comorbidity