Easy Clothing Ideas for Chronic Illness

Spoonie* clothing has to be easy clothing. That’s a must when you’re already coping with chronic illnesses. One lady lamented that she felt that left her with “men’s joggers and t-shirts from Primark” without access to fun and colourful clothing.

In this post we’ve pulled together actual items of clothing that have repeatedly checked the ‘comfort and colour’ box and give very practical ideas of how to wear them (all inspired by our amazing Spoonie warriors at Euphoria Boutique).

To quote one of our amazing women: “Euphoria help me stay comfy but feel better about myself, when I'm stuck at home so much”. So introducing our top easy spoonie clothing choices...drum roll please…

1. Magical stretch trousers. Magical stretch trousers came up again and again as a top spoonie clothing favourite: “Fibro warrior here. I love how easy the magical stretch trousers are to get on and their softness.”

Imagine relaxed fit casual stretch trousers with a laid back crinkled look in bright colours and patterns that feel like you’re wearing your pyjamas but mean you’re actually looking really put together! Can you see why they’re so well loved?!

Many mentioned how easy to pull on they are (with no pesky buttons or zips) and the lack of rough seams. Despite being elasticated, several ladies mentioned their delight in “lots of stretch in the magical stretch trousers. They don't squeeze your legs - they are so comfy.”

Pair with: a long flowy tunic or top

2. Free size tunics. One woman described her perfect survival outfit: “I always go for the longer loose tops and plus size joggers and crinkle magic stretch trousers; all so comfortable but stylish.” We’re 100% here for comfortable but stylish!

If clothing sensitivity is an issue for you, we recommend going for tops made of lighter weight fabrics and layering them, giving you less weight on the skin.

Pair with: thick leggings or magical stretch trousers

3. Free size dresses. Have you noticed a theme with free sizing yet? Free size clothing is a game changer when it comes to chronic illnesses. With waistbands and tightly fitted clothing being a no-no, free size relies on flowing garments that are very flattering but delicate on the skin, muscles and joints.

Moving into summer, you can quickly grab a free size dress and that is literally it! No more decisions required! For colder weather (you know, sitting on a British beach in August!), you can easily add scarves, hoodies, and leggings for extra warmth.

Pair with: crop leggings

 4. Jumpsuits. Another all in one stunner, a good jumpsuit can be easy to move in and, with the right fabric and style, incredibly comfortable whilst very stylish.

Look for ones made out of jersey fabrics or with some stretch in them. Also make sure you get a jumpsuit that doesn’t require any buttoning or zips - no hard items against your skin and no fiddly clasps to fight with. It’s just up and over and one classy outfit done.

Pair with: a bold necklace and comfy sandals

5. Blanket scarves. Do blanket scarves count as clothing? Let’s say they do! Seriously, they’re so versatile that a couple of these in your wardrobe and you’ve an accessory for every outfit.

Remember those jumpsuits we mentioned? If you feel you need just a bit more for warmth but want it easily removable, get a blanket scarf. Soft, warm, and large, they’re easily thrown over everything. Plus in the winter, you’ve an extra layer on top of your cardigan.

Pair with: everything

Thanks to all our amazing Euphorians for their advice on what works as chronic illness and fibromyalgia easy clothing. We hope you find it helpful and do let us know of any other favourites we can add in!

Also, why not join the conversation over on our exclusive Facebook group about your favourite clothing for chronic illnesses? We love hearing about clothing that has given colour and pizazz back into the lives of our amazing Spoonie ladies!

Do check out our new 'fashion for chronic illness' page here, or read our 10 tips  to dress for chronic illness.

*A term adopted by the chronic illness community after Christine Miserandino, a blogger dealing with lupus, explained her lack of energy using spoons