Fashion Options to Accommodate Scars & Stomas

Happy HALLOWEEN, my gorgeous Pelican lovers,

Hope you’re doing okay? It’s Halloween, one of my favourite times of the year. I am gutted we can’t do much this year though, last year I dressed up as a character from Mortal Kombat and had a Halloween party with my girls, was so much fun. One fun thing you could do this year, however, is, dress up, order some food in and have a spooky Halloween quiz with friends or family on Skype!

Comfortable fashion options

So, this month I want to talk about comfy but stylish fashion options for people with scars and stomas. I know, when you first get a stoma or have a scar you think it’s going to limit you from wearing certain clothing. It isn’t. I get it, some materials will be more comfortable than others, but it is just about finding what works for you. I am going to pass on some comfy but stylish outfit ideas in this blog. If you don’t follow me on Instagram you wouldn’t have seen my Q&A with Missguided you can read it here. I also have an exciting Scar Positivity video coming out sometime in November for them also.

So, I know we aren’t doing much at the moment, maybe working from home, so loungewear is the new workwear, Jac Jossa’s range includes some amazing loungewear pieces as in IN THE STYLE. I own some of her jumpsuits and dresses – they give me 100% comfort.

They don’t rub or irritate my scar and, if I still had my stoma, there are pieces I would be wearing. Some of the casual dresses are ribbed material and feel gorgeous and if your stoma does get a bit excited and fills with air (mine used to all the time) then these dresses are the perfect fit, nobody would even notice.

When I had a stoma and still now with my scar my dress sense has always stayed fairly similar. I loved to wear checked oversized style shirts with joggers, they look super cute if you wanted a dressed-down look. Or for lunch with the girls, add a little heel ankle boot.

There are also so many mega cute tracksuits online for a cute Co-Ord chill day. Leggings are also a versatile favourite, they can be paired with basically anything and look good dressed up or down.

Personally, jumpsuits are my go too! But, if you are more of a dress kind-of-girl your options could be the A line or skater girl kind of dresses, this way, if you’re a little worried about the bag filling with air these styles can help to disguise this. Pair them in the day with some tights or any biker boots you may have to amp the look.

Jumper dresses are amazing and if you’re a fan of turtleneck like me they look beautiful with your favourite pair of tights and some boots. When it comes to jeans I am very particular with what style I wear, I hate that proper jean material. I always felt it pushed on my bag and caused some leakage at times. I love the jegging material they usually have Lycra in and are much more comfortable – remember if something is too tight this can also cause a leakage. I love MOM jeans as they look amazing with anything and are comfy, you want that soft material though, so you don’t feel so restricted. Even after my stoma reversal, I cannot wear shorts or jeans that are not high waisted, it may be just where my stoma was, but it causes pain and irritation to that area.

A top tip I have which I love, if you are wearing something really tight or simply want to feel more secure in outfits I always put gym shorts underneath anything I wore. You don’t have to, of course, this is just something I preferred to do. Make sure they are tight, but not too tight or again this can cause leakage.

When it comes to crop tops, ladies please never stop wearing them just because your body has changed! YOU are worthy of crop tops and I cannot stress that enough. I wear crop tops to the gym, I wear crop tops on a night out. My scar doesn’t own me, I own her.

I understand that sometimes getting your confidence back will take time, but, start slow and build your way up – even if that means you are only wearing it around the house. The first step is where it when you’re on your own, followed by wearing it when people are in the house, taking some cute photos and then finally, being able to post them and go out in public with a crop on. There is no rush to any of these steps, slow and steady is always the best way to go.

Remember, having a stoma or scar doesn’t mean any of your previous outfits have got to change, you can still wear all your favourite things. This blog is for people who need a little inspo or feel that they cannot wear what they used to. I personally like to go for comfort and match clothing around that. Remember, you have to feel comfortable in your clothes first before you can feel confident in them. There is no point buying things to wear if you know that you aren’t going to feel confident in it.

I hope I have been able to help some of you who may be stuck on ideas or those of you who were worried about certain clothing.

I hope you have a FANGtastic Halloween and I shall see you again in November.

Love

Natalie-Amber xx

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