“By sticking to things in more muted or basic colors,” Metzler adds, “more things match-less decision making.” Use your phone as an ally, but know when to put it down. As a result, she tends to keep her outfits “simple and functional,” forgoing most accessories, distressed fabrics, and bright colors (“They make me feel jittery in the worst way possible”). “I can't purchase ripped jeans because I will pick at them until it destroys the fabric, and I've lost more expensive pairs of sunglasses than I can count,” says Emma Metzler, a college junior who, in late 2019, started a Reddit thread, asking for fashion advice from people with ADHD or similar sensory issues that's gotten hundreds of responses. While you might be drawn to the same types of clothing as everyone else, it’s crucial to know what pieces are just not going to work for you. “It’s weirdly effective and nobody cares if you look a little nuts.” Learn what items are off-limits. “I sit with an enormous sweater draped over my head in order to restrict my field of vision so I don't get distracted by surrounding activity,” she explains. “You’re going to get so mad at yourself every time you mess it up-which you’re inevitably going to do, because our brains just don’t work that way.”įor freelance writer Kathleen Walsh, that means cutting uncomfortable tags out of clothing and avoiding dangly jewelry, but also buying oversized items for the purpose of keeping herself focused at work. “If you’re trying to force yourself to work in neurotypical ways, it’s not going to work for you,” says McQuiston. Here, McQuiston and other women with ADHD share more shopping and dressing tips for those who have the condition. “And that’s how I have no tattoos I regret,” she says with a laugh. McQuiston, for instance, allows herself the occasional cheap impulse buy but waits six months before purchasing big items. Many people with ADHD create systems to keep their spending in check when their impulsivity gets out of hand or their minds feel one-track. “If we’re hyper-focused on something, we get more dopamine, and it predicts we’re going to get a massive payoff,” says Hayes. Also, people with ADHD are less sensitive to dopamine (the neurotransmitter that helps us feel pleasure), so some tend to do things that might be risky or excessive-say, buying a pricey item they can’t stop thinking about-in order to boost its production. “It’s like the bit that’s responsible for getting your attention onto a task and switching your attention onto the next task is slow to start working, but once it starts working, it’s hard to get it to stop,” she says. Ornate buttons or expensive jewelry? “I will take it off and lose it.” For Kessler, living with ADHD means having to think closely about every clothing item or shopping trip in order to avoid wasting money or experiencing sensory overload.Īccording to Hayes, that sort of hyper-focus is reflected in the brain. Crowded stories with colorful items? “Forget it-it’s like being in a candy store” because there’s too much to choose from. Online shopping? “A complete disaster” since it makes unnecessary buying too easy and unsatisfactory pieces rarely get returned. Like many adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Kessler has learned to recognize the limits of her condition, especially when it comes to style. “If I buy something online and I have to send it back,” Kessler realized, “it’ll never happen.” But due to a combination of distraction, disorganization, and procrastination, the dress ended up in a Goodwill box instead. “And the second it got here, the pocket ripped.” Disappointed but glad to save some money, she made plans to return it. “I bought a dress-on impulse, of course,” the author of the book ADHD According to Zoe says. The last time Zoe Kessler tried shopping online, it didn’t go well.
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