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As part of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s regular “Ask the Expert” series, community members submit questions via social media to clinicians, researchers and — from time to time — to patients connected with the hospital.
The latest featured expert is Molly Farrell, who is a school speech-language pathologist, a disability advocate and an adaptive fashion expert.
In 2002, Molly experienced a C5-C6 spinal cord injury (SCI) that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down. She came to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for intensive rehabilitation, and she walked out of the hospital a few months later with the use of forearm crutches.
Molly has held a lifelong interest in fashion, calling herself a “fashion-lover living boldly with an SCI.” She shares adaptive fashion finds, life hacks and accessibility tips on social media. She is passionate about authentic representation and sharing the beauty, challenges and realness of living with a disability to uplift and empower others.
In the following Q&A, which has been edited for length and clarity, as well as in this video on Instagram, Molly answers questions about living with an SCI and adaptive fashion:
After experiencing an SCI, did your perspective on fashion or shopping change at all?
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After experiencing a spinal cord injury, my perspective definitely changed. I had to find clothes that worked with my new abilities. I could no longer do buttons or zippers due to my limited hand mobility. I had to find pants that were easy to pull on and off. Shoes were hard to shop for because I could no longer tie my shoes independently.
Shopping became a challenge where I had to find things that worked for me and consider different features that I never thought about before my injury.
What are some of your favorite features on adaptive clothing?
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Because my hand function is very limited, different features I look for in adaptive clothing include the use of magnets and Velcro. These are my favorite because they make getting dressed so much easier.
What are some simple adjustments to make clothing more adaptive?
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A few simple adjustments to make clothing more adaptive include eliminating pockets on the back of pants because, oftentimes, this can lead to skin breakdown for wheelchair users; or using magnets or Velcro instead of buttons for people with limited hand mobility or arthritis; or including pull tabs inside the waistband of pants to help people pull their pants up and down.
What is your favorite fashion trend right now?
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I definitely have a preppy style and am still loving the Coastal Grandma trend! Give me all the blue and white, the stripes and the easy, pull-on linen pants, which are very adaptive.
I am also loving the Sardine Girl Summer trend right now, which includes fish prints, straw hats, cozy knits and jelly sandals, which remind me of my childhood. I love those jelly sandals! They’re also adaptive because so many of the styles are pull-on rather than using laces or buckles, which is a lot easier for me with my limited hand mobility.
What unexpected knowledge have you gained that is now your superpower?
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Since my injury, I have learned to become a lot more adaptable. As a person living with a disability in a very inaccessible world, I face challenges every single day, all day long. Learning how to face those challenges and adapt to them has become my superpower.
How do you navigate working as speech-language pathologist with a disability?
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I love working as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), and it is the therapists I had at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab who made me want to become an SLP.
But, living with a disability can be challenging, so what I have done to work around that is to become very organized. I plan my days and my schedule so that it works for me and my needs. Also, setting up my classroom is so important. I’ve made it accessible and have everything where I need it to work for me.
