Why Autistic People Hate Clothes

Ever dress in too little clothing? Ever dress in too much? Hate shirt tags? Hate socks? Clothing is about pressure and temperature in more than one way. We autistic people--with pressure and temperature regulation problems---are bound to have problems with clothing.
Forgive the piece of yarn on my shoulder. Ironic, huh?
Links and Book referenced:
aspiewriter.com...
spiritofautism....
journals.sagep...
Autism: Life In The Prism by Kristina DesJardins
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My name is Christian Swenson. I'm a 29-year old autistic man with interests in philosophy, art history, and all sorts of things. I made this channel to talk about the experience of autism from an autistic perspective. Autistic consciousness isn't normal consciousness. The autistic world isn't the normal world. I want to explore that world with you.

[@aintyourcupoftea1319]

I'm about to start making and selling clothing geared towards Autistic sensory issues because I can never find things I like

[@MysteryGrey]

@aintyourcupoftea Please make me some!!!

[@arasharfa]

my relationship to clothing forced me to take charge of how I dress and making clothing became a special interest because of my sensory problems. I will often get anxiety attacks while trying to get dressed, when it's really bad I can't leave the house. I find silk linen and wool are the best thermal/humidity regulators.

[@kathrinkaefer]

The difference in my mood between summer and winter is huge. I cannot cope with hot weather, I get very lethargic and depressed. I like long, tight-fitting clothes but I can't wear them in the summer. It's very agitating.

[@lonelyflower7360]

Interesting. I'm exactly the opposite. I sweat a lot and get cold in winter clothes

[@caylarivera2804]

Making my own comfortable and fun for me clothing is a huge special interest of mine. Natural breathable fibers are my favorite medium, and I use crafts like knitting and hand sewing as a stim. The feeling and texture of certain fabrics is so comforting for me while others make me want to crawl out of me skin. Wishing all of you luck in finding your clothing sweet spot out there.

[@PrtyNeal]

I've just recently discovered that my inability to regulate my body temperature could be tied to Autism. Any time I put on a shirt I sweat heavy.

[@JamieJenkins2001]

What's weird is I enjoy sweating but only the way I sweat with a raincoat on. The only outfit I can wear is a raincoat over a tank top and miniskirt (with the raincoat functioning almost as a dress in this context). Also, my legs handle cold better than my top half, so people think I'm weird for having bare legs all winter but wearing a zipped up raincoat all summer, but for me that's normal.

[@Disgruntled_Kinkajou]

The reason I'm looking this up is because we just had our first dusting of snow. I live in Syracuse, NY, where the temperature changes in an instant. I have to turn my heat up, or else I'm so cold I can't function, but my face feels like it's burning when I turn it up, so I sleep covered in blankets but with a fan blowing on my face. I then wake up feeling too cold to take off my blankets and get up due to cold air blowing on my face all night, and wearing shorts, so I'll be cold when I get up, so I sleep most of the day. I think I need a full fuzzy pajama suit, but one that isn't too restrictive or itchy, so I feel cozy and happy when I sleep.

[@JamieJenkins2001]

I live in western Massachusetts so I can relate to the temperature issues. My bedroom is in the attic and I actually enjoy being overly warm and sweating. So I often cover up with lots of covers and leave the space heater running pointed at my bed (the attic gets drafty in winter but the way I dress makes it impossible to get cold).

[@MagnificentlyHighAlien]

I love soft, loose fitting stuff. For summers 've found that that thin, size L to XL shirts work best for me (I'm size M). I also have 2 shops where I buy them because I love their designs and the quality is great. I often get compliments along the lines of I 'like your style', some would even call it daring. It's not impossible to look somewhat fashionable and be comfortable :) Despite that, anywhere over 21 Degrees C is too warm, and 25+ feels like heat death anyway. That's why I prefer winter. You can dress up against the cold, but you can't undress against the heat.

[@JamieJenkins2001]

That sounds a little bit like my one friend who's really close friends with my best friend, although you're nowhere near as extreme, she's really thin but wears 6XL t-shirts that look like a choir robe on her, but she's happy so I'm happy for her (and I wouldn't have any room to say anything, me being Miss Wears-A-Raincoat-Even-When-It's-Sunny-And-Above-40-Degrees-Celsius).

[@MrAdriancooke]

I often wish it was safe and practical for us all to go naked and have never been that interested in clothes and find other people's obsession with them unbelievably boring

[@dancingram79]

At home, I am always wearibg nightgowns. I wear comfortable feminine clothes only to be out in the world. I cant stand anything too close to my throat and Im always too hot.

[@mittenielsen8424]

Yes bras are indeed the worst, they hurt and pinch and are warm.. but being big busted i cant not wear a bra, because that would hurt even more and make me sweat even more - if i could do anything i would simple cut off my boobs but its too expensive...

[@JamieJenkins2001]

I'm sorry to hear about the problems you're facing. I'm on the opposite side of things and have always been insecure about my flat, shapeless body (a paint stick is curvier than me).

[@MysteryGrey]

OMG!!! Thank you for making this video!!!!! Analysis paralysis!!! I hate clothes!!! I want the same cotton clothes every day!!!

[@magdalena-lisarobertson4143]

You are a genius. A sweet genius. I wish I had you as a guardian angel-consultant as I was growing up (and throughout my life) to explain all the things. 😊☺️🙏🏻 thank you. Very grateful you are here on this platform.

[@tomkraushaar4220]

I love your style brother man. For me I wear full coverage clothing year round in Southern California even in summer and surfing full wet suit. I modify t-shirts so I'm less likely to scratch my neck etc. etc. Much Aloha, stay warm or cool or whatever:)

[@JamieJenkins2001]

I have a very atypical sense of what's "comfortable" compared to most people. Regular "comfort" clothes for neurotypicals (and even many people with autism) often are uncomfortable for me, but a raincoat, which is not considered comfortable by most people, feels amazing for me. It's one of those heavy shiny raincoats made out of PVC with no lining. I wear it over a tank top and mini skirt (with the raincoat ironically functioning more as a mini dress for me and the tank top and skirt functioning as undergarments). And I wear short mid-calf riding boots with no socks. I wear this exact outfit all the time (although I vary the tank tops and mini skirts). I almost never cover my legs, though, despite the cold Massachusetts winters, so my legs are on display all winter but the raincoat (usually with the hood up) is on all the time, even on the hottest summer days. I know for most that clothing combination is extremely uncomfortable but for me it's the only way I like to dress. In fact, when I was a kid I never understood why other kids didn't want to wear their raincoat. I cried when I was told to take it off. Eventually the adults let me keep it on because they understood I only felt "right" when wearing it. Are there any other people with autism who have a certain garment they need to wear year round, even if inappropriate for the season and weather? The only real vairation is in the winter I sometimes wear a winter coat over my raincoat (as I said before, the raincoat is a de facto dress for me, even if it's just mid-thigh length). I like when it rains since I don't get weird looks for my attire (if it's raining heavily, I carry an umbrella so my raincoat doesn't get wet, ironic, I know) but when I'm inside and leave it on as I always do, the weird looks resume, which is unfortunate.

[@ZhovtoBlakytniy]

For me loose long sleeves all year or tank tops. I don't like short sleeve hems touching my arm, so it's all or nothing for me. Same idea about pants, though I just would rather wear a long sleeve dress made of cotton T-shirt material that's midi length.

[@JamieJenkins2001]

@@ZhovtoBlakytniy My raincoat's kind of a long-sleeved minidress, I recently did one thing different though, a change to my outfit. I've always wanted rainboots but never found comfortable ones, until recently that is, this pair has replaced my riding boots (similar length, too). That's for most a small change but for me it's kind of the equivalent of a complete fashion change (voluntarily/willingly).

[@thekajalflaneur]

Yes this is wonderful. I wear clothes which I feel comfortable in, comfortable in, real fur I like (antique of course) because I find it's regulates my body heat much better than other where I sweat too much and catch cold. I make my own clothes for summer, kimono, tie up two silk scarfs and then use a neck scarf as a belt to keep cool. Wear heavy bracelet so that I feel anchored, it's kinda like a pressure blanket effect in a funny kind of way. In the end, if I am going to be an electric eel in a pond of goldfish, I'd rather be obviously electrified with myself. I mean to say, I am asd and I ain't hiding that, odd prefer to dress like how I see myself inside, not to be an object for other people's comfort at the price ultimately of my own mental stability. Thankyou for reading, have a lovely day and keep smiling. 💖

[@88marome]

In my experience it’s allistic people who don’t wear clothes appropriate for the weather. So many NT people don’t wear raincoats or even bring an umbrella when the weatherman has said it’s going to rain all week! And a lot of women wear skirts without stockings in the middle of winter! Why?!

[@88marome]

It feels like I’m the odd one when I have my raincoat on in the rain when everyone else around me are running for cover because they have nothing to protect them.

[@Laylaflowerbewick]

Viscose material always helps me

[@tomflegg4227]

Researched this while having the very same idea around considering dying my clothes a darker shade stop the overload I feel when wearing too many different shades/colours. I laughed when you turned round on the black board becuse after relating to what of what you said I could only guess the blackboard was another of those sensory pleasures that make it easier to do certain task. I hate typing out on computers and if I could make all my lists, elaborate my ideas on a blackboard I would!

[@myimperfectlife2023]

Clothing sets off sensory issues very badly for me ... can't have shirt collars that are too close to my neck, no tags, no rough seams, no nylon, not too much polyester in a blend.....omg. when I find something that works for me i just buy several pairs 😏🤷

[@danielimmortuos666]

Honestly whenever I'm going to school I'm always sweating so much even when it's 5 degrees celsius and that's why I always avoid layers and people ask me why I'm a not wearing this or that

[@ninaneshich]

I have an autistic son. He is 5 years old and when the winter comes he neither wants to wear winter clothes nor let me use it. He keeps asking me to remove. So I found this video. I am trying to understand. Curious to know why he doesn’t like others to wear it too.

[@ZhovtoBlakytniy]

When I was that age I insisted on going out in the snow in my T-shirt and cotton shorts, barefoot. My parents let me do it for a short time just because I was so insisting and I loved it. Of course, I had to come back in after just a few minutes because that can be dangerous, but it wasn't a bone chilling winter day- just cold enough to snow and stick. The reason I hate winter clothes is not only do I hate heat, but winter clothes are hardly ever made from natural material but some plastic fibers. They can be itchy especially on the cuffs because of the way the elastic bunches the stiff polyester and vinyl material, the waterproof fabrics make weird noises when they rub (like a textured screen) and that can be overwhelming even for others nearby to wear. The sherpa polyester fluffy fabric sticks to dry winter skin. Some materials like fleece or flannel can pill and make bumps that have to be picked off. The winter boots are heavy and trap heat. The jacket or coat zipped to the throat and the scarves feels constricting. Mittens and gloves make our hands more useless. Thick socks with seams touching the toes is uncomfortable. Also, putting on all those layers feels like a workout sometimes. Hopefully those examples are giving some insight.

[@candacecassidy3385]

My niece doesn't wear underwear either. She says it's her story and why she doesn't wear clothes or underwear.

[@PrtyNeal]

Oh my god I'm laying here without a shirt on because I can't stop sweating

[@kalonakitu]

thank you.

[@sarahcunniffe4678]

Happy new year to you too! A short video for a complex topic. Glad you picked up on the shorts in winter phenomenon. Are you putting the "modesty" religious aspect into the cultural box?

[@fornamnefternamn4869]

I hate clothes because they are always feeling wrong in some way. With the exception for really sacky and really ugly outworn jersey stuff. :/ And I don't like to look like that.

[@josiah42]

Good content. You're not looking at the camera today ☺️ I'm not sure why.

[@Xianomega]

Not sure! Might be because I'm consulting my notes. I'm pretty sure I do make more eye contact in the videos yet to premiere.

[@Xena4prez]

huh. thank you

[@cristinachaliandroi1369]

You dont have to wear clothes that pressure you though

[@Finne57]

So interesting - you look hot! That's cool!

[@user-wt1ob1ck2y]

I have your subscribers your channel

[@thespacekiller6070]

they don't wtf