How To Dress For Semi-Formal Occasions As A Wheelchair User

Do you love getting dressed up for a special occasion, but find it difficult to find an outfit to match your style and your needs as a wheelchair user? Aside from the everyday struggles of dealing with all that comes with having a disability, one of the hardest aspects of it is maintaining your sense of style. Dressing for formal or semi-formal occasions takes this struggle to another level entirely. However, though difficult, there are ways for dressing for semi-formal occasions as a wheelchair user that I use to ensure I’m loving my outfit and feeling my best for when these special occasions come around.  

How To Dress For Semi-Formal Occasions As A Wheelchair User

Leggings: Are leggings one of your fashion staples? If not, they should be, especially in black because they give you more options with your outfit to make you semi-formal ready. Add leggings to a sweater dress along with some boots and you’re ready to go. This is one of my go-to outfits especially during the colder months and when I get fed-up wearing pants all the time. This is also an option for the days you want to wear skirts. Sitting down all the time, it can be challenging to dress for the kind of style you want and the functionality of your disability, leggings allow you some freedom to play with your outfit and stay worry-free in regards to mishaps. 

Flats & Strappy Sandals:  Flats and cute strappy sandals are excellent for dressing up your look especially if heels are out of the question which they are to me, come to think of it so are some flats and sandals for that matter. However, for occasions where sneakers and other more casual shoes just won’t cut it, flats and sandals are key. If for some reason some flats don’t work for you for example ballet flats, look for sandals with a zipper at the back or a buckle. In all honesty, these shoes can be hard to find, but you have several places to look. Whether you have an event coming up soon or just want to add these to your closet for any possible semi-formal occasions in the future, as a fellow wheelchair user, I would suggest looking for shoes a month or two in advance, just in case you want to look around a bit. 

Boots & Ankle Booties:  I love boots! Since most dressy shoes have heels even some boots. I gravitate toward the low heel or flat boots which are much easier to find than flats or strappy sandals in opinion. As I said earlier a sweater dress, leggings, and boots mostly knee-high boots is my go-to outfit in the winter. These shoes help add a dressy element to even the most casual looks, like jeans and a dressy top. A cute outfit, not one that I’d choose for a semi-formal occasion, it’s a cute outfit nonetheless. Ankle booties are another great choice, especially for spring.  They are dressy and allow you to have that cute aesthetic to your outfit when knee-high boots are not an option.  

* * I wouldn’t wear jeans to a semi-formal occasion even with a dressy top unless the event states jeans are okay. I find it’s much better to be on the safe and go for one of the other options in this post, if you find your a little too dressed up with your outfit choice, you can always add a moto or jean jacket to tone it down.**       

Layer Your Outfits: Layering pieces in your closet can help inspire new outfit ideas. When it comes to semi-formal occasions you have some options. For example, you can take a mini dress paired with leggings and ankle boots that you’d wear in the spring, add a sweater, now the dress looks like a skirt and you have a new outfit. You can also add a jacket to a jumpsuit for a more relaxed semi-formal event.   

Accessories: Accessorizing an outfit is one of my favorite parts of getting ready for anything casual to formal. When it comes to jewelry you don’t need much. I like to wear earrings, a bracelet,  and maybe a simple ring. You have several options when it comes to the combination that you put together for your outfit. When picking out the jewelry make sure to pay attention to the neckline of your top or dress. Have fun with this part. 

  Semi-Formal Outfit Ideas For Wheelchair Users

Jumpsuits: Jumpsuits are perfect for semi-formal occasions, that is if you can deal with the whole one-piece outfit aspect. A solid or dual color jumpsuit works for semi-formal occasions. You can go for those with patterns when you want to look dressed up, but you have a little more room to play with the look to and show off your sense of style. A few pieces of jewelry(one or two, three at the most), flats, strappy sandals or ankle boots, and a clutch and you’re all set.  

Maxi Outfits:

• Maxi Skirts: Maxi skirts are long and billowy. Wearing a  skirt like this, you can wear a simple top and let the skirt be the focus of the outfit. Pair it with flats or strappy sandals 
• Maxi Dresses: This is my go-to for semi-formal and formal occasions. Maxi dresses can vary from having a few details like a simple dress with shoulder straps or an accented neckline and cutout area to halters and lace-up backs, patterns, and beautiful details. The accessories you choose depend on the details of the dress, a clutch is a must-have option for semi-formal and formal occasions.       
• Maxi Rompers: Maxi rompers and rompers are becoming more and more popular instead of the cocktail dress choice. Maxi rompers come in various styles so you can pick one that matches your style, just remember it is a semi-formal occasion when picking out an option. For wheelchair users, who can’t wear heels flats or strappy sandals are probably your best bet, though some ankle boots may work depending on the style of that and the romper, you’d have to see what you like best.  

Palazzo Pants: Palazzo pants seem to be making a comeback. These pants are versatile, they come in various designs and materials, they also have a loose, almost flowy look. The wide-leg aspect of these pants can make them look like a maxi skirt especially when you’re sitting down. You can pair these pants with flats, sandals and some ankle boots, depending on the style. However, the flats or sandals may be the better choice.

Layered Dresses: Pairing a jacket or a sweater with a mini or midi dress a great way to make sure you stay warm and it gives you another option with a dress you might have worn a few times before. I wouldn’t pair a denim jacket with the dress because as I mentioned before jeans aren’t particularly semi-formal. However, if you get to an event and feel you’re a little too dressed up, you can make the look more casual by adding one.   

There are various ways you can alter styles and outfits that inspire you to work for you as a wheelchair user if the need arises. I just want to share my go-to favorites with you. In case you skimmed everything above this post, let’s recap:

Getting dressed for formal or semi-formal occasions can be fun, but difficult especially as a wheelchair user. Nevertheless, you should always be wearing an outfit you love. In the past, I’ve struggled to find outfits for special occasions and I ended feeling like I was settling for an outfit that wasn’t necessarily me in some way and I hated the feeling. Although you have a few more outfit options, it can still take a while to find something that’s your style wheelchair user or not, so start looking for something to wear early. I hope these tips help you find something great to wear for your next semi-formal event.

Do you have any tips or outfit suggestions for semi-formal occasions that you think should be added to this list? Let me know in the comments below and help out other wheelchair users.

~Kimberly