Style even with a Stoma Matters

Looking good is important to our own mental health.  I know that I am not a fashionable man, but looking good still matters to me.  If it were up to me I would wear a t-shirt and jeans all day long every single day.  Now I don't think that is really a problem, but when you have a stoma some times finding the right fashion sense can be even more complicated and difficult.  The very fashion aware knows how to overcome this rather quickly and know what top goes with what bottom and how to make your ostomy bag disappear.  But some of us are less gifted in not only looking good in clothing but feeling comfortable with our ostomy bags and gear at the same time.  So let's jump into some things about looking good with a stoma that I have learned. 

I do not think that looks are super important in the overall part of life, but they matter.  I believe everyone is beautiful and not everyone looks good in the same thing.  I certainly know after 30+ years on this earth that I am not able to wear a good amount of clothing that others do.  All of our bodies are different and even when it comes to stoma placement things that work well for one person won't work with another body type.  With that said the idea is to not compare yourself to everyone around you.  It is simply not good for your mental health and certainly won't help your shopping.  Now I am not saying don't try to see what may work for you if you see it on someone else, but take it with a grain of salt.  So with myself being a bad-looking fashion person, how do I still find good looks.

Social media is my savior if not for my wife. So I hop onto the good old Tube of You and learn all I can.    I now watch more Youtube videos than any other form of digital entertainment.  That is because I learn while being entertained.  What I also found instead of just finding fixes for my home is that many channels are people with stomas talking about their lives.  Many of these people live active, adventurous lives and have lots of experience going out into the world with a stoma.  Not only is this a positive thing for me, but they usually share their experiences with clothing, gear, and life with their stoma.  It is great to see someone and how they prepare for a hike or going to the beach and what works for them.  Not everything works for me that I see, but it gives me ideas, and most of all it gives me hope.  Seeing is believing for me and I am able to go out and be more active without the fear that my stoma will hold me back.  People give me tips and I certainly need them. So what a win!

Make sure not to just stick to one platform.  Get on the others as well and gather all the information you can.  Those two platforms are loading with people who share their lifestyles with a stoma publicly and I have picked up a lot of good looking fashion tips from them.  Be wise and don't take it all too seriosuly.