Looking for button down t-shirt for person with disability
October 1, 2021 9:41 AM   Subscribe

We are trying to find a cotton short sleeve t-shirt that fully buttons down the front for someone who can not lift a shirt over their head. They can put their arms through sleeves and button up a shirt.

We are trying to find a cotton short sleeved tshirt that fully buttons down the front for someone who can not lift a shirt over their head. They can put their arms through sleeves and button up a shirt.
We've seen "adaptive" shirts with magnets and velcro but those will not work due to skin sensitivity.
This is the closest thing we've seen to what we are looking for, but the buttons are in the back. We're looking for them in the front, like a cardigan cotton t shirt. The sleeves can not be tight.
Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you.
posted by fies to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
This would be a pretty easy task for a person who can sew well, in case you want to go thrift shopping for shirts and then pay someone to put in buttons. If you do this, make sure the shirts are about 2 sizes larger than needed so there’s enough fabric to overlap and make the button placket.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:48 AM on October 1, 2021


I've seen bowling shirts like this with snaps, really open sleeves for freedom of movement.
posted by nickggully at 9:52 AM on October 1, 2021


Does it need to have a crewneck collar like a standard t-shirt? What size range are you looking for (mens/womens/larger/smaller)?

If the crew neck is not a requirement, maybe something like this Ultra Soft Knit Short Sleeve Shirt (at Walmart) or this Short Sleeve Button Down Shirt (at Target)?
posted by mskyle at 9:52 AM on October 1, 2021 [1 favorite]


This made me think of baseball jerseys. Here's a few from Amazon that are 100% Cotton:
- Solid Color
- Cool Piping
- Another one

They're not 100% just t-shirts, but they are casual, short-sleeve, collarless, 100% cotton, button up shirts
posted by brainmouse at 9:56 AM on October 1, 2021 [4 favorites]


Response by poster: Thank you for the quick responses!

The baseball jersey just might work if its a soft cotton. I will order and see.
Regarding the other ideas. We can not sew or pay anyone to do so. And the person really wants something like a tshirt and not a collared button down, but thank you for the links to those options.
Any other ideas are appreciated. Thank you!
posted by fies at 10:00 AM on October 1, 2021 [1 favorite]


In the "not quite a t-shirt, but light and roomy" category, it's not the norm, but there are button-up scrub tops available for medical/lab workers. They're more common in women's cut, but are available in unisex as well.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:01 AM on October 1, 2021 [1 favorite]


I'm not sure if the neck treatment is what you have in mind, but this otherwise fits the bill.

If it makes you feel any better, even women's short-sleeved cotton cardigans are surprisingly hard to find, despite their obvious usefulness for functions such as going over sleeveless dresses.
posted by praemunire at 11:02 AM on October 1, 2021


Maybe do a search for a 'Nehru shirt'. That's a shirt without a fold-down collar, that looks a lot more like a t-shirt. They come in short-sleeved versions.
posted by pipeski at 11:08 AM on October 1, 2021 [1 favorite]


What about a very thin zip hoodie? Or would the zip be uncomfortable? I love these. There’s other very thin options on that site - which I also love for basics. And while it’s still got a collar and woven, a thin flannel is SUPER soft and comfy. Lastly, are there any disability community services or organizations? What about a sewing group or local shop? They may help you find someone to volunteer to alter some shirts for free. Like stated, it can be a very simple job and there are kind people in the world.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:09 AM on October 1, 2021


You might find some suggestions in this previous post.
posted by embrangled at 1:24 AM on October 2, 2021 [1 favorite]


This is the closest I found.
posted by SemiSalt at 2:34 PM on October 2, 2021


Another here.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:43 PM on October 2, 2021


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