Skip to main content

Summer Staples

My first few summers with lymphedema, I wore skinny jeans all summer long. Needless to say, in 90+ degree weather, it did not go well.


Over the years, I have become much more experimental and creative in finding a happy medium between comfort and style.


A few years ago, I discovered wide-legged women’s pants made in lightweight materials available at stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Old Navy. Also sometimes referred to as “flowy pants” or “beach pants,” this is a much cooler and more comfortable summer alternative to jeans. With a wide range of colors, patterns, and styles, these pants can be worn for casual recreation, such as a trip to the beach or the park, or for a formal occasion.


While it may seem like shorts are not a possibility for those who are embarrassed by their compression, wearing tights under shorts is a cute and simple summer look. I recommend starting with solid colors like black, navy blue, and grey, but I also love to mix it up with prints. My favorite pair of tights are black sheer with polk-a-dots, as they add a little fun to plain shorts, skirts, or dresses, while still disguising my skin-toned compression garment.


Summer can often be the hardest time of the year for lymphedema patients; it can be extremely difficult to find outfits that can be worn over compression yet still keep you comfortable and cool. I hope these suggestions will help fellow “lymphies” feel better about wearing their compression and managing their lymphedema through hot summer temperatures.



Picture from Summer 2018: Jean shorts with grey tights from Target


Picture from Summer 2019: Black patterned, lightweight flowy pants from Old Navy


Picture from Summer 2018: Wide-legged flowy pants with pastel stripes from TJ Maxx


Picture from Summer 2020: Wide-legged and lightweight jeans from TJ Maxx


Picture from Summer 2019: White and grey striped flowy pants from American Eagle Outfiters

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Lymphedema Story

A little over a year after finishing cancer treatment for the first time, I was in physical therapy working to rebuild the strength I had lost during my year of chemotherapy and radiation when my physical therapist noticed my left leg seemed a bit larger than the right. The difference was slight, but noticeable.  Fearing it was a blood clot, I visited my primary care doctors, but there were no other indications of one, so that cause was ruled out. After close to a month of elevation and rest, the swelling in my leg still had not gone away. With a good amount of research and consultations with my oncology care team, it was decided that I probably had lymphedema. I got measured for my first compression stocking soon after that, and began to wear it every day. Embarrassed by its appearance, for the next few years I only wore clothing that covered it, but it was at the expense of my comfort. Not even some of my closest friends knew about my lymphedema and compression, and even in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Exercising & Activewear

I have heard over and over again from providers that compression works best while exercising and moving. I’m honestly not sure if it makes a big difference for me, but regardless, staying active is extremely important for all around health. As someone with physical disabilities, my exercise options are a little limited, but I have still been able to find activities that I have grown to love. The first is swimming . I am lucky enough to have had a swimming pool in my backyard my whole life. As such, even before cancer, swimming was something I really enjoyed and did all summer long. I joined my high school swim team a year-out from finishing cancer treatment and swam competitively for the next three years.  The thing I love most about the water is that many of the limitations I experience on land aren’t there in the pool. When I was recovering from my hip surgery, I couldn’t walk without crutches for a little over a year, but in the water I could swim freely and rebuild some of my s...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Distract Factor: Dress on your own terms

One day at an appointment with my oncology team, my NP mentioned that even though my legs are different sizes, you would hardly ever notice due to parts of my outfits that would catch your eye first. It was kind of a strange compliment, but it was also kind of true. A lot of my outfits have a trademark “distract factor” that actually help in drawing attention away from my swelling. My legs might be visibly different sizes, but who’s going to notice that when there’s pom-poms on my pants?! Or funky red Dr. Martens boots on my feet?  The purpose of this post isn’t to make you feel like you need to draw attention away from your swelling or compression though. Rather, it is to encourage those who think dressing as neutrally as possible is the only way to hide their lymphedema to still have fun with their fashion.  You don’t have to focus on blending in just because you have swollen legs or arms; you still deserve to express your style on your own terms. Even with lymphedema, you c...
Post a Comment
Read more