Dressing for yourself

For an old style-trouper like Lara Masters, dressing to her advantage comes naturally. But how does someone confronted with a whole new physical shape
learn those tricks

The old Fred Astaire song goes; "you’ve either got, or you haven’t got style” and if you have a disability, you’re half way there as you’re already unique and have enough “edge” to make Lady Gaga’s meat dress look like a dog’s dinner. After that, it’s simply down to melding your style with your impairment."

To create my own key looks, I work with my physical “challenges”, which change as time goes on. For instance, my spine isn’t straight and I get backache from sitting in the wheelchair, so my wardrobe is full of satin and skull-print outer-wear corsets which also accentuate my waist so the rest of me looks fuller. To disguise ultra-slim legs I often wear knee or thigh-length boots in material that can be altered to fit my calves, teamed with miniskirts/hotpants/pencil skirts with high-denier tights over thigh-high wool socks for warmth and bulk.

My style is attuned to my disability but I wanted to know how a very different impairment might be “style-ised” and asked 26-year-old Amy Zahra, who lives in Malta, about re-interpreting her image.

“I’m a bilateral, below-knee amputee and have had parts of my fingers amputated due to contracting meningococcal septicaemia in 2006.

“At first it really affected my life – the loss was like going through a bereavement – but it was even worse losing my independence. The disease came very suddenly, I was sedated for two weeks and then there was this huge change in my life; it was a massive shock.

“Things progressed slowly; I learnt how to sit and use my wheelchair and was given a pair of NHS legs, but I really wanted to wear sandals and skirts, so thankfully managed to get my first pair of pretty prosthetics in 2007.

“Now I have my independence back, I sometimes forget that my own legs are missing. I still get angry about accessibility but other than that, I feel I’ve accepted my disability and moved on.”

The disease resurfaced in 2008 and Amy had kidney failure followed by a kidney transplant for which her dad was the donor. Despite all this trauma she is now finishing a psychology degree, has founded an association for amputees, gives motivational talks, works with a transplant support group and is marrying her fiancé next year.

However, Amy always makes time to prioritise style.

“I love fashion and keep myself up-to-date but also incorporate my own style. I don’t have one favourite icon, but I do watch Gossip Girl and the Kardashian sisters to see what they’re wearing and get ideas.

“My biggest passion is bags – preferably designer – and shoes! Before my amputations I wouldn’t have been caught dead in flat shoes, I always wore heels, and high heels for nights out, but with the legs I have now I can only wear a one-inch heel. Amusingly, I have more shoes now than I did when I had my own legs because every pair I like that fits I have to have! I love flip-flops and ballet pumps. Before I would never have even looked at a ballet pump; now I have them in every colour!

“I don’t like wearing short skirts with bare legs as I have scars on my thighs from the meningitis but in winter I love wearing dresses with tights and don’t mind the prostheses showing.

“I miss the summery short skirts and dresses I used to wear, especially since we have hot summers here, but I have adopted the maxi-dress style and even for smart occasions, when before I would have worn a short dress, now I buy a nice maxi-dress.

“I am definitely more adventurous with my style than I was before and I’m more confident, so I don’t think twice about wearing something which is bang in fashion. For example, before I would never have worn harem pants, but because they are an item which I CAN wear, I’ve got loads of pairs. Maybe my choice is more limited; I can’t wear very short skirts or really tight jeans but I’ve just developed a more sophisticated style.

“Style has always been important to me – when I look good I feel good – but nowadays, it also enables other people to see me as ME instead of my disability.”