Saturday saw a family outing to the Royal Festival Hall for G and S's wedding. It was a fantastic day, immersed in the newly refurbished building that celebrates the original design, right down to the carpets...
It was a great event, with a touching attention to detail. All the kids were given their own copy of
This is London...
It was a great event, with a touching attention to detail. All the kids were given their own copy of
This is London...
And it was a special day for me, too. My first outing in a suit since my accident. This is not because I am a slob. Even if I am. A bit.
No, the reason I have not worn a suit since my accident is that suits are made to stand up in. They don't lend themselves to the shape of a wheelchair user, with bum-flaps and pockets hanging out here and there, and the lapels riding up like a big mouth when I push the chair, as if my jacket is trying to eat my face off.
I have consulted other wheelchair using suit wearers, and it is possible to get a suit tailored for sitting in, but I don't have the budget or the appointments diary to justify such an extravagance. Instead, I spent the day tucking in and pulling down whenever I moved around. The general opinion seems to suggest that I got away with it...
Even Arsenal's disastrous showing at home to Hull did little to dampen my mood, especially with the champagne flowing. It is slightly disturbing to be so easy to spot in a crowd, as the wheelchair was a bit of a giveaway. Add to that the possibility that they may have read my book, and it can make me feel at a bit of a disadvantage. Mind you, I was warned about this before I put our lives down on paper for the world to scrutinize.
I've entered myself in the Cardiff Wheelchair Tennis tournament, in a vain attempt to force myself to improve my game. I'm even moving up from C/Novice up to the dizzy heights of B. Not sure about this, as I would have won in the novice division, I feel. Ho hum.
No, the reason I have not worn a suit since my accident is that suits are made to stand up in. They don't lend themselves to the shape of a wheelchair user, with bum-flaps and pockets hanging out here and there, and the lapels riding up like a big mouth when I push the chair, as if my jacket is trying to eat my face off.
I have consulted other wheelchair using suit wearers, and it is possible to get a suit tailored for sitting in, but I don't have the budget or the appointments diary to justify such an extravagance. Instead, I spent the day tucking in and pulling down whenever I moved around. The general opinion seems to suggest that I got away with it...
Even Arsenal's disastrous showing at home to Hull did little to dampen my mood, especially with the champagne flowing. It is slightly disturbing to be so easy to spot in a crowd, as the wheelchair was a bit of a giveaway. Add to that the possibility that they may have read my book, and it can make me feel at a bit of a disadvantage. Mind you, I was warned about this before I put our lives down on paper for the world to scrutinize.
I've entered myself in the Cardiff Wheelchair Tennis tournament, in a vain attempt to force myself to improve my game. I'm even moving up from C/Novice up to the dizzy heights of B. Not sure about this, as I would have won in the novice division, I feel. Ho hum.
Hey Tim
Glad to hear the wedding went OK. I am sure you looked very smart in your suit. Not sure if this will help but I too use a wheelchair at times and as a doctor, I require to wear a suit. I have never had any special adaptations done. I also know a well known journalist who is a chair user and is always besuited and he wears ordinary (well to him ordinary Saville Row) suits.
I tend to make sure that the trousers are of a loose fit and that the jacket is just long enough for me to sit on. That way, when I push I have no problem.