#EverydayEB P2P Tips: Contributor Post feat. Shelbi Keesler
Our #EverydayEB P2P Tips series is a community-driven resource that aims to empower and support individuals living with EB in their daily lives. In this series, EB Community members share their practical tips, tools, and strategies to help others navigate life with EB.
We kick off the series with a focus on EB-friendly Clothing and Fashion! In this post, Shelbi Keesler, a remarkable individual who lives with DDEB, shares her insights on finding comfort, confidence, and style.
We are still collecting the community’s recommendations on EB-friendly Clothing and Fashion! Whether it’s a favorite fabric, a brilliant hack, a helpful aid or assistive device, or a brand that caters to your EB, we want to know from head to toe. To participate, please take a few moments to fill out the short survey here. In just a few weeks, we’ll compile all the community’s recommendations to share! Thank you for being a part of this powerful community network.
1. How would you define your personal style? What inspires your style?
I have always loved the dark goth clothing style.
2. Please share with us about how you discovered your style. How has your EB impacted this journey?
I’m not going to sugarcoat my life growing up in the very beginning of the 90’s. I was born in ‘88. As a kid, my skin was so fragile and weak, I kept getting verbally attacked and abused by children and parents. Every day, I’d go outside to see if I can make a difference in someone’s life and at a moment, I did. I saved a blind boy from being bullied and saved his siblings also. I was 8 years old, saving the boy and we became friends.
3. How do you balance comfort with fashion?
I wear black leggings that are super comfortable and fit tight but can hold any shape of dressings on my knees. Love sweatpants, fleece, footie pig and dresses – gothic style if they have it.
4. Do you have any favorite clothing brands or fabrics?
TIME AND TRU tunics. The leggings with pockets are buttery soft. Walmart Active Wear. 3-Pocket black leggings I got on Amazon, and I have many of those. I mainly wear polyester and cotton blend. Polyester and nylon. Cotton. Fleece.
5. Do you have any hacks, tips, or aids for getting dressed or protecting your skin under clothing?
Spray anti-static cling on your slip and dress then put it on. It will help you stay irritation free and no rash. Same goes for palazzo pants and prom dresses and wedding dresses and all kinds of petty coats. I don’t ever like to show off my skin, so I got a crop top with 3/4 sleeves and it’s black. I put it on and wear it with a wrap dress that has a V-neck or I wear it under the boat neck 50’s style dress. There are times where I would wear the crop top with a sleeveless dress to keep my modesty. I wear different kinds of leggings under tunic dresses. The leggings with pockets. Summertime, I wear sandals and, in the fall, winter and spring, I wear street slippers and snow boots. On special occasions, gothic boots and gothic heels and sandals.
6. What advice would you give to fellow EB community members who are interested in fashion?
Be free to explore your own personal style. Don’t hesitate to try new things and become WEIRD and STRANGE. Who knows what the future looks like. Don't let others ruin your lifestyle or the way you see yourself. What matters most is that you’re happy and healthy enough to get dressed! My motto to myself is: I’m grateful for this pain. I’m grateful for this body.
