Inclusive Fashion: How a Small, Local Boutique Got It Right

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You can find this cute top HERE at CLT Boutique.

You can find this cute top HERE at CLT Boutique.

Last Fall, Taylor and I kind of did a thing….. Britt Gooding, owner of an online and mobile boutique called CLT Boutique, posted a model call in a local Facebook group for moms.  Something prompted me to send a response along with a little photo of Taylor.  Not only can you find the cutest graphic t-shirts, onesies, coffee mugs, hats, accessories, and more at the CLT Boutique, but Britt emphasized she was looking for models with diverse looks and ages.  I wouldn’t generally think of submitting Taylor’s photo as a model, but the wording of the post struck me: 

“diversity”

That one word prompted me to send a response, along with a little photo of Taylor in her walker and her orthotics.  I didn’t expect much from it.  There were over 400 responses to the Facebook post with photos of adorable, typically developing children of varying ages, races, and ethnicities.  

Taylor is 4 years old and diagnosed with pura syndrome. This is the home photo submitted for a model call to clt boutique, a local fashion boutique based out of charlotte, nc.

Taylor is 4 years old and diagnosed with pura syndrome. This is the home photo submitted for a model call to clt boutique, a local fashion boutique based out of charlotte, nc.

The next day, I received a message from Britt.   She provided all the details for the shoot.  Obviously, Britt knew from the picture I had posted that Taylor used a walker, but she didn’t seem concerned with it….as a matter of fact, she never even asked about it.  

After we had messaged back and forth several times, I threw in a courtesy ‘hey, by the way, Taylor has a rare genetic condition.  She’s not walking independently yet but will stand with support and walk in her walker.  She is also not talking yet but understands a lot.  She may not follow directions as well as a typically developing peer, but she’s pretty much a joy to be around and I think this will be a lot of fun….”

Britt was totally unfazed.  We arrived at the photoshoot and Britt had updated our photographer, Lisa from Lisa Fink Photography, on all of the details.  Lisa asked me a few questions about posing and we all got to work.  Lisa took pictures of Taylor in her walker, standing holding on to a stool and sitting and standing next to a greenhouse table.  It was a steaming hot September day and at times, Taylor was a little overwhelmed by the heat and with all of the people.  We sang baby shark about 1000 times and I was probably THE MOST obnoxious mom of all time trying to keep a smile on that adorable face. 

So, why am I sharing this story?  Well, Britt’s response isn’t actually all that common which is why it stands out to me.  A lot of people hesitate to interact with Taylor….there is frequently fear….not fear OF Taylor necessarily, but fear of the unknown.  Will she respond in the same way that other kids respond?  Should I talk to her?  Will she understand me?  What is the walker for?  Can she follow directions?  Will it be too difficult to work with her? Etc., etc., etc.  Even if Britt or Lisa were thinking these things, they didn’t show it.  They just treated us like every other family arriving for the photoshoot that day.

“Ableism” is something I have been reading about a lot more recently.  I have a LOT to learn, but the basic definition is “discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.”  I had never even heard of ableism until about one year ago but it exists in our thoughts, perceptions, language, schools, workplaces, buildings, social interactions, and policies. It has and still exists within me in many ways but I am trying very hard to examine myself and make change.

Find this “Charlotte is my happy place” top at the CLT Boutique.

Find this “Charlotte is my happy place” top at the CLT Boutique.

It would have been really easy for Britt to choose a typically developing, able-bodied kiddo from the over 400 applicants to her model call.  It would have been really easy for her to get scared of working with a child like Taylor or feel like it would be too much extra work to get photos of a child with a disability.  But she chose us.

She chose US with no questions asked.  She and Lisa did not make us feel like we were a burden or like the very minor accommodations needed for the photoshoot were too much. We could all learn a thing or two from this situation.  Our family appreciates her support and respect her willingness to reflect diversity and inclusion in her brand.  

And now, we want to support her in her latest endeavor.  

CLT Boutique just celebrated the GRAND OPENING of a brand-new storefront in Historic South End, Charlotte.  This is a huge accomplishment under normal circumstances, but Britt pulled this one off in the middle of a pandemic which is pretty incredible.  When you shop at CLT Boutique you are shopping local and supporting a small business, so go check out all of the goods at https://cltboutique.com. 

Britt, we are SO excited for you!  We are rooting for you and wish you all the best in your new venture!


@ToughLikeTaylor

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Inclusive Fashion: How a Small, Local Boutique Got It Right
Inclusive Fashion: How a Small, Local Boutique Got It Right

Last Fall, Taylor and I kind of did a thing….. Britt Gooding, owner of an online and mobile boutique called CLT Boutique, posted a model call in a local Facebook group for moms, I couldn’t resist. Something prompted me to send a response along with a little photo of Taylor. Not only can you find the cutest graphic t-shirts, onesies, coffee mugs, hats, accessories, and more at the CLT Boutique, but Britt emphasized she was looking for models with diverse looks and ages.

A Seat At The Table
A Seat At The Table

Despite the many social advances we have made in the last several decades, “difference” is often still associated with “defect,” and as a result there is a tendency to underappreciate, underestimate, and devalue the lives of those with disabilities.  Having a daughter with a rare genetic condition gives me unique insight into how those with disabilities are viewed and treated. Discrimination exists both overtly and covertly.  

We Can Do It Together
We Can Do It Together

I sat at a nearby bar long after the fundraiser was over talking with Jean.  We talked about the joys and the struggles of raising a child with special needs.  As we talked, I was reminded of my own experience after Taylor was diagnosed in January of 2018. After the initial impact of receiving an official diagnosis, I wanted to know how I could help.  I wanted to find out as much as I could about the condition. I wanted to connect with other families.  I wanted to raise awareness for a genetic condition so obscure, only 300 people are diagnosed to date.  I wanted to do EVERYTHING I could to set Taylor up for success.  

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Fighting for Change

Writing this post is really difficult, because it plays to one of my worst fears as a parent of a child with special needs.  The timing is ironic, as I literally just sat with a friend in a coffee shop over the weekend and shared this fear….that my daughter, Taylor, will be treated poorly or subjected to verbal or physical abuse, and that I will not know about it. Every parent fears this, but it is most concerning to me because my daughter is nonverbal. She would have no way of telling me what happened.

10 Tips for Supporting a Parent of a Child with Special Needs
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Together We Can Do Something Wonderful

One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa: “None of us, including me, ever do great things.  But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.”  Tough Like Taylor’s parents had an opportunity to travel across the pond at the end of June to attend the 3rd Annual PURA Syndrome Conference.  The conference was held in the United Kingdom at the Wellcome Genome Campus, home to the Wellcome Sanger Institute, which is one of the leading genomic research centers in the world.  One third of the human genome was sequenced for the first time on this campus, which provided the largest single contribution of any center to the Human Genome Project (HGP)……pretty cool stuff.  Way over my head…..but pretty cool.

6 Tips For Talking With Your Child About Disabilities
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We have all experienced it.....you are having an eventful shopping trip to Target (one where you claim you are going to buy sunscreen, aaaaand $175 later.....)  You have cleared out the store and are waiting patiently in the check-out line.  You look into your shopping cart and see your child staring, aghast at a person in a wheelchair and then loudly proclaiming, "Mommy, why is that boy drooling?!" 

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What is PURA Syndrome?

What IS PURA Syndrome anyway?  As we speak, researchers are attempting to learn more about PURA Syndrome; however, here are a few things we know about this rare genetic condition.....