Deciding what to wear on your wedding day is a monumental decision. For the thousands of people with disabilities, it can be an impossible choice because most stores do not carry stylish, on-trend adaptive clothing. One fashion innovator is using magnets to transform classic men’s attire and adapt it for people with limited mobility and dexterity. Her goal – to make adaptive fashion available to everyone who needs it for any occasion.

When Maura Horton first came up with the idea for MagnaReady®, a patented magnetic closure system, she was not designing with a wedding in mind. Her husband Don was battling Parkinson’s disease and one day he returned home from work and shared a story with her that changed everything. A college football coach, Don was trying to get ready to return home after a game, but he found himself unable to button his dress shirt in the locker room. A player came to his assistance, but upon hearing that story Maura knew she needed to find dress shirts that Don could button without assistance. 

When she could not find a shirt that looked professional and stylish, Maura got creative, took Don’s existing shirts and experimented with replacing the buttons with magnets. The idea not only worked for Don, but it has also changed the lives of thousands of people.

“No one should be denied the ability to perform the daily task of dressing independently that most of us take for granted,” Maura says, “simply because designers and retailers have historically not addressed the fashion needs of people with disabilities. They especially should not have their fashion choices limited on one of the most important and memorable days of their lives.” 

MagnaReady dress shirts look like your typical dress shirt that can be found in any department store or men’s suit shop. The magnetic power is hidden within. Behind the buttons on the front placket of the shirt, cuffs and collar, magnets are sewn between the layers of fabric. So, buttoning the shirt becomes as simple as lining up the two sides of the shirt or cuff and with a click, the magnets will secure the shirt closed.

Available in a variety of colors and patterns, including classic and crisp white, MagnaReady shirts are perfect for grooms, fathers of the bride or groom, wedding parties and guests. Additionally, MagnaReady has women’s and boy’s lines for mothers-of-the-brides and ring bearers to feel as comfortable as possible on your special day.

Just recently, Maura had a customer send her a note expressing her joy at discovering the shirts for her husband. “Customer stories always make me smile and warm my heart,” Maura says “This message was particularly touching. The mother of the groom purchased a shirt for her husband who had arthritis because she knew with the craziness of the wedding day, she would not have the time to help her husband dress. The shirt not only gave him independence, but it also gave her the opportunity to spend precious moments with her son and daughter-in-law. Stories like this are so meaningful and it is impactful to know that a shirt I created for my husband is making a difference in other people’s lives on days they will remember forever, and just every day.”