In Dinner for Shoes podcast episode 74, host Sarah Wasilak chats with fashion-forward disability advocate and para surfer Cienna Ditri to celebrate Disability Pride Month. Cienna’s bio on Instagram, where she goes by @chronicallypersevering, sums up her online presence: “My conditions are chronic, but my style is iconic.” Her aesthetic blends coastal ease with confident self-expression.
Sarah and Cienna discuss the growing movement for disability visibility in fashion and beauty, the rise of disabled influencers on TikTok and Instagram, and how personal style can be a powerful tool for advocacy and inclusion. Sarah also spotlights a curated list of stylish disability advocates whose feeds deserve your follow.
Inspired by Cienna’s favorite meal, Sarah samples pasta with tomato and vodka sauces from Rosticeria Da Gigi in Hoboken — a nod to the sweet spot where fashion and food meet on Dinner for Shoes.
In the episode, Sarah wears the popular Heidi Merrick Ginger dress of Meghan Markle fame. Dinner for Shoes viewers can enjoy 15% off at Heidi Merrick with code DFS15.
✨ Need outfit advice? Dealing with a fashion emergency? Call or text the Shoe Therapy Hotline at 917-336-2057 or tag #ShoeTherapy on TikTok or Instagram — and you might be featured on an upcoming episode.
THIS DINNER
Pasta with tomato sauce and penne pasta alla vodka from Rosticeria Da Gigi in Hoboken, NJ
THESE SHOES
Nina Peggy Ballet Flats
THIS OUTFIT
Heidi Merrick dress
Vintage BaubleBar earrings
Marrow Fine ring
Vintage ring
THESE CHAPTERS
0:00 - INTRO
3:40 - THE OUTFIT BEHIND THE SHOES
8:13 - CIENNA DITRI INTERVIEW
44:18 - DISABILITY FASHION CREATORS
52:07 - PASTA WITH RED SAUCE X2
THIS PRODUCTION
is created, written, hosted, and produced by Sarah Wasilak.
is creative directed and executive produced by Megan Kai.
is tech supervised by Nick.
includes photos and videos in chronological order by Cienna Ditri, Sarah Wasilak, Heidi Merrick, Jillian Mercado, Rockahontaz, Clara Holmes, April Lockhart, Belle Bakst, Arianna Rose Phillips, Stephanie Thomas, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard, and Ashton McGrady.
is made with love.
Dinner for Shoes is a fashion podcast for people who love food, hosted by editor Sarah Wasilak. With appearances by her cats, Trish and Kit, and agendas that almost always go to shit, we aim to dive into a discussion about fashion and style and break some bread in each episode.
Dinner for Shoes podcast episodes are released weekly on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. You can follow along for updates, teasers, and more on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. If there are any fashion topics you’ve been pondering or good
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.