Androgynous Clothing Help

[Brooke777]

I need some help with getting new clothes. Specifically pants, and shirts. I would like to get them in the store so I can try them on. I am in the Seattle area if that helps.

I little about me to help the helpers. I am 29, and just recently started hrt so my body will be changing. The reason I need new clothes is because I have recently lost about 50lbs so none of my clothes fit. I am 5'10, and 160lbs. I am an engineer, and usually wear jeans and a button up shirt to work. I would like to get more androgynous style clothing so that as I change my clothing will "fit" my new physical appearance. I have a good fashion sence for men's clothes, and women's clothes. But trying to find the middle is hard for me.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank You.

[Lyric]

Well, a good way to get into the groove with this is to stop shopping for clothes in the men's department completely. It can take some effort, but you can find plenty of clothing in women's departments that pass as mens clothes as well. Arguably, this is easiest with jeans, so buy some women's jeans that are not too girly. It's trickier with tops, but plan your outfit in advance.

With clothes shopping, it's best not to buy individual pieces blindly. You want to work out a complete outfit and find the pieces that make it up. My favorite thing to do is to take cues from pictures of stylish celebs in their own clothes. They have expert stylists help them plan their outfits, so we can benefit from their efforts.

My fav andro looks right now are skinny jeans with boots or sandles, t-shirts or turtlenecks and that sort of thing. It's really not very hard.

~ Lyric ~

[Brooke777]

Thank you for the advice. I have thought about women's jeans, but my taste in clothing is so feminine that I am afraid that I will mis the midway point.
Thanks for the suggestion about the skinny jeans.

[Jamie D]

I need some help with getting new clothes. Specifically pants, and shirts. I would like to get them in the store so I can try them on. I am in the Seattle area if that helps.

I little about me to help the helpers. I am 29, and just recently started hrt so my body will be changing. The reason I need new clothes is because I have recently lost about 50lbs so none of my clothes fit. I am 5'10, and 160lbs. I am an engineer, and usually wear jeans and a button up shirt to work. I would like to get more androgynous style clothing so that as I change my clothing will "fit" my new physical appearance. I have a good fashion sence for men's clothes, and women's clothes. But trying to find the middle is hard for me.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank You.

Congratulations on losing the weight.  I'm about -15 lbs into my -50 lbs goal.

Well, jeans are the most androgenous article of clothing ever invented.  At least since the toga!

It may be out of season now, coming into summer, but long sleeve, button down shirts with a sweater vest work well too.

Khakis are utilitarian.

For the summer, if you really have summers in Seattle, you might try casual wear like long shorts and polo or rugby shirts.  The shirts are baggy enough to be unisex.  Bright colors, with bold stripes or patterns are good.

What I have been doing lately, is trying to see what the lesbians are wearing, as they often have an androgenous presentation.  Also, go see what some of our FtMs post in their picture threads.

[Brooke777]

Jamie,
Thank you for the suggestions. Most of the FtMs dress more masculine than I want to. And, wee do have summers here. They last about two-three hours one day a year.
From what I can gather from your advice, some jeans that actually fit (not fall off like what I have now, gross), and some button up/polo shirts with bright colors. Is that about right?

[NotThereYet]

Hi Brooke,

Do order on-line from catalogs that offer a wide variety of non super feminine women's clothes. I have been doing that for a while now and I am happy with what I have on: no more men's clothes for me, but, yet, nothing overly feminine, i.e. perfect androgynous look.

I hope this helps and good luck, neighbor. :-)
Andrea

[Jamie D]

Jamie,
Thank you for the suggestions. Most of the FtMs dress more masculine than I want to. And, wee do have summers here. They last about two-three hours one day a year.
From what I can gather from your advice, some jeans that actually fit (not fall off like what I have now, gross), and some button up/polo shirts with bright colors. Is that about right?

LOL

I had a post in this forum, I think, about a new type of Levi's jeans for women.  You might look for that.

The bright colors are not typically associated with mens clothing.  You pop some canary yellow with a bright red or a powder blue, and you have a very androgenous, even slightly feminine style.  If you have, for instance, an Izod store near you, look at the womens polos vs the mens polos.  The cut is a little different in the chest, but it is the color selection that is the big difference.  Or go online, though I like to actually see the garment up close and personal.

EDIT: let me correct something

The jeans article is in Androgenous Style

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,116166.0.html

It was sadly overlooked 

[Jamie D]

BTW - I really used to like the brand Ocean Pacific (O.P.) for board shorts.

But(t) I recently tried on the only pair I had left, and ripped the seam in the rear right out!

I'm not sure if that brand still exists.

[Brooke777]

I read through the jeans post. I used to love 501s granted they were hand-me downs from my older sister (the one feminine thing I got to wear growing up as we did not have the money for new clothes).

BTW, I used to be golfing buddies with one of the guys who started OP. He is a really cool guy. Rich as can be, but still cool.

I will be hanging out with a new friend this weekend. With all luck, I will be able to drag him to some clothing stores.

Also, thanks for the tip about iZod. I don't care too much if the chest is a different cut as I hope to grow into it.

[Brooke777]

Hi Brooke,

Do order on-line from catalogs that offer a wide variety of non super feminine women's clothes. I have been doing that for a while now and I am happy with what I have on: no more men's clothes for me, but, yet, nothing overly feminine, i.e. perfect androgynous look.

I hope this helps and good luck, neighbor. :-)
Andrea

Thank you for the suggestion. I am the kind of girl that likes to try clothes on before I buy them. I really hate getting excited about new clothes only to have them not fit right.
You said "neighbor", if you don't mind me asking, do you live near the Seattle area?

[CryssL]

I typically just wear cargo pants or cargo/plaid shorts (I'm not a fan of jeans) and t-shirts for casual day-to-day wear; both made for females, but can be androgynous.  If you dig hard enough, you can find jeans/cargo pants for women that don't look overly girly (as has been said).  I'm a major fan of Target, so I typically buy all my clothes from them (in-store and online).  Sorry, I know this doesn't help much, but hopefully it has some worth to it.  Best of luck.

[Brooke777]

I typically just wear cargo pants or cargo/plaid shorts (I'm not a fan of jeans) and t-shirts for casual day-to-day wear; both made for females, but can be androgynous.  If you dig hard enough, you can find jeans/cargo pants for women that don't look overly girly (as has been said).  I'm a major fan of Target, so I typically buy all my clothes from them (in-store and online).  Sorry, I know this doesn't help much, but hopefully it has some worth to it.  Best of luck.

Cryss, thank you for the advice. All information is helpful. Target is one more place for me to go. And they usually have pretty good prices. I don't know if they have dressing rooms though. I hope so. I also had not thought about cargo pants. I can wear those to work. I just can't wear the T-Shirts.

[barbie]

Cpris and short pants would look androgynous. When I just started wearing women's, I preferred androgynous + feminine styles.

A photo when I was in Seattle while wearing capris. It was University town or somewhere.



Some of my photos on capris:



I thought either sneakers or flat sandals for women would be nice with capris.

Currnetly I work as a faculty member here in my university, but infrequently I also wear hot pants.



Most of young students just look at me. For this reason, I usually wear long pants. I attend formal faculty meetings while wearing like this.



I am 6 feet and 141 lbs.

Barbie~~

[Brooke777]

Cpris and short pants would look androgynous. When I just started wearing women's, I preferred androgynous + feminine styles.

A photo when I was in Seattle while wearing capris. It was University town or somewhere.



Some of my photos on capris:



I thought either sneakers or flat sandals for women would be nice with capris.

Currnetly I work as a faculty member here in my university, but infrequently I also wear hot pants.



Most of young students just look at me. For this reason, I usually wear long pants. I attend formal faculty meetings while wearing like this.



I am 6 feet and 141 lbs.

Barbie~~

Thank you for the pictures. I am a visual person so they do help. I have never thought of wearing capris as an androgynous look. I wonder if I could pull them off. I think I need to get my hair done first (still a total guy cut). If I find some cute ones I will try them on. I do like capris, and shorts. It also helps that you showed pictures of you wearing them in my area.

It is hard to believe university students stare. When I went to college, no body cared what you wore, or how you looked. There were people from all walks of life, and no one was treated any different.

Thank you again.

[Brooke777]

Well, a good way to get into the groove with this is to stop shopping for clothes in the men's department completely. It can take some effort, but you can find plenty of clothing in women's departments that pass as mens clothes as well. Arguably, this is easiest with jeans, so buy some women's jeans that are not too girly. It's trickier with tops, but plan your outfit in advance.

With clothes shopping, it's best not to buy individual pieces blindly. You want to work out a complete outfit and find the pieces that make it up. My favorite thing to do is to take cues from pictures of stylish celebs in their own clothes. They have expert stylists help them plan their outfits, so we can benefit from their efforts.

My fav andro looks right now are skinny jeans with boots or sandles, t-shirts or turtlenecks and that sort of thing. It's really not very hard.

~ Lyric ~

Lyric,
Sorry I did not respond to your post sooner. I already plan outfits when I buy clothes. I always have. If I am getting a new pair of pants I usually try to find a shirt or two that match. And I am a nut about shoes. Even as a "guy" I own about 20 pairs of shoes. Essentially, I have a pair for most of my outfits. I don't know if I can pull off skinny jeans. My tucking is not perfect, and I don't want a bulge. Thank you for your help.

[barbie]

I think I need to get my hair done first (still a total guy cut).

Yes. The most important thing in presenting androgynous or feminine appearance is hair style. It will take at least several months to have long hair. I have used a little bit expensive shampoo products to prevent my hair loss. Long hairs can result in increased hair loss due to the gravity. I rinse my hairs at least for 3 minutes by just letting water fall on my scalp.

Very tight tops may be nice, but sometimes with some cardigan would be nice.

http://www.amazon.com/Mod-O-Doc-Womens-Supreme-Cardigan-Twilight/dp/B006ZFYZBY/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1339794883&sr=1-2-catcorr

By the way, as I live in a kind of rural area, people tend to stare at me. In crowded cities, most people don't care of me. When I visited Seattle, a few Chinese-looking people stared at me.

Barbie~~

[Brooke777]

I think my hair is almost long enough to get a good style. It is down to the tip of my nose in the front. It is kind of wavy, so it is hard to see the length on the sides and back. If I straighten it, it almost reaches my shoulders in the back, and my jaw line on the sides. I have tried to grow it out before, but the curls keep it looking short.
Thank you for the advice on the cardigan. That is a cute top.

[Lyric]

Well, you might talk to a good stylist, tell them you want to grow it out and get whatever trim they would suggest for that. Most hair growers pass though an "awkward stage", but once you're past it you forget about it and you hair looks great. I think the key is not to be too self critical. With longer hair, you don't worry about having every hair in the right place.

~ Lyric ~

[michelle]

I have found that dressing feminine and going shopping in stores with other females have helped me become very comfortable with it and the clerks will get comfortable seeing you.   One time I moved to go into the men's fitting rooms and was directed to the woman's.   I ride the city bus and dress like you see in my pictures in a large southeastern Baptist community in northeastern Florida and I have not meant with the disapproval I have been expecting.   Dirty old men have even flirted with me.   It's gotten so I feel very uncomfortable shopping in the men's section.

[Brooke777]

Well, you might talk to a good stylist, tell them you want to grow it out and get whatever trim they would suggest for that. Most hair growers pass though an "awkward stage", but once you're past it you forget about it and you hair looks great. I think the key is not to be too self critical. With longer hair, you don't worry about having every hair in the right place.

~ Lyric ~

Thank you for the reassurance and advice. I think my hair is in the awkward stage now. Since it is so curly, it kind of just sticks out everywhere. I try to keep it down with product, but that is not working. I can't wait until it finally gets workable.