Finding (Affordable) Clothes for a Plus-sized Trans-man is Tough! HELP!

[MaybeJake]

Does anyone have any ideas or places I can look for affordable, good, plus-sized clothes for a trans-man?

I need to start buying decent men's clothing but everywhere I look, the clothing made especially for trans-men is way too small. And even when I look for straight-out male clothes, they either seem to be (mostly) too small or vastly too big.

It feels as if I've looked everywhere from Walmart and Target, to Saint Harridan's. Nothing looks big enough at the former and I love the latter but can't afford it. And anyway, my style runs more toward cargo pants and jeans. Also, I want relatively fitted clothing, not sail-szied clothes that swim on me and make me look like a butch lesbian or a chunky teenaged boy.

I've got very curvy curves--big chest, hips, and ass. I have ideas on how to minimize how noticeable they are as feminine, but I just can't find the right sized clothes with which to do it. I'm so frustrated!

Any suggestions that don't involve a gym membership I can't currently afford and probably wouldn't keep up with, anyway?


MJ 

[Robin Mack]

You may have already thought of this, but I recommend spending a day scoping out your local thrift stores (or going to a nearby large city to do this).  Often they have a wide selection and, while it can be a pain finding the right size, you can buy an entire wardrobe for $100 (or less, if they have a half-price sale going on on and you get lucky).  Another benefit:  It's getting close to Halloween, so if you are anxious about trying things on, you can always tell the clerk it's for a costume when you have them get the changing room ready for you.

I now have several dresses, at least ten skirts and blouses, and a lot of lingerie (which helps me feel less like I'm betraying myself while I'm stuck in "guy mode" at work).  About the only things you won't find there are socks, and they are inexpensive at Walmart, etc.

Good hunting!

[Nero]

the clothing made especially for trans-men is way too small.

There's clothing made especially for trans men?

[Lo]

There's clothing made especially for trans men?

Yeah, there are a number of labels now for gender non-conforming women, female-bodied nonbinaries, and trans men. They're all... pretty hipster, though; like, $30 bowties kind of hipster. And really expensive. And generally cater to a single body type.

So in other words... sorta. 

[MaybeJake]

There's clothing made especially for trans men?

Yep:

http://tomboytailors.com/
http://www.lesloveboat.com/
http://www.saintharridan.com/index.html (though some of the models appear to be trans men, some of the others appear to be really butch lesbians. But the suits seem to fit in such a way as they don't emphasize boobs or hips. And the models that appear to be trans men look damned manly)

They're all I've found, so far. Since, I've been trawling Sears, Macy's, Kohl's, J.C. Penney, Casual Male XL, etc.

[MaybeJake]

You may have already thought of this, but I recommend spending a day scoping out your local thrift stores (or going to a nearby large city to do this).  Often they have a wide selection and, while it can be a pain finding the right size, you can buy an entire wardrobe for $100 (or less, if they have a half-price sale going on on and you get lucky).  Another benefit:  It's getting close to Halloween, so if you are anxious about trying things on, you can always tell the clerk it's for a costume when you have them get the changing room ready for you.

I now have several dresses, at least ten skirts and blouses, and a lot of lingerie (which helps me feel less like I'm betraying myself while I'm stuck in "guy mode" at work).  About the only things you won't find there are socks, and they are inexpensive at Walmart, etc.

Good hunting!

Thank you so much! I've gotta choose a bigger city than the one I live in to go on a thrift store-crawl. Normally I hate doing that kind of thing--or clothing shopping period. But I think that was because I was buying clothes for a person that I really wasn't :-)

Though, if I had my druthers, I'd be shopping here exclusively: http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/mens_victorian_clothing.php

At heart, I'm a Victorian Era sorta guy--Steampunk all the way. Goggles very much included.

[aleon515]

There are a couple places making clothing for butches (and might include trans men in there). I'm thinking Saint Harrington or Tomboy Tailors. These are SUPER expensive. If you are looking there you could afford to go to a men's store with a tailor and shop there. OTOH, I think many of us have gone the Thrift Store route. For one thing it is CHEAP, and no one seems to care which section you are shopping in and there are usually non-gendered changing rooms.

I did find a couple brands of pants that work well and then try to scout those out in non-thrift store since I do not fit into the vast majority of men's clothes out there. So if I find stuff I am super happy. I am VERY short and almost always have to hem up everything. I also seem to be a bit big in the hips waist though I'm not anymore now on T.

Since finding pants I didn't have to take up, I found Blair clothes. It's an online store and I have not had to send anything back so, I don't know. I just read the reviews about them and if I had seen them I never would have ordered! Yeesh. However, I haven't had any trouble. Anyway what they are have are elastic waist bands and belt loops in the same pants,  hidden elastic bands and so on. They also go down to 29 inseam (which is actually an inch too long for me) and some odd sizes. They do go to inseam XL and 48 waist, but the waist elastic seem to give you an inch or so. The clothes run around $20-60 bracket. Anyway here goes (I recommend regardless but not sure what happens when you have to send back). I suggest reading reviews of products. They are totally spot on:
http://www.blair.com/

--Jay

[Robin Mack]

Thank you so much! I've gotta choose a bigger city than the one I live in to go on a thrift store-crawl. Normally I hate doing that kind of thing--or clothing shopping period. But I think that was because I was buying clothes for a person that I really wasn't :-)

Though, if I had my druthers, I'd be shopping here exclusively: http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/mens_victorian_clothing.php

At heart, I'm a Victorian Era sorta guy--Steampunk all the way. Goggles very much included.

Ah!  Then all the better... you'd be amazed at what you can find in suits and suit jackets... a spiffy new suit with a a vest may be just the thing for you, and probably less than $10... and I've found a number of victorian-era looking things in the men's sections of thrift stores.  Better still, you can sometimes find goggles and such.  Oh, and don't forget your local antique malls.  For you, a pocket-watch may be just the thing to keep in your vest pocket... if you're not picky about how well it works, you can get 'em anywhere from $5.  The ultimate Victorianesque fashion accessory.

And I think you're right about enjoying it more now that you are shopping for *you* and not just ornaments for the body you happen to be wearing.  I love thrift stores because you can afford to buy something just because you like it, even if you can't think of a time/place to wear it. 

[spacerace]

Old Navy is always my recommendation for guys that need bigger sizes.

You can order on the website if you don't have one near you. It is relatively affordable - jeans for under $30, etc. Free shipping if you live in the U.S. and spend over a certain amount.

The sizes are quite generous - up to 3X in shirts and I think maybe even 48" in pants. If you wear over a XL, I would advise against getting button down long sleeve shirts from there though, unless you are over 5'6" - the proportions will be wrong.

Polos, short sleeved button downs are your best choices for not being swallowed by the shirt. Loose cut jeans from there accommodate and obscure female hips, though they don't have anything shorter than "30 length - you can roll them up or hem them though.

[mrs izzy]

I would second Old navy, even there stores have the larger men sizes. My husband is a trans man and he also shops Sears when they have there sales.

Izzy

[jieshika93]

I also have this problem!! In fact, I went shopping today looking for thermals and had a time and a half finding shirts that weren't tight across my chest. (Found some fantastic and super cheap ones are Rue 21 though!) I'm a college student so I'm always hunting for cheap plus-size clothes!

I've found that the best fit for me is relaxed straight leg. I have pretty big thighs and hips - my grandma has always called them "child-bearing hips" - and that fit tends to be generous in the hips and thighs but tapers enough in the legs to successfully keep my jeans from looking like parachute pants. I've got one pair that fit great from JCPenny but they were a splurge at $40. I love the relaxed straight leg from American Eagle though, and while they are usually pretty expensive, if you catch them on sale you can get them for $25 a pair! Also, I've gotten Wrangler relaxed straight leg from Walmart a couple times for $17 a pair and they fit almost as well as the American Eagle jeans.

Not sure how you like your shirts to fit, but I wear a binder that is not exactly super effective and so I like my shirts to be loose in the chest but fitted everywhere else. Best places I've found shirts:
T-shirts: Walmart, because I can get them for like $3 and they fit perfectly; Rue 21, because I like v-necks and their v-necks aren't very deep and so they won't show the top of my binder; and Old Navy, because they have a ton of styles and colors and are almost always on sale!
Thermals: Like I said earlier, Rue 21 has the best thermals I've found that aren't too tight in the chest. Kohl's also has good ones. I don't know if thermals are all that important to you but they're a major staple in my fall/winter closet. 
I'm not a sweater kind of guy, so I've got no suggestions for those. I do recommend staying away from button-ups though, as I've always felt that, at least for me, they accentuate my chest a lot and don't fall right on my hips to help hide anything there. Ummm, no other shirt suggestions come to mind, but I'll add more if I think of any. ^_^

Dunno if this is something you're looking into, but I recently found an awesome brand of boxer briefs with virtually no pouch and they don't ride up/roll down like a lot of other brands do because of my curvy hips and thighs. They're Uniqlo seamless boxer briefs and I think you can only get them online in the U.S. but I have no idea if that's actually the case. 

I hope this helps at least a little!

[MaybeJake]

I also have this problem!! In fact, I went shopping today looking for thermals and had a time and a half finding shirts that weren't tight across my chest. (Found some fantastic and super cheap ones are Rue 21 though!) I'm a college student so I'm always hunting for cheap plus-size clothes!

I've found that the best fit for me is relaxed straight leg. I have pretty big thighs and hips - my grandma has always called them "child-bearing hips" - and that fit tends to be generous in the hips and thighs but tapers enough in the legs to successfully keep my jeans from looking like parachute pants. I've got one pair that fit great from JCPenny but they were a splurge at $40. I love the relaxed straight leg from American Eagle though, and while they are usually pretty expensive, if you catch them on sale you can get them for $25 a pair! Also, I've gotten Wrangler relaxed straight leg from Walmart a couple times for $17 a pair and they fit almost as well as the American Eagle jeans.

Not sure how you like your shirts to fit, but I wear a binder that is not exactly super effective and so I like my shirts to be loose in the chest but fitted everywhere else. Best places I've found shirts:
T-shirts: Walmart, because I can get them for like $3 and they fit perfectly; Rue 21, because I like v-necks and their v-necks aren't very deep and so they won't show the top of my binder; and Old Navy, because they have a ton of styles and colors and are almost always on sale!
Thermals: Like I said earlier, Rue 21 has the best thermals I've found that aren't too tight in the chest. Kohl's also has good ones. I don't know if thermals are all that important to you but they're a major staple in my fall/winter closet. 
I'm not a sweater kind of guy, so I've got no suggestions for those. I do recommend staying away from button-ups though, as I've always felt that, at least for me, they accentuate my chest a lot and don't fall right on my hips to help hide anything there. Ummm, no other shirt suggestions come to mind, but I'll add more if I think of any. ^_^

Dunno if this is something you're looking into, but I recently found an awesome brand of boxer briefs with virtually no pouch and they don't ride up/roll down like a lot of other brands do because of my curvy hips and thighs. They're Uniqlo seamless boxer briefs and I think you can only get them online in the U.S. but I have no idea if that's actually the case. 

I hope this helps at least a little!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! That definitely helps! Though the dude-pants I find at Walmart tend to be too small in the hips, last I checked (which was admittedly a few years ago). I never tried Old Navy for guy's stuff, though. But I will. Again, thanks!


MJ

[KatelynRain]

When I was at the mall the other day, I went into a burlington coat factory, which offers brand name clothing at a huge discount.  I passed through the Men's Big and Tall section and the had current style clothing but some sizes were big enough to fit three or four of me in there!!!  While I doubt you need nearly that big a size, maybe that's a place that may be able to offer some inexpensive and decent clothing for you.

[MaybeJake]

When I was at the mall the other day, I went into a burlington coat factory, which offers brand name clothing at a huge discount.  I passed through the Men's Big and Tall section and the had current style clothing but some sizes were big enough to fit three or four of me in there!!!  While I doubt you need nearly that big a size, maybe that's a place that may be able to offer some inexpensive and decent clothing for you.

I actually live a few miles from a Burlington Coat Factory! Thanks! I've even been in there--looking for coats--and didn't even think of checking men's clothing at the time because I was still laboring under the delusion that I was a woman.

When I have some extra dough, I'll certainly stop in there :-)


MJ