Susan's Place Transgender Resources

ok, maybe this is a stupid question. I've always dressed kind of androgynous. most of the year I live in hoodies and in the summer it's tee-shirts. As far as my top goes it's easy enough to find things that fit me and are male. But I'm very short. 5ft 1inch (153 cm roughly) and I have hips. :P The past few years I've been dealing with health issues so I'm not in as good of shape. I'm starting to get back in shape but I'm still stuck in this short body and will still have hips. What do I do about pants?

I have to admit I'm lazy. I tend to buy whatever fits me which even for women's pants limits me a lot because apparently women are supposed to have super long legs if they have a waste my size. I've never paid to have my pants hemmed and it sure isn't something I'm going to do. heh,  I have actually just whacked off the bottom of pants with scissors but that's kind of sloppy even for me. And I don't have a lot of money. I've been going through the thrift store but so far no luck. And I don't even know what to look for as far as size if I was shopping for mens/boys pants.

I hate shopping and I still feel self-conscious shopping in the men section but now that I've started coming out I really want to get some pants that feel ok to me. I have one pair right now that pretty much work.

You're in luck in that men's fashion is for baggy jeans, esp. in the hip/butt. That will do a lot to hide your hip/leg/waist ratios. You might find something short cut for a big guy, and then you can cinch the waist down with a belt. Men's sizes are just the waistband and inseam. 

Don't worry about shopping in the mens dept.  A woman there is assumed to be shopping for a guy (and usually correct).  Which is not the case for the opposite...

Thanks JamesG. So I just need to figure out my inseam I guess.

They assume you are shopping for a guy until you want to try something on. I have had a clerk say "you know those are men's" to me before. And I can buy a shirt without trying it on but going to the thrift store and not trying on pants hasn't worked so well. So, I guess I could get brave. Go to a real store. Try some things on and get a better understand of my size in mens pants and then go back to thrift storing it.

If you are in the US, I did really well with Blair clothes (the pants anyway) for awhile. They makes pants with an elastic waist band (and belt loops), and then wore button downs not tucked in (usually). They also have hidden elastic on some pants. Their pants come with inseams to 28 inches. Don't fit me so well after a year on T, but they worked for awhile pretty nicely. They have good sales. http://www.blair.com/c/mens/pants-jeans/pc/1468/1542.uts
I don't like any of their jeans that I have tried but like the khakis and cargo pants.

--Jay

I've been a range of sizes and shapes over the years and I've never been great at shopping for pants. I'm 5'6" and probably 180ish pounds. When I was younger I was a bit more than an inch taller (some injuries and surgeries since then) and ran 100-135 pounds. Even when I was super skinny, my actual pelvis is very wide, so I've always settled for pants that are too long. I usually roll them up or cut them and let them be ragged, but if I need to dress nice for court or an interview then I cut and sew up the bottoms. Safety pins don't look too bad if you're in a hurry.

As far as what department to shop in, I've never really felt at ease in any clothing department of any store. My physical transition started slow and I often had that problem of salespeople trying to redirect me away from where I'm shopping. I have shopped in women's and female juniors, I spent most of my life shopping out of the male juniors, and after going on T and antidepressants I gained enough weight to get out of the kids' sections and into regular mens. Still nothing fits me great, but employees don't bother me anymore.

I solved the acquisition problem the same way I did when I was younger and shaped differently - I find a pair or two that I like, or that are even just good enough, and I keep wearing and mending them as long as I can wear them and still breathe okay. I don't pay for new clothing unless it's an emergency (like work uniforms), and I get most of my pants from thrift stores, free piles, friends, garage sales, or garbage bins near consignment shops.

You have to grit your teeth through the funny looks if you purchase your clothes (new or used), though, and try them on if at all possible. It's just as unpleasant to exchange them.

Best of luck. :)

I forgot to mention - when I had my baby, my straight cismale roommate asked if he could have my maternity cargo pants, and he wore them all the time. He was a short and stocky guy, not overweight, and the pants looked fine on him with the t-shirts he wore. I've given regular women's jeans to my current cismale roommate as well, and as long as they don't have any kind of dramatic fashion cut or sparkles or anything nobody seems to care. So if you do end up getting or keeping some women's stuff it probably won't be a big deal.

As a man i dont think i ever tried a single thing on.   Measure your waist and your legs and shop accordingly. everything is W X L  so 32 waist and 34 inseam is what i used to wear.   Wrangler jeans are big in the ass.  Levi's less so, but still quite big.  Anything fashionable is gonna run small.

I feel you, cause I'm just as short and have hips and a ass sadly enough, for mens jeans depending on the style I can range from a 32 x 30 or 34 x 30, that size is really hard to find cause were short, so usually I will go to a 32 x 32 or 34 x 32, which long as I wear sneakers or work boots, the length is fine.

Quote from: tomboy on March 16, 2014, 11:22:51 PM
They assume you are shopping for a guy until you want to try something on. I have had a clerk say "you know those are men's" to me before.

And then all you have to say is, "I read online that these would fit my body shape. So I want to try a pair on."  Woman's privilege. Use it while you've got it. :D

Just have confidence. You're the customer, you're always right.

Never had the big hip issue, but even for a small hipped/waisted dude my pants were/are always too long.  Never underestimate the power of cuffs.  I just roll up my pants at the bottom.  Now that I'm into buying pants where you can choose both waist and inseam measurements I still tend to buy an inch or two too long and roll the bottoms up.  They look great.  I guess not so much with dress pants, but those you should get hemmed.  Also hemming a pair of pants certainly isn't the hardest of sewing endeavors... 

I'm surprised people in shops give you a hard time.  Maybe next time say "its for a costume party" or something if you don't feel like getting into it with them.  (trick learned from "Are you being served" where they're always getting men going to the ladies department looking for something to wear to a "fancy dress party")

I just try a bunch on at salvation army and if they fit good everywhere then I get them. Then I take them home and make my grandma hem them  ;D

Quote from: Alexthecat on March 17, 2014, 11:38:40 AM
I just try a bunch on at salvation army and if they fit good everywhere then I get them. Then I take them home and make my grandma hem them  ;D

I've done this (though not with Salvation Army). I've found out what clothes might fit me, how I found Blair (and what I now wear which is Arizona Jeans for boys). I don't have a grandma to take them up for me though, I have to do it myself. Grrr.

--Jay

I'm also short with a lot of junk in my trunk. I've found my saviour to be cuffed jeans/chinos. The cuffs solve two problems in one (with one extra bonus problem)

1: They are cuffed, obviously, so length becomes a null point, a bit longer might be better because....

2: They poof out at the bottom, making the bottom of my legs look larger, ergo balancing out my hips

3: once, my packer worked itself loose of my boxers, I saved myself a hideously embarassing moment because the thing got stuck in the cuff of my jeans instead of rolling out for everyone to see :P

i have the hips and butt issue as well. though my shoulders are wide enough to square off my top with a loose shirt shopping for pants has forever exhausted me. i tell you, make a single daring attempt at a store. go with someone trustworthy so that nobody would dare commenting. try on different sizes and find what fits you. if you make through that single visit you'll never have to try the pants on at the store. earlier i shopped only in womens section and was never satisfied with the options there but was too afraid to go to the mens section. but i finally made that one visit with mom, had very awkward situations in using fiton rooms, dealing with sales people etc. but now i know what to look for. i go straight and pick waist 32 pants and M size tshirts without asking anybody. and yes pants have been too long for me all the time. i just roll the denims up, but i do get the more professional ones hemmed for myself. i really wish i knew some way to clear some fat from the bottom easily.

For jeans you could try a husky fit in boy's sizes (I don't think they look any different than men's they are just roomier around the hips and bum for their length). It's been a while since I wore boy's jeans but those sort of worked when I was especially bottom heavy.

But yeah, inseams go down to a 28 or 29. I never found a 27. For adult sizes I had the best luck in stores with lots of different brands like Marshall's. The fit and comfort level varies a ton by brand, thigh room can be difficult too. If you can't find the right inseam, honestly hemming is a very quick and easy alteration and would only run like $10-20. Worth it for an investment pair and not having to think about cuffing it. I grew up cuffing my jeans but it's not so normal for adult men to do.

I have little legs.... I am constantly having to tuck the bottoms of jeans or trousers into my shoes... Hi top trainers are my best friend haha  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I know its cheeky but once when i was a kid and my mum had to pay me £10 to wear a dress for a photoshoot she bought the outfit.. made me wear it with the labels still in and took it back and got a refund haha...

Measure ureself.. buy some that you think will fit.. take them home, try them on and then return them for a refund lol...  Although some of the stores in england now do no refund and only store credit i think I dunno what its like wherever you are.

Failing that eye up all ure guy friends and see if any of them have a similar build and think of an excuse to borrow or try on a pair of their pants lol

oh wow. I never expected such awesome replies. thanks!

so, today after work I sucked up the nerve and went to the outlet mall. there was an awesome sale going on and I found two pair of cargo pants. I think that's what they are called. the ones with all the pockets? no one bothered me and... someone else came in. I felt bad because I'm sure they thought I was staring but I think it was a fellow trans person shopping in the men section right along with me. both pairs are too long but kind of work rolled up. one is camouflage which made me seriously happy for some reason.

And, my first binder came in the male today. I took a selfie but I'm feeling pretty ugly so don't think I'm gonna post it.

Bless you for asking this, I have the same issue. I'm 5ft, massive hips and a big bum. It only recently occurred to me that buying men's clothes that fit me is going to be a nightmare. Pants being a bit too long is OK, I've been dealing with it my whole life lol I just roll them up, or roll them up but from the inside and then sew them like that. Pretty annoying though.

Quote from: tomboy on March 17, 2014, 09:47:07 PM
oh wow. I never expected such awesome replies. thanks!

so, today after work I sucked up the nerve and went to the outlet mall. there was an awesome sale going on and I found two pair of cargo pants. I think that's what they are called. the ones with all the pockets? no one bothered me and... someone else came in. I felt bad because I'm sure they thought I was staring but I think it was a fellow trans person shopping in the men section right along with me. both pairs are too long but kind of work rolled up. one is camouflage which made me seriously happy for some reason.

And, my first binder came in the male today. I took a selfie but I'm feeling pretty ugly so don't think I'm gonna post it.

Post it! Am sure u look ace dude n we all wanna see :)

Quote from: Jason C on March 17, 2014, 11:21:35 PM
Bless you for asking this, I have the same issue. I'm 5ft, massive hips and a big bum. It only recently occurred to me that buying men's clothes that fit me is going to be a nightmare. Pants being a bit too long is OK, I've been dealing with it my whole life lol I just roll them up, or roll them up but from the inside and then sew them like that. Pretty annoying though.

I wish i could sew or have someone see for me lol its a pain in the backside tucking trousers into shoes or trainers lol.. Mens trousers actually tend to fit me better than womens even if i do have curves dunno why its wierd... I need the mens trousers with the womans leg length n itd be sweet lol

I know exactly how you feel. I have a monster of a time trying to find pants that fit around my hips and butt, and actually I just bought a new pair today after running on one pair for months.

The lucky thing is that guy's pants are always waist x inseam, so if you can figure that out, there's little variance in that between brands. The unlucky thing is that guy's pants are obviously not cut to accommodate hips and/or butts.

A few tips--
-For jeans, get ones with 2% elastic material.
-If you're buying new jeans, you can stretch them out a bit, so it's okay if they're a little small.
-If you find a brand you like that has numbered/named styles that they keep around for a long time, it's easy to come back and buy the same pair without having to worry too much. For example, I like the Levi 514's. I just go and find that style, find my size, and I'm pretty much good to go.
-Learn some basic sewing. Hemming pants is pretty easy, and it should only take about 30 mins to do one pair if you get just a little bit of practice.

Good luck!

Bdu's are  very easy to fit into if you dont mind a bit of a military look.    They are very comfy too.   Now that im building up some hips and ass they still fit great.   they also have  variable waist sizes that aren't noticeable.   I still kinda wear these even though my butt/hips have gotten much bigger.

I always go for slim or skinny fit chinos or jeans and then pull them down and sag them at my hips. If you sag them at your hips and wear you shirt down over your hips, your hips should almost disappear. I've found tighter jeans + sagging is the only method that establishes a nice, masculine line down from my hips to my to my ankles. My initial strategy, like most guys, was "baggier is better," but I honestly think getting a tighter, more tailored fit is the way to go. Much more effective at passing in my experience and a bit more fashionable as well.

As for specifics: I get my pants mostly from H&M. I'm a 31 waist there. Products are good, stylish and (most importantly) cheap- cheaper than Target, in fact.

I've had the best luck with slim fit jeans too. Loose fits just seem to make my legs/hips/butt look bigger, especially because I have enough hips and butt that I have to buy the jeans big enough to fit them, which makes them too baggy lower on my legs. Overall loose fits make me look poorly dressed, shorter, and younger. So instead I get slim fit jeans with a waist measurement an inch or two bigger than I would otherwise, and they fit me in the hips and butt and are just a little bit loose on my lower legs. It works best with jeans that are a little stretchy too. I try to avoid cuffing my jeans most of the time, because I think it makes my legs look a little shorter.

My favorite thus far has been uniqlo jeans--stretchy, super comfortable, I can get a pretty good fit, and not crazy expensive. If you go to the stores in person, they can do hemming for free to whatever length you like. I'm not sure if you can get things hemmed if you order online, but if you can then I would strongly recommend it.

wait, I have to learn sewing??? this is one of those skills I boycotted because it was a "girl" thing and I suck at it. Lol.

so I wore one of the pairs of pants I got to therapy today. it felt great, they are pretty long though.

Quote from: radsi on March 17, 2014, 11:24:53 PM
Post it! Am sure u look ace dude n we all wanna see :)

I see a friend on friday. maybe I will ask him to take a picture. maybe.

Though as with lots of other things there is nothing inherently feminine about sewing, not that I can do it or anything. It's a "gendered activity". I actually know cis guys that like sewing.

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on March 20, 2014, 01:23:51 AM
Though as with lots of other things there is nothing inherently feminine about sewing, not that I can do it or anything. It's a "gendered activity". I actually know cis guys that like sewing.

--Jay

Well, I do know that. It's just one of those things that I was pushed into learning as a kid because I was a "girl" and that resentment has stuck with me. Not to mention I totally suck at it.

I'm not a fan of sewing for fun or for arty purposes, but I do find it very satisfying to fix/improve something, and sewing can achieve that. I suppose that's a "male" way of viewing hemming your trousers as stereotypically men are the ones who fix things.

Yeah, it was my dad who taught me (and my cis brother) how to sew buttons and patch holes. I'm not positive where my dad learned, but he always treated it as a basic life skill, like doing your own laundry. And even if you can't escape the idea that it's feminine, you can at least remember that bachelor life skills save you a lot of money.

Where I went to school everyone had to learn to sew - boys and girls alike. It's really useful being able to alter clothes to fit better, or make ones that fit right in the first place. It also saves you money as you don't wear out the bottoms of your pants as quickly if you don't keep standing on them and if a seam comes apart you can just sew it back together rather than having to throw the item away.

Cis men have the same problem with the legs being long too - I always have to take up my husband's pants right after he buys them. I think they just make the legs super long so that they fit the tallest people. Short people can always take them up but it's not like tall people can add length.

l'll take all your hips, please ship UPS & I'll pay all the fees.

actually I can sew on a button or fix a hole. my hole/tear fix won't look pretty but it will work. sewing the hem of pants is beyond me. some of my resistence to sewing is probably coming from the fact I have poor small motor skills. As an adult, I'm not that much worse than the average adult. But as a kid I was significantly behind my peers in being able to do things.

Quote from: Nikotinic on March 20, 2014, 06:39:07 PM
Where I went to school everyone had to learn to sew - boys and girls alike. It's really useful being able to alter clothes to fit better, or make ones that fit right in the first place. It also saves you money as you don't wear out the bottoms of your pants as quickly if you don't keep standing on them and if a seam comes apart you can just sew it back together rather than having to throw the item away.

Cis men have the same problem with the legs being long too - I always have to take up my husband's pants right after he buys them. I think they just make the legs super long so that they fit the tallest people. Short people can always take them up but it's not like tall people can add length.

will you hem the bottom of my pants??

Quote from: FrancisAnn on March 20, 2014, 07:01:35 PM
l'll take all your hips, please ship UPS & I'll pay all the fees.

'

ok, I keep trying to stuff them in a box but they are unruly and keep popping back out.

Basically fold the pants up how much you want them. Cut the excess off but leave a little bit for the sewing machine to catch. Sew a line around the leg hole to make the nice bottom.

If you really don't want to sew there are hemming strips you can buy, you just pop them where you want the hem, fold up the fabric on to them and then run an iron over it. Wala, instant hem....though they can come off in the wash sometimes, so you have to do it again.

Quote from: tomboy on March 20, 2014, 09:56:19 PM
actually I can sew on a button or fix a hole. my hole/tear fix won't look pretty but it will work. sewing the hem of pants is beyond me. some of my resistence to sewing is probably coming from the fact I have poor small motor skills. As an adult, I'm not that much worse than the average adult. But as a kid I was significantly behind my peers in being able to do things.

will you hem the bottom of my pants??
'

ok, I keep trying to stuff them in a box but they are unruly and keep popping back out.

Thanks friend. I wish you the best & it would sure be nice perhaps if both of us could exchange not only some hips but other parts. Please have a very nice Friday.

Thank you FrancisAnn.   :D

Ok, two things I don't own - an iron and a sewing machine. Although the hemming strips idea kind of interests me. they are cheap so i'd just have to get my hands on an iron... would it be bad if I just ironed on my kitchen counter?

Ah yeah that would be bad. You can iron on a big thick towel I think. You just want to make sure the underneath doesn't get too hot, so move around a bit.

Definitely get an iron - if you're going to wear shirts you need one. before I had an ironing board I would put a folded up sheet on the table/bench and iron on that. If you do it directly on the bench it won't work as well and you might melt/burn something.

The hemming tape works pretty well, definitely easier than sewing, though it does come apart sometimes.

Quote from: tomboy on March 21, 2014, 11:51:31 AM
Thank you FrancisAnn.   :D

Ok, two things I don't own - an iron and a sewing machine. Although the hemming strips idea kind of interests me. they are cheap so i'd just have to get my hands on an iron... would it be bad if I just ironed on my kitchen counter?

I'll buy you a nice iron with a new ironing board & a nice little Singer sewing machine for some of your hips. Mine will just not fill out, Ugggg.
Sewing is fun. I've made several dresses long ago. My mother taught me, she loved to sew & make some clothes.

Have fun.

Quote from: FrancisAnn on March 22, 2014, 07:09:32 PM
I'll buy you a nice iron with a new ironing board & a nice little Singer sewing machine for some of your hips. Mine will just not fill out, Ugggg.
Sewing is fun. I've made several dresses long ago. My mother taught me, she loved to sew & make some clothes.

Have fun.

I love sewing with my mom.  She's so good at it - even though she says she isn't.  =]

Quote from: Dante on March 18, 2014, 12:53:14 AM
A few tips--
- For jeans, get ones with 2% elastic material.
-If you're buying new jeans, you can stretch them out a bit, so it's okay if they're a little small.
-If you find a brand you like that has numbered/named styles that they keep around for a long time, it's easy to come back and buy the same pair without having to worry too much. For example, I like the Levi 514's. I just go and find that style, find my size, and I'm pretty much good to go.
-Learn some basic sewing. Hemming pants is pretty easy, and it should only take about 30 mins to do one pair if you get just a little bit of practice.

Good luck!

Hmm I'd have thought elastic-y jeans would only tend to cling to and thus accentuate curves more? 

I haven't owned jeans in probably over 10 years though... so what do I know.  I do agree about the consistant styles/sizes I love my Carhartt duck dungarees! Thick and heavy =]  Just got some lighter weight carhartt dungarees for summer though - same style different fabric.

Quote from: FrancisAnn on March 22, 2014, 07:09:32 PM
I'll buy you a nice iron with a new ironing board & a nice little Singer sewing machine for some of your hips. Mine will just not fill out, Ugggg.
Sewing is fun. I've made several dresses long ago. My mother taught me, she loved to sew & make some clothes.

Have fun.

I keep trying to stick them in a box to mail to you and they just keep sticking to me!! stupid hips.

Quote from: Nikotinic on March 22, 2014, 07:03:14 PM
Definitely get an iron - if you're going to wear shirts you need one. before I had an ironing board I would put a folded up sheet on the table/bench and iron on that. If you do it directly on the bench it won't work as well and you might melt/burn something.

The hemming tape works pretty well, definitely easier than sewing, though it does come apart sometimes.

but.. but... I wear shirts all the time and I've never ironed them. :P  I gave up on ironing years ago because I seemed to iron in wrinkles.

ok, I bought an iron and some of that hem stuff. next challenge is to not totally screw up the pants when I cut them. Wait!!!!! I have a plan. Because I'm bound to screw this up. FrancisAnn come here in person and take care of my hems and then I'll finally be able to give you my hipsc ;D

I don't know what your climate is like, but where I live it's very hot in the summer so I spend basically ALL summer wearing cargo pant cut-offs and cargo shorts.  They're great because you can find some that fit in your hip/rear zone while not having to worry so much about how long they will be since leg length is a matter of preference and style.

I think the best thing to do when you're first trying to figure out your size is go somewhere that you know will be pretty safe or have employees who are apathetic enough not to care.  Thrift stores and Walmart have always served me well in that regard.  Then try on a lot of stuff and get a general feel for what styles and sizes work best for you.  For example, I know now that my hips are a 32-34 and my inseam is 30 because I tried on just about every pair of pants that they had at Walmart.