Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Just venting here:

It REALLY gripes me when I find a nice blouse, that I can afford, and that fits me otherwise, but is TOO DAMNED SHORT!!!!

:'(

Mind you, I'm not talking about the ones which would be right if not for my belly - that's my fault.

I'm talking about the ones designed for a nice compact female torso instead of my mangled one.

*sigh*

It will get better, thankfully, when the belly is gone but there will always be some I can't wear.

Have you tried Lane Bryant?  They carry bigger sizes, and maybe to can find something there.  They do cost a little more, but maybe?


Janet

Yeah, they are cutting them very short these days so girls can show off - well I'm not sure exactly what, half of them have tramp-stamps, the other half muffin tops, but... they are cut short even for a normal and natural girl body.

Many tops nowadays are made for layering with tanks or camies or the like...  Ever notice that allot of stores sell camis that are long enough to cover your back pockets almost?  Thats why..

Quote from: Janet Lynn on January 12, 2010, 08:31:47 PM
Have you tried Lane Bryant?  They carry bigger sizes, and maybe to can find something there.  They do cost a little more, but maybe?


Janet

90% of my wardrobe came from Yard Sales and thrift stores. Almost nothing was bought at full price and the most I've ever paid for an article of ladies clothing that wasn't shoes was....less than $20.

considerably less.

You get the idea.

And prices are slightly higher at Lane and places like The Avenue, I asked once, and I was told it's not about the extra fabric, though that figures in (a size 16 has almost twice the fabric that a size 6 does) but its because the market is so much smaller that they can't make it on volume alone.  That' even though the average woman in the US is a size 14.  But the higher the sizes, the less people buy.

keep looking for longer lengths!  I used to keep a picture snipped from a magazine that showed two GGs from behind... one had the very short torso and the others must have been 4/5 inches longer...seing them alone and the differnce in length would never be noticed.
yesterday I went into the discount store and paid $15.50 for a lovely lightweight blouse that is the longer length to be worn with a belt and the skirt is long and slim though I may shorten it a bit.
the stuff is out there...the gut will not help so
get rid of it!

avenue can be a little pricy, but always check out the clearance racks there.    I have a long torso and Avenue is the only place that I can find styles I like that fit my body and look good.  Plus much of the clothing seems to hold up pretty well.  Alot of my business wardrobe is Avenue. 

Beni
 

Quote from: tekla on January 12, 2010, 09:53:52 PM
Yeah, they are cutting them very short these days so girls can show off - well I'm not sure exactly what, half of them have tramp-stamps, the other half muffin tops, but... they are cut short even for a normal and natural girl body.

Yeah, I've got a real short girl-torso and even for me, most shirts I find I can't lift my arms without exposing flesh. Rather restrictive, I think.

Depends on how good looking that flesh is I would guess.

Quote from: tekla on January 14, 2010, 10:06:34 PM
Depends on how good looking that flesh is I would guess.

Meh, I'm not too keen on showing off right now. Doing the usual FTM clothing layering thing to hide femininity.

Dont' know what to tell you girls. Buy bigger clothes and get it tailored? Trench coats?

it depends on where you shop, a lot of girls have long torsos. Layering is also done a lot now.

I like those long bright solid color T-shirts that you buy in those stores for young women.
I think the last ones I bought said 26" on the label and were 2/$5.
They are pretty thin and stretchy and go about halfway down your rear end.
There are also the ones with an inch or two of lace on the bottom.

Most tops these days are cut fairly short to show off your butt! Unfortunitely I don't have much of a butt and so look for longer tops which are not so easy to find.

I also have problems with women's trousers which surprisingly in many shops are too long for me.

Yeah, I always had that trouble with women's shirts as well.  That's why I originally started buying shirts in the men's department.  (Or at least, that's what I told everybody.  ;) )

Quote from: Jamie-o on January 15, 2010, 06:23:57 AM
Yeah, I always had that trouble with women's shirts as well.  That's why I originally started buying shirts in the men's department.  (Or at least, that's what I told everybody.  ;) )

Why would I want to buy a man's shirt?

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that that's what you should do.  I was just commiserating.  :(

If it's advise you're looking for, I'm afraid your best option is to learn how to sew (if you don't already) and start making your own shirts.  This way you can adjust the pattern to fit you properly.  (I've resorted to this as well.)  Otherwise, as others have said, you can try the big & tall shops.  The problem is, they tend to focus more on big than on tall.  :-\

Quote from: Jamie-o on January 15, 2010, 07:50:14 AM
If it's advise you're looking for, I'm afraid your best option is to learn how to sew (if you don't already) and start making your own shirts.  Otherwise, as others have said, you can try the big & tall shops.  The problem is, they tend to focus more on big than on tall.  :-\

Are you kidding! big tall shops? I'm 5' 7" not six foot! I'm quite small built as well. Also why would I want advice? I've been wearing female clothes since the early 1980's, so I do know what clothes look best on me. I do tend to wear t shirts (as seen in my avatar pic) and yes I have customised a lot of my clothes over the years.

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on January 15, 2010, 02:20:22 PM
Are you kidding! big tall shops? I'm 5' 7" not six foot! I'm quite small built as well. Also why would I want advice? I've been wearing female clothes since the early 1980's, so I do know what clothes look best on me. I do tend to wear t shirts (as seen in my avatar pic) and yes I have customised a lot of my clothes over the years.

Nobody's attacking you.

Quote from: SilverFang on January 16, 2010, 06:51:23 PM
Nobody's attacking you.

I didn't say they were but 'Jamie O's' analogy of me was fairly inacurate to say the least!

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on January 17, 2010, 06:23:29 AM
I didn't say they were but 'Jamie O's' analogy of me was fairly inacurate to say the least!

If I understand correctly, he was trying to reply to the whole thread with advice, not just you. He never said he was describing you, and in fact said he was not specifically telling you what you should do. I think you're taking it incorrectly.

Quote from: SilverFang on January 17, 2010, 02:52:53 PM
If I understand correctly, he was trying to reply to the whole thread with advice, not just you. He never said he was describing you, and in fact said he was not specifically telling you what you should do. I think you're taking it incorrectly.

Quote from: Jamie-o on January 15, 2010, 07:50:14 AM
Otherwise, as others have said, you can try the big & tall shops.  The problem is, they tend to focus more on big than on tall.  :-\

I think Jamie should answer for himself. So far two people have answered for him? Jamie suggested I go to a 'big and tall shop' but I am quite small and neither tall or big? so what kind of advice is that?

The difference in torso vs limb length is actually something like 3% difference between male and female. The problem is clothing manufacturers.

Another thing to remember is that the shorter ones though are often layered over longer items.

Quote from: Leslie Ann on January 17, 2010, 06:06:55 PM
The difference in torso vs limb length is actually something like 3% difference between male and female. The problem is clothing manufacturers.

Another thing to remember is that the shorter ones though are often layered over longer items.

Yep.

Down East Outfitters makes longer-ish shirts, really great for layering-
http://www.downeastbasics.com/wondertee-2.aspx (http://www.downeastbasics.com/wondertee-2.aspx)

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on January 17, 2010, 05:04:20 PM
I think Jamie should answer for himself. So far two people have answered for him? Jamie suggested I go to a 'big and tall shop' but I am quite small and neither tall or big? so what kind of advice is that?

Having never seen you I have no idea what your proportions are.  I certainly didn't mean to offend.  My thinking was that if the tops are too short in the torso, you might find ones that are cut longer in the Big & Tall shop.  Not because you are big or tall, but because the shirt is more likely to be cut longer through the waist.  I was just trying to come up with a temporary, creative solution until the designers get tired of trying to show off everyone's midriff.  It's something I've done myself, pre-transition, being very long in the waist despite being only 5'4". 

Quote from: Jamie-o on January 24, 2010, 04:34:24 AM
Having never seen you I have no idea what your proportions are.  I certainly didn't mean to offend.  My thinking was that if the tops are too short in the torso, you might find ones that are cut longer in the Big & Tall shop.  Not because you are big or tall, but because the shirt is more likely to be cut longer through the waist.  I was just trying to come up with a temporary, creative solution until the designers get tired of trying to show off everyone's midriff.  It's something I've done myself, pre-transition, being very long in the waist despite being only 5'4".

Hi Jamie thanks for the reply. I'm 5' 7" and I'm not very big in build or shoulders. I thought you would see that from my pic. Sorry if I reacted wrongly to your original post.

Quote from: Laura Hope on January 12, 2010, 08:04:23 PM
Just venting here:

It REALLY gripes me when I find a nice blouse, that I can afford, and that fits me otherwise, but is TOO DAMNED SHORT!!!!

I also noticed it.

During the past 3 years, I have purchased some tops in my country. All of them are very long to cover my belly and even my hip.

Most of my tops purchased in the US are very short, inevitably making me reveal my belly in the summer. This caused some fusses at my work place.... I would not detail it.

Anyway, for health, it is better to cover our belly whether it is winter or summer. I once got a cold in summer after wearing a short top. Exposing shoulders is fine, but not belly.

Barbie~~

Depending on your arm length, try stores such as high and mighty and others specialising in clothes for tal women.   Also, remember that the female waist generally sits higher that a mans.  That is why I am desperately trying to alter my body shape through exercise and diet.

My sister and I are the same height (5'9").  Her waist is 2 inches higher than mine.  I have trouble finding shirts that will stay tucked in, but they are out there.  Keep looking, Laura.

And hopefully we are near the end of the fashion of women showing off that oh-so-appealing roll of fat around their middles.  (Or am I showing my age? :icon_redface:)

- Kate

No you are not Kate.  I hate the shorter tops myself.  I have a normal woman's waist, but the fashion designers seem to think all of us girls like to show off out surgical scars.

But the longer tops are out there, some where in the neither region of the clothes universe.