Since my last disastrous shopping spree I decided to spend a bit of time getting some idea about how to actually go about establishing a new wardrobe. I have no issues about going shopping or shopping online...so it's not about the purchases so much, as the  "What" to purchase. Funds are not an issue within reason and I can present full time at home.....so... What in your experience is....

Best tip/tips for establishing a Fulltime Wardrobe?

Most versatile piece/pieces you have?

What is your favourite casual outfit for going out?

What is the one thing you can't go past when you are shopping for outfits?

Have Fun

Elizabeth (Liz) K

Why was the last one disastrous Hon?


First, look at what women your age and build are wearing. Sorry mini skirts and 6 inch heels may look cute but..........

I like skirts and tops and the first essential is the back skirt, that goes with any colour top.

I bought a range of nice tops that went with my skirt.

During winter - which is coming even if it is 30C! I like leggings and long tops and of course boots.

I tend to wear 'flats' as shoes and 1-3 inch heels when going out to something formal.

Underwear, cotton or microfibre panties, I buy most of mine from Coles. For the 'special' occasion I have some cute underwear form Bras & Things. I also buy my bras there because they are good at measuring me, and I need and want a good fit.

Dresses, I wear them for formal and for business occasions. I tend to but sale items only.
I also use the online shopping company Brandsexclusive. They sell some gorgeous stuff for very little (run outs) but it depends on your sizing. I'm an Aussie 12 dress, size 10 skirt and 12 top.

Target and K-Mart sell some nice stuff for under $20 as well.

Oh and make sure your wardrobe doesn't get larger than your wife's! It doesn't go down well.

A friend of mine (unfortunately 900 miles away!) is a fashion expert.  This is what I was told.

1) Look around see what you like and just as importantly what you don't like.

2) Dress your age (every response you get here will/should say that.)

3) Start out with basic solid colors.  Patterns become dated (out-dated) quickly.

4) If you don't LOVE it, don't buy it.
    - picture it hanging in your closet, do you see yourself grabbing it to wear because you want to?
    - if you don't absolutely love it - move on, you will never want to wear it.

5) Cut out pictures from fashion magazines (I cheated and used Photoshop to create a collage from on-line shopping sites).  Create three "piles" Love it, Like it, Hate it.  Find your style and ask someone of their opinion on what you like.  They will probably will have some positive and some negative comments.  Grow thick skin for this one.

6) If you are over 40 - you can show your knees, but anything higher..... probably not.  Midriff - keep it covered!  (I know you want to show off your bellybutton piercing, but.... don't.)

7) Use leggings ONLY if you wear a top that goes down 1/2 way to your knees.  (For me, today, not an issue since there is an unsightly bulge the clothes manufacture didn't account for

to replace a whole wardrobe - buy clearance.  You can get your winter/fall wardrobe now (northern hemisphere) for a fraction of the cost.  The selection is limited, but you can get some pretty good deals.

- Good luck

Just a note - she likes Macy's (wait for a huge sale !!) and Khol's (always use a coupon and open a Khol's charge, you get bigger discounts!)

A common mistake is to try and do everything at once. Nobody becomes a woman all at once, not even genetic females. Take a gradual approach and find out what's what and what works for you. Work out your hairstyle-- only. Then move on to something else. Go through the same process with makeup. Pick up one type of thing, like mascara, and practice until you know how to do it well. Then move to something else.

I always know exactly what current fashions I like by using a style-stealing method. Celebrities pay talented stylists to pick their clothes for them and, thus, always look great. I chose a handful of celebs with street style I like, then started following them through Google Images every week or two to check the fashion paparazzi shots of them.

Like Cindy suggested look around at other women in your age bracket and slightly under to get an idea of "Age Appropriate" as well as possible looks. Also keep in mind the situation or where you'll be. Even live to some extent. I lived in the land of 5'4" overweight, mom-jeans, waddling women. So not for me. At 6ft tall and thin and love skirts and dresses all that alone meant I stood out some. Most times I wore a skirt but I also did jeans.

Developing "a look" takes time, practice and lot of trial and error. What looks nice on the rack and in the dressing room can often take on WTF was I thinking proportions a few days later at home. I amassed a lot of clothes at great "Trial & Error" prices at thrift/charity shops. At like $5 for tops & bottoms and around $10 for dresses you can't go wrong. You don't feel as guilty when you drop $80 at a department store.

Quote from: Cindy on March 12, 2016, 02:37:19 AM
Why was the last one disastrous Hon?

...Oh and make sure your wardrobe doesn't get larger than your wife's! It doesn't go down well.

Hey Cindy the last one was a disaster because I didn't think about it too hard and bought what I liked rather than what would suit me...example...short shorts...certainly not for public view...My 40 degree celcius day and I am alone shorts...Lovely pair of smart Black Slacks...slightly too big when I bought them, now huge on me...several pairs of shoes that turned out to small sizes or not quite the color they appear online....I went to find something to wear to do some work around house the other day and my choice was leggings or guy shorts. Now if I am going out that is different..I have 3 out of the 6 or 7 dresses I have that fit me and only two of those I really like enough to wear.

More thought less action for a start

Liz K

Quote from: pj on March 12, 2016, 08:47:31 AM
A friend of mine (unfortunately 900 miles away!) is a fashion expert.  This is what I was told.

1) Look around see what you like and just as importantly what you don't like.

2) Dress your age (every response you get here will/should say that.)

3) Start out with basic solid colors.  Patterns become dated (out-dated) quickly.

4) If you don't LOVE it, don't buy it.
    - picture it hanging in your closet, do you see yourself grabbing it to wear because you want to?
    - if you don't absolutely love it - move on, you will never want to wear it.

5) Cut out pictures from fashion magazines (I cheated and used Photoshop to create a collage from on-line shopping sites).  Create three "piles" Love it, Like it, Hate it.  Find your style and ask someone of their opinion on what you like.  They will probably will have some positive and some negative comments.  Grow thick skin for this one.

6) If you are over 40 - you can show your knees, but anything higher..... probably not.  Midriff - keep it covered!  (I know you want to show off your bellybutton piercing, but.... don't.)

7) Use leggings ONLY if you wear a top that goes down 1/2 way to your knees.  (For me, today, not an issue since there is an unsightly bulge the clothes manufacture didn't account for

to replace a whole wardrobe - buy clearance.  You can get your winter/fall wardrobe now (northern hemisphere) for a fraction of the cost.  The selection is limited, but you can get some pretty good deals.

- Good luck

Just a note - she likes Macy's (wait for a huge sale !!) and Khol's (always use a coupon and open a Khol's charge, you get bigger discounts!)

Great Info hear and thank you very much...age appropriate is so important...the one I should take the most notice of is "If you don't love it don't buy it" What a great piece of advice

Thanks

Liz K

Quote from: Lyric on March 12, 2016, 09:55:00 AM
.....Take a gradual approach and find out what's what and what works for you. Work out your hairstyle-- only. Then move on to something else. Go through the same process with makeup. Pick up one type of thing, like mascara, and practice until you know how to do it well. Then move to something else.

I like that Idea because at the moment I am doing several things at once...maybe concentrating on one aspect at a time is a good idea...still growing my hair, so might start looking at more stuff to try and narrow down what I really like. So good practical advice thank you.

Liz K

Quote from: JoanneB on March 12, 2016, 10:58:24 AM

Developing "a look" takes time, practice and lot of trial and error. What looks nice on the rack and in the dressing room can often take on WTF was I thinking proportions a few days later at home. I amassed a lot of clothes at great "Trial & Error" prices at thrift/charity shops. At like $5 for tops & bottoms and around $10 for dresses you can't go wrong. You don't feel as guilty when you drop $80 at a department store.

Yes my last major shop was a bit like OMG what was I thinking..not everything just a few things

Do you think the higher end clothes are worth the extra cost as far as quality and fit go?

Liz K

I think you'll find that buying the "wrong thing" is a common feature of any woman's shopping trips - cis or trans it is common to find something that looks awesome in the shop but either doesn't really suit you or doesn't do with other accessories/clothes. Sadly you usually don't realise until it has been bought and taken home!

Anyway, the thing to do is to learn from those misadventures and try not to lose too much money in the process. Even if you have money to burn I'd suggest trying mid range outlet like Target, they often have a wide range of good looking clothes (even larger sizes) at easonable prices, you can browse without being pressured or pestered by sales staff which gives you the time to try things. Their clothes are very seasonal so it means you can build up a wardrobe over the course of a year as the seasons change.

I live close to my store so I'll take a regular visit and buy between $50 to $150 worth of items each time... an assortment of practical, casual and/or work clothes, along with underwear, accessories, etc. I have an eye for what I like and what I figure will look good on my frame, there are certain styles, colours and patterns that I've always liked, others I never have...in my pre-transition days I used to study what other women were wearing, try to figure out if it worked or not, and how/why. It's been useful, sometimes my shopping is hit and miss but it is about 85% or more a hit. I now have more clothes than I can reasonably wear, and yet often not  enough or the right thing for the occassion!

It always helps to go shopping with another woman too.

Quote from: ElizabethK on March 12, 2016, 05:05:23 PM
Yes my last major shop was a bit like OMG what was I thinking..not everything just a few things

Do you think the higher end clothes are worth the extra cost as far as quality and fit go?

Liz K

The nice thing about department stores vs thrift shops is in a department store when you see that item to die for, most likely you'll find your size on the rack. In a thrift store I don't know how many times I've seen something I liked only to then look at the size tag in disappointment.

TBH - the reality of women's clothes is they are not made to last. Especially when compared to mens. I'm sure there are labels for career clothes that do but the lifespan of an item is often fashion trend driven. The more classic the style the better chance it may last longer. I've known women with closets full of clothes never worn or only worn once. 

Quote from: Ms Grace on March 12, 2016, 05:11:39 PM

It always helps to go shopping with another woman too.

When my wife and I go shopping she has a tendency to get a bit on the loud side without realising...which in the past has caused a few odd stares but nothing too much. I find I end up being influenced by her and the types of clothes she likes...I don't think she is entirely comfortable with how feminine I like to be. This is also something I am still learning about and need to do some experimenting with....I might also add she has saved me from making some silly mistakes with some timely advice. I think I need to learn how to do this for myself so threads like this are invaluable for getting idea's of how others go about it.

Quote from: JoanneB on March 12, 2016, 05:25:02 PM
The nice thing about department stores vs thrift shops is in a department store when you see that item to die for, most likely you'll find your size on the rack. In a thrift store I don't know how many times I've seen something I liked only to then look at the size tag in disappointment.

TBH - the reality of women's clothes is they are not made to last. Especially when compared to mens. I'm sure there are labels for career clothes that do but the lifespan of an item is often fashion trend driven. The more classic the style the better chance it may last longer. I've known women with closets full of clothes never worn or only worn once.

Maybe it' s that there are so many choices which I have never been used to..My guy wardrobe consists of blu/black jeans and various shades of blue/black t-shirts or for a change blue shorts.

I have noticed women's clothes, on the whole seem to be lighter weight and certainly not as robust as most men's clothes. I guess most are only set to last the season

Quote from: ElizabethK on March 12, 2016, 07:08:16 PM
Maybe it' s that there are so many choices which I have never been used to..My guy wardrobe consists of blu/black jeans and various shades of blue/black t-shirts or for a change blue shorts.

I have noticed women's clothes, on the whole seem to be lighter weight and certainly not as robust as most men's clothes. I guess most are only set to last the season

The Joke/Reality in the guy world is Yes, we do have and still (can) wear clothes from 20 years ago. Even undies. Panties, 2-3 years tops. I have a shirts from the 1980's I still wear. Slacks from the 90's. (I'm far harder on them. And we're not talking jeans, rather dress slacks)

One more thing - SAVE THE RECEIPTS.

I have probably returned 75% of the stuff I've purchased.  Reasons - size (not ready to try on in the store...yet) , won't have an opportunity to wear it, don't really like it after all. 

Women's clothing is more expensive, thinner and more frail. No great advice but then again despite living full time for just about 9 months now I still only have 4-5 outfits that I rotate through. I do laundry regularly. Sadly my lack of funds and lack of finding things that both fit and that I like I haven't gotten anything new lately but right now I am ok with it. Most girls work on there wardrobe all there life sadly we get a late start so I don't feel a need to rush anymore.

Serena

Hi Elisabeth;

My very strong advice is to approach someone like "House of Colour"or "Colour Me beautiful"

Eight years ago in Devon in England I went a saw a lady from House of Colour and spent a day getting my colour Analysis done and I discovered that I was an autumn person from my skin tones. I now have a Colour swatch plus an amazing guide book on what   colour lipsticks look really great on me, what eye shadows I should use (best colours), best colour nail polish,  what combination of colours look best in skirts, tops, dresses etc.
It changed my life. Many women have commented on my dress style,  how beautiful a particular lipstick or  nail polish colour looks and al goes a huge way towards  confirming that one is a woman. Even my beautician often compliments me on  a particular look I may be presenting (and she knows I am TG).  Getting ones colours done really has been a god send to me and  put me in the position that I rarely if ever get read these days.


House of colur even supply lipsticks and nail polish etc, but I rarely use them any longer - just my colour swatch and the  recommendation  booklet.

I carry this in my handbag always and never buy any clothes without checking it first  against my colour swarch.

Its the best thing every woman should do. You will not be dissatisfied. More importantly it will save you a fortune on buying clothes that don't suit your colours!.


See: http://www.houseofcolour.co.uk

You'll see the difference instantly. That magical moment when a colour lights up your face, makes your skin glow and your eyes sparkle. That moment will be the start of a deep natural confidence that stays with you forever.

First, you'll find out which season's colours naturally harmonise with your individual skin tone (spring, summer, autumn or winter).

Your colour consultant will identify your personal best, the "star colours" that will always give you that radiant, gorgeous glow. 

No colour will be excluded.  It's all about finding the right tone.
We'll never tell you what to do. You may already know your colours, but we guarantee a far wider choice than you ever thought possible. 

You'll leave the session with a whole palette of colours that make you look wonderful and feel confident.
HoC colour consultations  take place in the UK, Greece, France, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, USA & Australia.  They're small, friendly and enormously good fun. And they're run by the most thoroughly trained, highly qualified personal stylists available.

Best of luck
Judith

The basic rule of thumb for female fashion is to make the silhouette an hourglass shape. Depending on your body-frame, pear shaped/ triangular/ rectangular/ etc., you should adjust the styles accordingly to flatter your figure more. For example: V and scoop necks disrupt the line of wide shoulders, and an A-line / Flounce skirt that ends above or below the knee accentuates your hips. Peplums usually look better on petite short waisted gals. And skinny jeans make your hips look smaller and lengthen your legs. 3/4 sleeves and capris make your arms and legs look shorter, and Pencil skirts make your hips look smaller.

Dresses that fit great are very difficult to find, you're probably going to need to tailor them. I've had my best luck finding dresses by going to Nordstroms and telling a clerk there what I'm looking for and giving her my size range. The problem I have is that I need a dress that first fits and flatters my wide shoulders, then I have to tailor the waist to fit my smaller hips and waist.

Balancing colors and patterns can be tricky if you want, but the basic part is that bright colors stand out when paired with darker colors. I have large shoulders, so I usually wear pants or skirts that are more colorful than my tops. I tend to make my accessories (purse/jewelry/shoes/jacket) the same colors, and my outfits tend to be pretty simple. When I want to look really nice for a special day, I spend a week or two before accumulating my outfit if I don't already have something sufficient in my closet.

My favorite tops are the Vneck solid colored shirts from UNIQLO, and I have one of each available in my color palette for a Clear Winter/Spring skin tone (depending on whether I've tanned recently). I personally like the skinny jeans I own even though they aren't as flattering theoretically as boot-cut, but because I have long legs, a brighter jean still looks good despite the unflattering cut. The skirts I have mostly fall right above my knee and most are either flounce, flared, drop waisted or A line.


     Hugs,
- Katie
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I get told I blend in quite well despite being only a month into HRT and definitely unable to pass. People have told me it's because I dress well and that it's age-appropriate clothing. My advice is look at other people you're age. Do it when you're out and about locally but also online.

I think a lot of people dress the way they wish they could have when they were younger, but fashion changes so learn from those around you