Ladies need male or androgynous costumes to look hot in

October 24, 2012 12:07 PM

Gender bending costume ideas for a formal-ish occasion for two ladies: one on the tallish and thinnish side, one on the shortish and curvyish.

Parameters:
- Costumes do not need to match or be part of a duo, we'd like ideas for each of us!
- Would prefer to be comfortable so nothing too unwieldy, bulky, or constricting, no props.
- It's a somewhat dressy occasion so lumberjacks and such are out.
- More important to look attractive than to pass as male - we'd rather look like women in men's clothing than obscure our figures too much or glue on facial hair.
- Would also prefer archetypes rather than recognizable pop culture characters.

Thank you!

posted by jetsetlag to clothing, beauty, & fashion (15 answers total)

I have always thought that going as Uncle Sam and John Bull (and then periodically fighting or shaking hands throughout the evening) would be hilarious. And for your proportions, it sounds just about perfect.
posted by phunniemee at 12:09 PM on October 24, 2012

Laurel and Hardy/Abbott And Costello! The archetype being the comedy duo straight man funny man!
posted by Carillon at 12:11 PM on October 24, 2012

Jack Sprat and his wife?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:17 PM on October 24, 2012

Evil fatcat billionaire supervillain and dashing fighter for the side of the righteous?
posted by aimedwander at 12:21 PM on October 24, 2012

Boris and Natasha?

Whoever goes as Boris could wear a fedora and stylized moustache drawn in elegantly with eyeliner.
posted by Sara C. at 12:28 PM on October 24, 2012 [3 favorites]

You could be an angel & a devil - to genderbend, rather than leotards or unitards, perhaps men's suits with acoutrements like halo/wings/pitchfork?

Maybe something historical like a King and a revolutionary? A Louis XVI outfit with waistcoat, breeches & tights could show some leg and or curves as well as a fancy white wig and there is some design freedom with a revolutionary outift too.
posted by pointystick at 1:17 PM on October 24, 2012 [3 favorites]

Historical outfits, as suggested by pointystick, seem promising. If you don't want to be too "custom-y" a tuxedo (with tails and a top hat) would probably work well. It is an obviously gendered outfit, and the inclusion of long tails and a tail hat would (probably) serve to make it clear that this is a custom and not just two women in suits.
posted by asnider at 1:22 PM on October 24, 2012

Yeah, Louis XVI and a member of Le Sans Coulottes could be pretty great. Or maybe if one of you wants to go as a woman, something inspired by Liberty Leading The People? Breasts covered, of course.
posted by Sara C. at 1:22 PM on October 24, 2012

Blues Brothers Sisters.
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:27 PM on October 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

Jeeves and Wooster! Or Laurie and Fry! Whichever combination you like.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey?

Batman and Robin?

Van Helsing and Dracula?

Hmm, historical seems promising.

Doc Holliday (he was tall and thin, had tuberculosis) and Wyatt Earp (or, just for fun, Doc Holliday and Johnny Ringo).

Marc Antony and Julius Caesar (togas are flattering!)
posted by misha at 1:50 PM on October 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

Since you specifically say you want ideas that are not duos: if I were tall and thin I'd be going as the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who (tweed coat, bowtie, suspenders).

Short and curvy I'd maybe go as Napoleon, or Charlie Chaplin.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:56 PM on October 24, 2012

I can't think of a good counterpart for this, but one year I attempted to go as Marlene Dietrich (I think I even made an AskMe about it?) and for some reason everybody thought I was dressed as Oscar Wilde.

So, Oscar Wilde?
posted by Sara C. at 2:13 PM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

When you say gender bending costumes for ladies, do you two ladies want to dress up as something that's characteristically male? Or do you want to take something that's characteristically male and make it female?
posted by FirstMateKate at 2:16 PM on October 24, 2012

do you two ladies want to dress up as something that's characteristically male? Or do you want to take something that's characteristically male and make it female?

FirstMateKate: open to either!

Liking all the historical suggestions so far, although some of them could get spendy, for the elaborate outfits.
posted by jetsetlag at 2:21 PM on October 24, 2012

Sorry this isn't exactly what you asked for, but I immediately thought of Jareth from Labyrinth for the tall, thin lady. Usually I'd pair him up with Sarah (plain or fancy) but if you're bucking the norm, another power costume would be Hoggle.
posted by therewolf at 3:37 PM on October 24, 2012