I want to rock a full length skirt with a men's business shirt
September 8, 2011 10:10 AM Subscribe
What kinds of men's clothes would you suggest for a woman who wants to wear them?
I prefer to wear men's clothes to women's. This is mostly because men's clothes are often cheaper and cut in a way that I feel more comfortable. For instance, the sleeves on men's shirts tend to be elbow length instead of ending above that as women's clothing often do. I also find that if I buy men's clothes and throw them in the dryer, they shrink to my perfect size. (I am so tired of hanging my clothes up to prevent shrinkage) I prefer my clothes to be a bit baggy instead of tight fitting.
The problem is I don't want to send the wrong message. I know it's much easier for a woman to wear men's clothes then the other way around, but I still don't want my co-workers thinking negative things about my clothing style.
I work in higher education academia, so the only dress code is a loose "business casual". Could I buy a couple of these, or would it scream that I'm wearing men's clothing?
How about henley shirts? and what exactly is a pique polo?
I'm not really looking for advice on pants.
(I am a heterosexual female with quite a few homosexual family members and friends. I'm not worried about "looking gay" I'm worried that people are going to look at me and instantly go: "omg, she's wearing men's clothing! What is she thinking?!")
I prefer to wear men's clothes to women's. This is mostly because men's clothes are often cheaper and cut in a way that I feel more comfortable. For instance, the sleeves on men's shirts tend to be elbow length instead of ending above that as women's clothing often do. I also find that if I buy men's clothes and throw them in the dryer, they shrink to my perfect size. (I am so tired of hanging my clothes up to prevent shrinkage) I prefer my clothes to be a bit baggy instead of tight fitting.
The problem is I don't want to send the wrong message. I know it's much easier for a woman to wear men's clothes then the other way around, but I still don't want my co-workers thinking negative things about my clothing style.
I work in higher education academia, so the only dress code is a loose "business casual". Could I buy a couple of these, or would it scream that I'm wearing men's clothing?
How about henley shirts? and what exactly is a pique polo?
I'm not really looking for advice on pants.
(I am a heterosexual female with quite a few homosexual family members and friends. I'm not worried about "looking gay" I'm worried that people are going to look at me and instantly go: "omg, she's wearing men's clothing! What is she thinking?!")
Men's clothing is going to look like men's clothing because it's men's clothing. Particularly with shirts, because they aren't cut to the female frame Have you looked into women's clothes from more traditional stores like Talbots or Lands End? You might find clothes for women that fit the specifications you lay out above.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:16 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:16 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
what exactly is a pique polo?
You know how there are basically three types of polo shirts, material-wise? The smooth kind (jersey), the rare and fuzzy kind (terry), and the regular lightly-textured kind? The regular kind is piqué.
posted by jeb at 10:19 AM on September 8, 2011
You know how there are basically three types of polo shirts, material-wise? The smooth kind (jersey), the rare and fuzzy kind (terry), and the regular lightly-textured kind? The regular kind is piqué.
posted by jeb at 10:19 AM on September 8, 2011
If you wear unfitted men's shirts, then, yes, everyone will be saying or thinking that you are wearing men's clothes for no good reason. If you get fitted -- or, at the very least, a slim fit in a larger size -- you could pull it off. You might need to get the shirts tailored (probably at the waist and shoulders) for a few more dollars, but if they are of a good fit and good quality (read: expensive), it will be worth it.
Also, if you're going this route, don't buy shirts online. At the very least, go try on the shirt you want at a store and then buy it online (NB: this is considered a dick move by many people, YMMV.)
posted by griphus at 10:19 AM on September 8, 2011
Also, if you're going this route, don't buy shirts online. At the very least, go try on the shirt you want at a store and then buy it online (NB: this is considered a dick move by many people, YMMV.)
posted by griphus at 10:19 AM on September 8, 2011
If you wear unfitted men's shirts, then, yes, everyone will be saying or thinking that you are wearing men's clothes for no good reason.
This is not necessarily bad. I mean, Katharine Hepburn did it. WWKHD is generally not a terrible strategy.
posted by jeb at 10:22 AM on September 8, 2011 [5 favorites]
This is not necessarily bad. I mean, Katharine Hepburn did it. WWKHD is generally not a terrible strategy.
posted by jeb at 10:22 AM on September 8, 2011 [5 favorites]
Also, it would help if you contacted a mod to let us know your weight and/or dimensions. A larger woman would have a lot less trouble with men's clothing than a thinner woman, and as men's shirts aren't built for breasts, that would also matter.
posted by griphus at 10:22 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by griphus at 10:22 AM on September 8, 2011
Yeah there is absolutely nothing wrong with women wearing men's clothes, imo, as long as A) they fit and B) you do it with confidence.
posted by empath at 10:23 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by empath at 10:23 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Ditto TPS. Mostly, men's clothing worn by a woman will always look like men's clothing worn by a woman, even if it "fits". Stuff like the way the armscye is cut, the side the buttons are on, broad dropped shoulders, etc. Which isn't necessarily a problem, but it sounds like you don't want that. I think inexpensive women's clothing with classic, less fitted lines (Land's End, etc) that you can wash/dry/wear would fit the bill for your particular needs better.
posted by peachfuzz at 10:24 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by peachfuzz at 10:24 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is not necessarily bad.
Yeah there is absolutely nothing wrong with women wearing men's clothes...
I don't disagree at all, but it can look good and obvious and unless I'm misunderstanding, the OP seems to want to avoid the latter.
posted by griphus at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2011
Yeah there is absolutely nothing wrong with women wearing men's clothes...
I don't disagree at all, but it can look good and obvious and unless I'm misunderstanding, the OP seems to want to avoid the latter.
posted by griphus at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2011
one of the best dressed women I know has gone this route in a similar context, and pulled it off quite gracefully. the trick is to buy fitted shirts. I think she went for Tommy Hillfiger, but I do not remember exactly. and she has a rather petite build, for what that's worth.
posted by spindle at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by spindle at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2011
How you wear it is probably more important than what you wear.
Accessories are your friend. Some nice earrings or a necklace immediately soften the masculine look. Leave the mens shirt untucked and belt it. Try not to wear clompy mens style shoes if the rest of your clothing is masculine. A cute vest over a mans shirt. I always thing Ralph Lauren does a more "male" style for women well, while his clothes might be out of your budget (they are cetainly out of mine) I check out the website for ideas I can steal all the time. A fedora or hat at a jaunty angle and suddenly the whole look is intentional.
Check out here for some ideas on styling. Now that's his womans line but there is no reason why the plaid shirts, wool vest & tie can't be from the mens section.
posted by wwax at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
Accessories are your friend. Some nice earrings or a necklace immediately soften the masculine look. Leave the mens shirt untucked and belt it. Try not to wear clompy mens style shoes if the rest of your clothing is masculine. A cute vest over a mans shirt. I always thing Ralph Lauren does a more "male" style for women well, while his clothes might be out of your budget (they are cetainly out of mine) I check out the website for ideas I can steal all the time. A fedora or hat at a jaunty angle and suddenly the whole look is intentional.
Check out here for some ideas on styling. Now that's his womans line but there is no reason why the plaid shirts, wool vest & tie can't be from the mens section.
posted by wwax at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
Actually, rereading your question, it sounds like *you* don't care but are worried that other people might. To which I say, if you look comfortable and not sloppy, it won't be an issue. People might notice that you're wearing men's clothing, but won't think anything negative about it—and anyway, who cares? Men's shirts on women is classic (though note that she's wearing a men's styled shirt, not an actual man's shirt).
posted by peachfuzz at 10:28 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by peachfuzz at 10:28 AM on September 8, 2011
If they fit (and you say they do fit), the only thing that would say MEN'S SHIRT is which side the buttons are on. And, really, a person would have to look really close to even notice. Otherwise, it'll just be a women's shirt with a boxy cut to most people.
If they fit, yes, go nuts.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:29 AM on September 8, 2011
If they fit, yes, go nuts.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:29 AM on September 8, 2011
I like that black shirt you've linked to and I think it would look nice with a full length skirt. Would you wear sandals or flats with that?
posted by infini at 10:44 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by infini at 10:44 AM on September 8, 2011
I am a woman who wears mostly men's clothing. Here are some retailers with men's sizes small enough for me.
Rugby Ralph Lauren. Some men's clothes here will fit, but really what they're great at is women's clothing that is more masculine in appearance, like dress shirts without darts and blazers minus feminine details like stupid shoulder poofs/bows or whatever.
This American Apparel black button-up in XS fits me really well and somewhat resembles the one you linked to. They have many other colors and styles of this shirt available, too.
Club Monaco's men's shirt styles in XS Slim style are relatively roomy on me, but I don't swim in them like you might in other men's shirts. They look fabulous tucked in.
posted by Lieber Frau at 11:09 AM on September 8, 2011
Rugby Ralph Lauren. Some men's clothes here will fit, but really what they're great at is women's clothing that is more masculine in appearance, like dress shirts without darts and blazers minus feminine details like stupid shoulder poofs/bows or whatever.
This American Apparel black button-up in XS fits me really well and somewhat resembles the one you linked to. They have many other colors and styles of this shirt available, too.
Club Monaco's men's shirt styles in XS Slim style are relatively roomy on me, but I don't swim in them like you might in other men's shirts. They look fabulous tucked in.
posted by Lieber Frau at 11:09 AM on September 8, 2011
I agree with the above comments that your body type will be a big factor in which men's clothes will work for you (look flattering and and not like you don't know how to dress yourself). I also have a thing for men's clothing, and when I was younger and flatter chested, I could pull off dress shirts, rugby shirts and polos from the boys' departments of Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger (I'm a small little person). Now that I have actual boobs, those shirts just look awkward and ill-fitting on me.
My favorite dress shirts are the menswear-inspired ones, like Ralph Lauren's women's slim fit oxford shirts - the same classic look, materials and quality of tailoring as the men's oxfords, but cut for the female figure. Besides the bust issue though, I've also found that clothing made for men (such as henleys and polos) tends to have lines that emphasize broad shoulders and larger upper arms, and these shirts look odd on a woman even when they fit small enough. American Apparel cuts many of their classic styles in a unisex way, you might find their henleys and polos work pretty well on men and women (my husband and I have the same t-shirts and hoodies from AA that somehow work on both miniature me and gigantic him).
posted by keep it under cover at 11:11 AM on September 8, 2011
My favorite dress shirts are the menswear-inspired ones, like Ralph Lauren's women's slim fit oxford shirts - the same classic look, materials and quality of tailoring as the men's oxfords, but cut for the female figure. Besides the bust issue though, I've also found that clothing made for men (such as henleys and polos) tends to have lines that emphasize broad shoulders and larger upper arms, and these shirts look odd on a woman even when they fit small enough. American Apparel cuts many of their classic styles in a unisex way, you might find their henleys and polos work pretty well on men and women (my husband and I have the same t-shirts and hoodies from AA that somehow work on both miniature me and gigantic him).
posted by keep it under cover at 11:11 AM on September 8, 2011
Annoyingly only men's shirts really fit across the shoulders, and only women's really fit across the chest. I pick "fit across the chest" because it looks more professional, but if I was smaller busted I would definitely go for men's shirts.
Anyway my personal favourite 'look' is shirt, tie and waistcoat with long skirt - deliberately stylish in an Edwardian sort of way.
posted by Coobeastie at 11:20 AM on September 8, 2011
Anyway my personal favourite 'look' is shirt, tie and waistcoat with long skirt - deliberately stylish in an Edwardian sort of way.
posted by Coobeastie at 11:20 AM on September 8, 2011
Well, do you care about looking good/stylish or is it more that you're after the lower price point and comfort? As someone who wore a lot of boys clothes when I was in my mid to late teens for exactly the latter reasoning, unfortunately I'll have to agree that boys clothes will look like boys clothes (and not in a good way) unless you know how to style yourself and will be unflattering. If you just want lower price and certain cuts/or fits, I agree you might just need to shop around more for stores with women's clothing that fit your wants and needs rather than drastically deciding to start shopping on the other side of the gender rack. Also, any male clothing worth its salt would be on the pricey end too. Cheap, not well-made clothes will look cheap no matter who they're made for.
As I've learned, you just need to be very aware of your body/shape and what works for it, and how to purchase clothing for it, that doesn't magically disappear when buying guys clothes. I used to say "Buying boys' jeans is just so much eaaaaasier, because my hip to waist ratio is so annoying to try and fit girls' jeans to. And shirts! IT's just all straight up and down and boxy!" Yea, well the result is I looked straight up and down and boxy too. (Oh, god. And the crotches on boys' jeans I used to wear =( I gave myself fake boners thanks to the way boy jean crotches are structured and the obvious fact that I am not a boy built to fill out that bit of fabric).
As for reassurances about dressing in male clothes:
Fashion-wise, looking androgynous or dressing boyish isn't new, so if you're worried about people finding men's clothing on women odd, I think that usually comes down to when it's not well-done, unflattering, or sloppy which makes the fact that you're wearing men's clothing all that more obvious and not in a good way.
For example, women's tuxedos have been trending for a while. The thing with fad like this though, is that it's usually one or two accent pieces of male attire mixed in, while femininity is still maintained, or it's more an reinterpretation of the feel or lines of more masculine clothing. So strategies would come down to being smart about what you purchase.
1. Know what you want/like. You mentioned the cut/fit of shirts. Then focus on shirts. Like buy a nice man's button down shirt that can be ironed crisp, buy couple if you can find them on sale. Then you can pair those with women's skirt or pants.
2. Know what you DON'T want to look like. Guy's clothes has as much bad fashion hazards as women's clothes. Make sure you're not falling into the trap of "cheaper and easier" to find and buy low-quality items or things that just plain don't look good. As the aforementioned boxy boy tees, sure it's "forgiving" but it's not flattering except for select people whose figures look good in just about anything. Definitely not as much as a structured shirt will. Also, just like with women's clothes, you might need to look into tailoring for something to fit just right on you.
3. Don't be exclusive. Mix and match! It's the fun part of getting dressed whether or not you're dealing with male or female clothes. So don't abandon ladies clothes or accessories entirely.
posted by kkokkodalk at 11:24 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
As I've learned, you just need to be very aware of your body/shape and what works for it, and how to purchase clothing for it, that doesn't magically disappear when buying guys clothes. I used to say "Buying boys' jeans is just so much eaaaaasier, because my hip to waist ratio is so annoying to try and fit girls' jeans to. And shirts! IT's just all straight up and down and boxy!" Yea, well the result is I looked straight up and down and boxy too. (Oh, god. And the crotches on boys' jeans I used to wear =( I gave myself fake boners thanks to the way boy jean crotches are structured and the obvious fact that I am not a boy built to fill out that bit of fabric).
As for reassurances about dressing in male clothes:
Fashion-wise, looking androgynous or dressing boyish isn't new, so if you're worried about people finding men's clothing on women odd, I think that usually comes down to when it's not well-done, unflattering, or sloppy which makes the fact that you're wearing men's clothing all that more obvious and not in a good way.
For example, women's tuxedos have been trending for a while. The thing with fad like this though, is that it's usually one or two accent pieces of male attire mixed in, while femininity is still maintained, or it's more an reinterpretation of the feel or lines of more masculine clothing. So strategies would come down to being smart about what you purchase.
1. Know what you want/like. You mentioned the cut/fit of shirts. Then focus on shirts. Like buy a nice man's button down shirt that can be ironed crisp, buy couple if you can find them on sale. Then you can pair those with women's skirt or pants.
2. Know what you DON'T want to look like. Guy's clothes has as much bad fashion hazards as women's clothes. Make sure you're not falling into the trap of "cheaper and easier" to find and buy low-quality items or things that just plain don't look good. As the aforementioned boxy boy tees, sure it's "forgiving" but it's not flattering except for select people whose figures look good in just about anything. Definitely not as much as a structured shirt will. Also, just like with women's clothes, you might need to look into tailoring for something to fit just right on you.
3. Don't be exclusive. Mix and match! It's the fun part of getting dressed whether or not you're dealing with male or female clothes. So don't abandon ladies clothes or accessories entirely.
posted by kkokkodalk at 11:24 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Hi, I'm also a woman who sometimes wears men's clothing, mainly because my clothes-shopping strategy is based on "what looks good / is cheap?" as opposed to "omg am I in the socially-prescribed gender-appropriate section of the store?" So I can definitely sympathize with and understand your question!
Since I am a relatively small human (5'3"/100 lbs) I actually frequently end up getting stuff from the childrens' section in a lot of stores -- I'm short so the larger-sized girls' jeans generally fit better than anything in the "junior's" section. I also recently picked up a boys' sweater-vest (size label simply said "medium") at Old Navy for something like $5 which I absolutely love and which looks mighty snappy with, say, a mid-length grey skirt and a pair of mary-janes.
Obviously this strategy won't work if you're not a member of the Scrawny Runt Club but you may still have good luck in store sections labeled "young men" or similar. I've noticed the stuff there tends to be cut a bit narrower and has a wider range of colors and patterns and materials than the "regular" men's section.
Also, depending on your work environment/taste you might want to check out the young mens'/boys' *shoe* section, as sometimes they have really neat-looking, comfy options (oxfords, loafers, boots) there that are sturdier than anything in the ladies' section.
posted by aecorwin at 11:29 AM on September 8, 2011
Since I am a relatively small human (5'3"/100 lbs) I actually frequently end up getting stuff from the childrens' section in a lot of stores -- I'm short so the larger-sized girls' jeans generally fit better than anything in the "junior's" section. I also recently picked up a boys' sweater-vest (size label simply said "medium") at Old Navy for something like $5 which I absolutely love and which looks mighty snappy with, say, a mid-length grey skirt and a pair of mary-janes.
Obviously this strategy won't work if you're not a member of the Scrawny Runt Club but you may still have good luck in store sections labeled "young men" or similar. I've noticed the stuff there tends to be cut a bit narrower and has a wider range of colors and patterns and materials than the "regular" men's section.
Also, depending on your work environment/taste you might want to check out the young mens'/boys' *shoe* section, as sometimes they have really neat-looking, comfy options (oxfords, loafers, boots) there that are sturdier than anything in the ladies' section.
posted by aecorwin at 11:29 AM on September 8, 2011
Men's silk shirts. Any very soft fabric. Men's woven shirts that have a collar but pull over. I find that the J Peterman (okay, yes, LOL) JP shirt is pretty good, although it runs big. The J Peterman knit striped shirts are also very good - quality, durable, etc. (I mean, I got mine used on eBay, but still)
What about men's sweaters? There are a lot of thin/formal knit ones that don't look especially gendered, are durable and are a good fit. Brooks Brothers and Hickey Freeman are nice - Hickey nicer than Brooks but fewer choices and runs a bit smaller. Brookie's has lots of cotton ones that are easy to care for. The preppier the maker, the less emphasis on shoulders and bulk (as described above). I actually also really like the J Crew cotton/cashmere ones. I wear men's sweaters far more than I wear men's shirts.
I have trouble with men's shirts because I have wide shoulders and a large chest. I like my clothes not-skin-tight, but even so, by the time they fit around the chest, the collar is so big and the shoulders are so wide that it's often a lost cause.
I sometimes buy oversized shirts from women's plus size catalogs, actually - for some reason the shoulders are cut small and the body is large. Quality is extremely hit and miss, though. "Big shirt" means "shirt that doesn't have darts, basically.
posted by Frowner at 11:29 AM on September 8, 2011
What about men's sweaters? There are a lot of thin/formal knit ones that don't look especially gendered, are durable and are a good fit. Brooks Brothers and Hickey Freeman are nice - Hickey nicer than Brooks but fewer choices and runs a bit smaller. Brookie's has lots of cotton ones that are easy to care for. The preppier the maker, the less emphasis on shoulders and bulk (as described above). I actually also really like the J Crew cotton/cashmere ones. I wear men's sweaters far more than I wear men's shirts.
I have trouble with men's shirts because I have wide shoulders and a large chest. I like my clothes not-skin-tight, but even so, by the time they fit around the chest, the collar is so big and the shoulders are so wide that it's often a lost cause.
I sometimes buy oversized shirts from women's plus size catalogs, actually - for some reason the shoulders are cut small and the body is large. Quality is extremely hit and miss, though. "Big shirt" means "shirt that doesn't have darts, basically.
posted by Frowner at 11:29 AM on September 8, 2011
Mod note: From the OP:
Thanks so far everyone. I'm one of those odd combinations where being overweight does not equal huge breasts. I wear a large B bra if it matters. I've been buying men's polo shirts for a long time, so I know how to buy with my boobs in mind.posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:34 AM on September 8, 2011
Brooks Brothers fitted dress shirts for women. They're basically exactly what you're looking for, i.e. the typical guy button-up except tailored for a more feminine figure. They have three degrees of fitted-ness last I checked, which are: not very fitted, semi-fitted, and fitted/"tailored" or something similarly named. You will almost certainly find one that suits you.
posted by Nattie at 11:36 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by Nattie at 11:36 AM on September 8, 2011
Expore Ben Sherman and Fred Perry for some modern options that could translate easily to womens wear.
Here are things I'd imagine would be up your alley:
Check Shirt
Sportster Shirt in Blue
Polos Galore
Deconstructed Jacket
Cardigan
Chunky Henley
Also, don't throw women's clothing out the window -- several lines such as Ralph Lauren offer a more boxy cut for tops and more simple/masculine designs that work well as basics. For instance, Fred Perry's Women's Line has the cuts you seek in more feminine prints.
Take some style notes from Diane Keaton in the 80s/90s. She was able to pull off a loose fit with a menswear vibe quite nicely.
posted by cior at 11:43 AM on September 8, 2011
Here are things I'd imagine would be up your alley:
Check Shirt
Sportster Shirt in Blue
Polos Galore
Deconstructed Jacket
Cardigan
Chunky Henley
Also, don't throw women's clothing out the window -- several lines such as Ralph Lauren offer a more boxy cut for tops and more simple/masculine designs that work well as basics. For instance, Fred Perry's Women's Line has the cuts you seek in more feminine prints.
Take some style notes from Diane Keaton in the 80s/90s. She was able to pull off a loose fit with a menswear vibe quite nicely.
posted by cior at 11:43 AM on September 8, 2011
I used to wear a lot of men's clothing, for similar reasons. Then I got a little pickier about shopping for women's clothing, and haven't gone back. Turns out men's clothing doesn't fit me any better than women's clothing; I just felt more comfortable in ill-fitting men's stuff than ill-fitting women's stuff. (On preview, exactly what kkokkodalk says.)
If men's clothing off the rack fits and looks good on you, go for it. But if you're wearing boxy, loose guys' button-downs because they're more comfortable than, say, the cap-sleeved business-sexy stuff from Express, you can find stuff in the middle that will work a lot better for you. Lands' End, LL Bean, and Eddie Bauer might be up your alley - they have affordable and durable stuff that's cut a little looser.
And if you're larger, be careful not to fall into the trap of hiding yourself under huge tentlike clothes - it's usually not the best look. It's absolutely possible to find clothes that are cut to follow the lines of your body, but still give you room to be comfortable.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:46 AM on September 8, 2011
If men's clothing off the rack fits and looks good on you, go for it. But if you're wearing boxy, loose guys' button-downs because they're more comfortable than, say, the cap-sleeved business-sexy stuff from Express, you can find stuff in the middle that will work a lot better for you. Lands' End, LL Bean, and Eddie Bauer might be up your alley - they have affordable and durable stuff that's cut a little looser.
And if you're larger, be careful not to fall into the trap of hiding yourself under huge tentlike clothes - it's usually not the best look. It's absolutely possible to find clothes that are cut to follow the lines of your body, but still give you room to be comfortable.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:46 AM on September 8, 2011
Also, take some cues from "Dandy Fashion". It's popular with lesbians here in San Francisco, but isn't immediately recognizable as manly.
Dandy Menswear
Dandy Womenswear
Other tricks to use to tone down a man-vibe when wearing menswear:
posted by cior at 11:53 AM on September 8, 2011
Dandy Menswear
Dandy Womenswear
Other tricks to use to tone down a man-vibe when wearing menswear:
- Add pearls to your outfit, earrings or necklace
- Wear a feminine shoe, such as a kitten heal or dainty cut loafer
- Take a moment to wear makeup or fix hair in a feminine style
- Go with elegant accessories, such as a women's style briefcase, a nice brooch, headband or hair clips
posted by cior at 11:53 AM on September 8, 2011
Consider having any menswear you buy "nipped in" a bit in the right places by a tailor. You can be comfortable with a more flattering silhouette. Same principle works with womenswear, just buy a size or two up.
posted by cior at 11:54 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by cior at 11:54 AM on September 8, 2011
I am loving the hell out of my Brooks Brothers womens shirts that I bought recently. Semi-fitted, non-iron, cool as all out over a pair of boys jeans. I look so damned sharp! However, that probably doesn't solve the cheaper part of the equation... My tip would be though to check out young mens (junior, teen, whatever) clothing stores. They will often have a slightly slimmer cut to them, that translates well in terms of sizing for a grown woman, including a somewhat overweight one, and if you are on the smaller end of the boob-scale then that could work out really well for you. I buy my jeans and tees from the same store as the kids I teach. Otherwise, keep an eye out for semi-fitted guys stuff even in adult stores. Somewhere that caters to metro/hipster guys is going to have not overly masculine menswear.
posted by Iteki at 2:49 PM on September 8, 2011
posted by Iteki at 2:49 PM on September 8, 2011
Structured, tailored, or dressier menswear can look both attractive and conventional on a woman. It looks "menswear-inspired" and fashionable even if it's really men's clothing. However, casual, loose-fitting, sporty, menswear will look either frumpy or gay in a way that might cause the reactions you want to avoid. Unless it's a fitted polo with shoulders that hit you exactly right, a men's polo will make you look like you're trying to dress like a dude or like you really don't care about your appearance. (I'm not saying there's anything wrong with looking frumpy or butch, but you say you want to avoid standing out for wearing men's clothes.)
I suggest that if you want comfortable, casual pieces, you try Eddie Bauer, Lands End, LL Bean, or another store that sells sturdy, practical women's clothes.
posted by Meg_Murry at 5:17 PM on September 8, 2011
I suggest that if you want comfortable, casual pieces, you try Eddie Bauer, Lands End, LL Bean, or another store that sells sturdy, practical women's clothes.
posted by Meg_Murry at 5:17 PM on September 8, 2011
If you live in a town with a large enough Asian population, check out the Asian (HK mostly, perhaps Taiwanese) clothing chains and boutiques. A fair bit of more androgynous stuff but you'll need to pay attention to the difference in sizing.
posted by porpoise at 7:53 PM on September 8, 2011
posted by porpoise at 7:53 PM on September 8, 2011
I also wear men's clothes. I'm gay, and now don't really feel comfortable in most women's clothes, but I started out just wanting trousers with decent-sized pockets and it just snowballed from there.
Be prepared that you may hit a point where you are mistaken for a guy, sooner than you think. People's atttention to the subtleties of gender presentation is not as close as you would imagine. Sometimes this will be neutral (someone says 'Excuse me, sir'), sometimes it will be less-than-neutral (someone informs you that you're in 'the ladies toilets') and sometimes it will be annoying in unexpected ways (I am basically unable to buy alcohol in supermarkets without ID, at 27 years of age, because all the cashiers look at me, think 'teenage boy', insist on seeing ID, and are unable to deescalate things once they realise they were operating under a false assumption). This works OK for me because of the way I experience my gender, but it wouldn't work for a lot of people, I think.
posted by Acheman at 5:25 AM on September 9, 2011
Be prepared that you may hit a point where you are mistaken for a guy, sooner than you think. People's atttention to the subtleties of gender presentation is not as close as you would imagine. Sometimes this will be neutral (someone says 'Excuse me, sir'), sometimes it will be less-than-neutral (someone informs you that you're in 'the ladies toilets') and sometimes it will be annoying in unexpected ways (I am basically unable to buy alcohol in supermarkets without ID, at 27 years of age, because all the cashiers look at me, think 'teenage boy', insist on seeing ID, and are unable to deescalate things once they realise they were operating under a false assumption). This works OK for me because of the way I experience my gender, but it wouldn't work for a lot of people, I think.
posted by Acheman at 5:25 AM on September 9, 2011
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posted by empath at 10:13 AM on September 8, 2011