Developing A Sense Of Fashion

[Natalie86]

I was wondering how other MTFs developed thier sense of fashion? I am slowly building my wardrobe, and just wondering how to go about it.

 

Natalie

[Kirsten]

Ha! Let me know when you figure it out. ?

But for now I try to stick to basic cuts and not too much color. 

I will say that my girl friends are trying to help. But the problem is that they’re just lending their own fashion sense to me. And it doesn’t work. My shape is just so different. So I need different clothes. 

Trial and error. Lots of time in stores shopping and trying on clothes is my guess. There are worse things that you could have to do though right?! Time to shop!!! 

[Natalie86]

Kristen, I so agree . Like somthings my GF wears I like and they look great on her but would not look good on me. I want to develop "my" style. I used to look at ,and even want elegant dresses but now I know things like that are not for everyday.  So I am looking at simple yet feminine clothes for daily wear.

[SugarMagnolia]

I doubt that there's any one right way, but the items below have helped me a lot. I'm no fashion plate, but cis women that I trust who are near my age have told me sincerely that I'm doing well, so I must have learned something! ?

 

• Pay attention to the women around you. What they wear, attire by event/activity/location, age, etc. Look for women with similar body shapes and note what they're doing
• Fail early, often and cheaply. This is cribbed from software development, but the idea is to come up with things to try and then try lots of them as rapidly as you can so that you can quickly learn what feels right to you. Thrift shops are GREAT for this.
• Search for fashion icons. See who's personal style is close to yours and then look for lots of images of what they're wearing, how and why their outfits are put together (accessories, colors, fabrics, textures, fit), For me this is Ines de la Fressange. 
• Look up style labels: boho, classic, preppy, chic, etc. Pick a few that you like and browse images of those styles.
• Pinterest: my fav. so helpful to keep track of ideas, search for new ideas, etc.
• Talk to cis women that you trust whose styles you like and get advice. 
• Have fun! My male style was to blend in and be as bland as possible. Now I realize how enjoyable it is to express my personality through clothes and accessories. Fashion is also a great conversation starter: compliments, where things were found, what one likes, stores/brands, etc. Your clothes and outfits should make you feel good. If you don't love it, then don't buy it!

Happy shopping! 

[Lizzie McTrucker]

Well, as a starting point, you can take what you used to be most comfortable in back in the dude days and female it.

Jeans and a t-shirt? Great, get some female jeans and some lady tees.

Or maybe tees weren't so comfortable but you want to stay casual: look online for casual tops that seem comfy to you that pair well with jeans. 

 

Pro tip: don't buy something because you think you need to. You're probably not going to like it and will hate wearing it.

For example: I never ever buy clothes at Walmart or Target. Sure, they're comfy and they're not very expensive. However, for me, the sleeves on their basic tees are way too small and not flattering at all. Some people I know buy them anyway because they think that's just how it is for female fashion. Not true! Fake news! Put it back on the shelf! Try another store. Try Old Navy!

 

Just like with jeans. I can't do skinny jeans. I won't do skinny jeans. Bootcut jeans look great on me because the are a great cut and they hide my large calves. Just because skinny jeans are popular doesn't mean you should wear them. Wear what honestly looks good on you.

 

Oh hey, you have a GF. Perfect! She has a vested interest in you and would probably be a great asset in figuring out what to wear and what looks good on you.

[jo jo]

that what i have done bought skinny jeans gender neutral t shirts scoop neck tops just waiting for my hair to grow its still quite masculine so i wear baseball caps to hide my awful but growing hair lol

[Jani]

46 minutes ago, Lizzie McTrucker said:

Just because skinny jeans are popular doesn't mean you should wear them. Wear what honestly looks good on you.

This is true in many ways, not just skinny jeans.  Look for items that fit your body type.  Look around at what other women like you are wearing and take note of what looks good and what looks out of place.  Your first impression when you see something is probably correct.

 

Jani

[Annie]

Thrifting can be great for a lot of trial and error: https://www.them.us/story/thrift-shopping-trans-womanhood

 

[SugarMagnolia]

Love that article, Annie. Thanks for posting it!

[Natalie86]

Thank you ladies! There is so much great information here!!