Clothing Advice

[Spencer]

Hello my brothers,

 

A while back, one of my coworkers pointed out to me that I dressed like a college boy. It was a wake-up call for me. It brought to light that I actually have no clue what I'm doing with my clothes.

 

So,

Any advice for finding a style that suits you? 

And where do I find men's clothes that fit?

Men's fashion magazine recommendations?
Websites?

 

I'm wired to pick up shoes and tees that young women would buy, but I have no clue what is actually popular and liked by other men. Hold on just a second, I need to phone someone... *brrrrinnngg* *brrriiiiiing* (Hey GOD, having a childhood where I could have grown up surrounded by other boys 24/7 woulda been REEEAL nice, you hear me, punk!? Huh!? Maybe I'd know what shoes to buy! ...Though I have to say, the locker room situation was nice... lots of good memories on the girls' side in Middle School... but where were we. I'm not through with you, yet!) *bleeeep*

 

Okay you guys, I have to go fight with Christ, so I'll be back to read your comments.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[Jackie C.]

Lucky guy. I was stuck on the boy's side. Bleah.

 

First off: What kind of clothes are you looking for? I don't know where you work or what the dress code is.

 

For casual wear, the typical "uniform" is jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt for casual wandering around. As a guy, your clothes matter less than your grooming habits. You want to be well-groomed to just a LITTLE sloppy. The key word is "comfortable." Guys are always comfortable.

If you want to go a little more formal, add a polo or button-down shirt first. Move on to nice pants if the situation calls for it. Nice pants usually require nicer shoes.

 

Shirt rules: Horizontal stripes are acceptable on a polo shirt, but single colors are preferred. The same for button down shirts unless you're trying to appear "fun or creative," that, or you're heavy and you're trying to distract. Bright colors and pastels are more of a risk than drab. They can be associated with "the gays," though this is better than it was. Even so, you'd want to wear bright colors occasionally, not all the time.

 

Pants: Pants are always single-color.

 

Ties: The less said about ties the better.

 

Your big advantage here is that as a dude, people expect you to make fashion missteps here and there. You're a guy. You have no color sense and you're largely indifferent to your appearance. Your approach to dressing yourself can be "whatever is on top of the pile." Seriously, as a guy people might comment on, "That shirt is funny," not, "That color looks so GOOD on you," or, "That cut really flatters your butt."

 

I hope some of that helps.

 

Hugs!

[jayjeep]

I basically donated all my old clothes. I didn't  want the reminders plus I lost 50 lbs so while I still wore the baggy jeans and shirts they didn't look good (per my wife). A friend of mine told me a I needed at least 1 dark suit with a plain color shirt and  color appropriate tie. 

I telework so I didn't really  need much for work except for in person meetings. I bought some Gap Khakis and single color Land End polos. I also got some skinny levis jeans light wash and black. I fit  in boys 5 shoes so a got  a pair of black wing tips  and some casual brown shoes. 

[Charlize]

Guys like gals generally don't want to "stand out".  My choice in clothing has certainly changed to fit that pattern.  Look around and see how others dress and just fit in as well as you can.  Guys generally spend less time with wardrobe.l  I would just put on a clean T and under pants when i went to bed and pull on a pair of jeans in the morning.  I often was involved in construction but then when i was acting as a designer i would wear a button down shirt and a jacket when seeing client.  

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[TrIIIy]

Hey, Spencer. As a a trans guy who has been wearing men’s clothing for years, I can safely say that Old Navy is a good choice for casual, in-style clothing at a good price. I get all of my shorts and pants there.

 

I’m not big on jeans, so I like to wear casual khaki pants in various neutral colors (khaki, grey, blue, etc.). I love T-shirts, so I’m always looking for ones with designs that I like from popular culture.

As stated before, it is a good rule to have one dark suit and a button down shirt for formal occasions. I got mine at Men’s Warehouse. Suits can be expensive, but you don’t have to get a fancy, big name brand one. A sports coat is a good choice for business casual. I actually got a cool blue one from Old Navy.

 

Trying not to sound like an Old Navy commercial, but it is a great place to get just about everything that you need.

 

Happy shopping!

[A. Dillon]

As a teenager who actually has a lot of male friends, I would generally recommend a hoodie or crewneck sweater of some kind (ones with graphic designs is a bit intriguing, something you could wear to a casual first date). I would also say that dark wash jeans is the way to go because guys typically wear darker colors. For the shoes, any sort of sporty or hightop sneakers are good, bonus points for hightop Vans or Converse. They give your feet a more masculine shape, and as long as you have feet size 7M or up the world is open to you. Now for the most important part in the winter; your outerwear! A men's coat that is just a bit too big goes perfectly with everything, and neutral colors are your friend with all of this. Honestly, just try to translate your own style into the men's aisle, keeping in mind what will best square you out and make you look like the man of your dreams. As long as it makes you happy, don't be scared to try.

[TTheta]

wo-  Maybe I should look into fashion myself! I am all hoodies and shorts! I also wear blacked out nike shoes so I need some fashion beat into me haha

[Jackie C.]

You really don't. Seriously, women dress for other women. As long as you look like you're clean and take a little pride in your appearance, you're good. It might be different now, but when I was your age peacocking just got you funny looks.

 

OK, the shorts are a little weird. It's freaking cold out. At least it is here.

 

Hugs!

[TTheta]

haha I wear jeans sometimes but mostly shorts, my legs don't get cold and I have gym first period. Everyone calls me stereotypical heterosexual!! Clearly not the complete case haha

[Jackie C.]

Eh, close enough. ?

 

Makes me cold just thinking about it.

 

Hugs!

[A. Dillon]

I have a pretty good eye for fashion, and really enjoy it as an art form however, when it comes to how I dress, baggy tough jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie is more than enough for me to look in the mirror and say "my man!" I am also far too messy to keep up a nice wardrobe; I keep all of my clothes in a pile on top of my bed. My cats like sleeping in it, and it is so cute. But seriously Spencer, if you are looking for young men's fashion, it starts and ends with the hoodie. There is only 1 guy I know who doesn't wear them daily, and that is because he wears sweatshirts instead. What type you wear can say a lot about you (as crazy as that sounds), and you can pair them with a winter coat, a jean jacket, whatever makes it feel more you.

[A. Dillon]

Also, when looking for what suits you, I would -now stay with me here - go to Goodwill. It is an easy, affordable way to figure out what looks good on you, and really lets you develop a personal style.

[reyindium]

I shop at target and walmart. My closet has an assortment of solid or graphic tees. For work, I'm a manager, so I have a collection of button downs to wear over my shirts. In winter, I wear solid color knit sweaters or pop culture sweaters that have Krampus or Deadpool or something like that on them. Male managers at my store also do the ugly xmas sweater thing so I've got a couple fumny ones. I'm originally from Florida and so "peacocking" is more common there. For summer as a Floridian, you can wear any solid color shorts with a tank or tshirt of your choice and be good. Not uncommon to see brighter clothes and patterns in shirts there, paired with accessories like necklaces or bracelets/watches.

[luke_b]

I usually stick with a hoodie and pants to be safe (hoodies always have been my safe space), but I find that layers usually can balance things out if I'm feeling dysphoric, so jackets and flannels over shirts, or short sleeve shirts over long sleeve shirts (very e-boy style). To be honest, men's pants don't really fit me (the damned female body) so I found jeans called "Levi Strauss Signature", which give me hip room while avoiding the tightness that women's jeans have. Of course they are black jeans, because I live almost entirely in black/monochrome clothing, but they come in normal jean colors as well. For shirts, I legit went to the Target or Walmart men's section and found shirts there, they come in some cool, generic prints, but fit really well. My favorite hoodies are a size or two larger than I am, from Champion, Under Armor, and other brands that make hoodies. I've sorta built up a collection, and I don't think that any of my friends have seen me wear anything else. For shoes, I'd go with vans, even though they are expensive, because the men's shoes fit my tiny feet without making them look feminine. But just like Dillon said, I'd also go to goodwill to find affordable things.

[ShawnaLeigh]

May I suggest Carhart style clothing.  They are pretty much screaming men in everything they make for males.  I wore this for many years while hiding myself.  Its great for work and play.

If your looking for something a bit more fashionable I'm out.  I may be a bit naïve to this but guys do not really check out fashion magazines.  It all depends on what's cool or trendy in your area too.  You friends and coworkers will steer you right in what they think I am sure.  Or just check out what every one else is wearing that you admire for being a guy.  Nothing weird though.  LOL

Up north in VT guys stick with Carhart or anything jeans and t shirt with boots.  Maybe someplace else like Kohls, American Eagle, or Old Navy.  

 

 

[A. Dillon]

Oh yeah, those are really high quality and masculine in their design. They can last for years.

2 hours ago, ShawnaLeigh said:

May I suggest Carhart style clothing.  They are pretty much screaming men in everything they make for males.

 

If you are trying to navigate your fashion surroundings, looking for what is worn in your area is the clearest way to get on track. 

[TrIIIy]

I have a Carhart work coat that is amazingly warm. It also is great for passing in public, because it covers my torso. I got it at Academy.

[Spencer]

Thanks everyone. I'll check out Old Navy, Carhartt, and Vans. 

 

Time to dump out some clothes and belongings. So many colors... yeesh.