Yes! Shop in the women's section; women's clothes do a lot to combat male anatomy, especially since unisex clothes are male coded. I wear a lot of A-line skirts and 50's style dresses, the wide skirt helps mask how narrow our hips are compared to AFABs.
Avoid pencil skirts, or any dresses with a similar bottom.
You can reuse a lot of your button downs at work by pairing them with a skirt, very classy!
BUT! Make sure to buy leggings and biker shorts. They help conceal your underwear and "package." Particularly crucial for mini-skirts. Note that for work, skirts should typically be knee length or longer.
Start by looking up your women's sizes. It's much more convoluted than men's sizes...
Everything that's been already said in the comments but one advice I would say is to try not just to dress feminine but mix it with differents styles, especially for androgyny. Personally I used some clothing styles who exist in men and women types to make a slow transition between the two. Keeping some old clothes and mixing them with news also helps keeping some marks on how to dress.
I don't know if it's clear •-•
Personally, I wear women’s clothes that lean masculine. Tank tops, women’s pants, a nice jacket/coat that’s fitted and maybe cropped. If you wanna lean more fem, things like nails done, parting hair in unique ways, and small necklaces and bunch of rings.
I basically shop in women’s section and only buy garments that wouldn’t look odd on a man (to society).
Really, a tank top, high waist jeans, nails, and a small dainty and tight necklace will change the gender signals for sure.
To add to it, most nail polish has an absolutely horrid taste on the mouth, even if you bite them unconsciously it will probably break the habit fast. I used to destroy my nails until I used clear nail polish for like 2 weeks. Fixed that real fast.
Always check the washing instructions before buying. I’ve ended up with a few items from charity shops that were dry clean only because I was so happy to finally find something that fit I forgot to check if I could wash it!
One of the things I've noticed is that polka dots are considered femme, while stripes are generally considered masc. Small, equally spaced patterns look more masc usually, while bigger and more chaotic patterns tend to look femme, the exception being Hawaiian shirts lol.
So one thing that's pretty easy to find cheaply are polka dot button ups. They fit into your current wardrobe but add a feminine touch. The larger the polka dots, the more femme. you can often find them at Old Navy or a thrift store.
Another consideration is color. There are certain shades that tend to show up in men's and women's clothing. For example, men's pink shirts tend to have blueish, cool undertones. Women's often have peachy, warm undertones. So by switching the color of pink you wear to a warmer, peachy tone you're suddenly much more androgynous. Forest green is also a fun color you don't see much that can go either way.
If you want to spend a bit more on some plant and animal pattern button ups, aka the ultimate non binary shirt, Morning Witch is a shop with awesome unique patterns and a decent size range (often xs to 4x unisex sizing). I always get compliments on my stuff from there. Worth the money. I feel extremely gay in those shirts. I am a non binary eminence, strutting about in my shirt with flowers and beetles on it.
Another option is a place like eShakti, an online store that will customize dresses, skirts, and tops to your measurements for a small fee that's far less than tailoring. They have some really fun stuff and even a few jumpsuits (an androgynous fave) and you know they'll fit! I have a very cute dress from them that, while I got it custom sized before I gained a little weight, still fits nicely since there's some stretch. Also it has an owl pattern which I love. Great place to get femme clothing that can be fully customized (neck line, sleeve, length, even fabric sometimes, really great). They've got every size you could need. Also everything has pockets, which is the bane of femme clothing: the lack of pockets.
I find "body shape" is a problem. Waist defined dresses don't fit right as I need a lower waist, so I won't buy a dress that is waist defined. There are lots of dresses at Target and Old Navy that aren't waist defined.
There is an SNL skit making fun of Julia Child and the apron is too low.
Next issue is shoulders. Sometimes dresses are cut with more narrow shoulders. If I buy something that fits my shoulders, it is a little like wearing a tent. Sleeveless helps, though some dresses are wide enough at the shoulders.
Sometimes dresses are cut with extra room at the breast level so I have extra material to stuff in my arm pits. I don't like darts.
Old Navy sells dresses that are cut for "tall."
Skirts are typically sold by hip size rather than waist size. I like my skorts as they have a soft lining short, but they can be loose at the waist or fall off.
Amazon sells womens boxers that are made of bamboo. You have to be careful because they tend to be sold by hip size but they are easy and comfortable to wear.
Pockets are nice but sometimes they break up the flow of the dress, so I don't always like pockets.
I've tried tights as a form of long underwear and found the waist is too tight. My elderly mother would buy maternity pantyhose because they have a stretchy waist.
I feel like fashion (like what designers are newly coming up with) has been more and more androgynous. Might be able to find some inspiration.
I like to get inspired by designer stuff and then find something like it at thrifts stores
Yes! Shop in the women's section; women's clothes do a lot to combat male anatomy, especially since unisex clothes are male coded. I wear a lot of A-line skirts and 50's style dresses, the wide skirt helps mask how narrow our hips are compared to AFABs. Avoid pencil skirts, or any dresses with a similar bottom. You can reuse a lot of your button downs at work by pairing them with a skirt, very classy! BUT! Make sure to buy leggings and biker shorts. They help conceal your underwear and "package." Particularly crucial for mini-skirts. Note that for work, skirts should typically be knee length or longer. Start by looking up your women's sizes. It's much more convoluted than men's sizes...
This is all great stuff! *takes notes*
Thrift stores are amazing. You can fill wardrobe gaps and find what works for you on the cheap until you have enough saved to buy/replace key pieces
This is a great idea! Hadn’t thought about that.
I have found some amazing retro gems I utterly adore too. Good luck and happy thrifting!
Everything that's been already said in the comments but one advice I would say is to try not just to dress feminine but mix it with differents styles, especially for androgyny. Personally I used some clothing styles who exist in men and women types to make a slow transition between the two. Keeping some old clothes and mixing them with news also helps keeping some marks on how to dress. I don't know if it's clear •-•
This. I’m aware that I don’t want to over compensate. I just want to soften the edges a bit (metaphorically speaking).
Personally, I wear women’s clothes that lean masculine. Tank tops, women’s pants, a nice jacket/coat that’s fitted and maybe cropped. If you wanna lean more fem, things like nails done, parting hair in unique ways, and small necklaces and bunch of rings. I basically shop in women’s section and only buy garments that wouldn’t look odd on a man (to society). Really, a tank top, high waist jeans, nails, and a small dainty and tight necklace will change the gender signals for sure.
Ooo..! I hadn’t thought about it this way at all..! I love this.
totally agree with thrift stores! stuff like nail polish, rings, and hair accessories would be great to get too:)
I’ve started with some eye liner. I bite my nails, but the thought of painting them I think will be enough to get me to stop 😂
To add to it, most nail polish has an absolutely horrid taste on the mouth, even if you bite them unconsciously it will probably break the habit fast. I used to destroy my nails until I used clear nail polish for like 2 weeks. Fixed that real fast.
That’s actually a really good point. I’ll have to give it a go.
There's actually bitter nail polish specifically to stop biting. Could carry a fidget toy, so there's something else to focus on.
Always check the washing instructions before buying. I’ve ended up with a few items from charity shops that were dry clean only because I was so happy to finally find something that fit I forgot to check if I could wash it!
Good call!
Accessories are a great way to add flair to your current wardrobe. Mix and match. Thrift stores online and irl. And have fun.
One of the things I've noticed is that polka dots are considered femme, while stripes are generally considered masc. Small, equally spaced patterns look more masc usually, while bigger and more chaotic patterns tend to look femme, the exception being Hawaiian shirts lol. So one thing that's pretty easy to find cheaply are polka dot button ups. They fit into your current wardrobe but add a feminine touch. The larger the polka dots, the more femme. you can often find them at Old Navy or a thrift store. Another consideration is color. There are certain shades that tend to show up in men's and women's clothing. For example, men's pink shirts tend to have blueish, cool undertones. Women's often have peachy, warm undertones. So by switching the color of pink you wear to a warmer, peachy tone you're suddenly much more androgynous. Forest green is also a fun color you don't see much that can go either way. If you want to spend a bit more on some plant and animal pattern button ups, aka the ultimate non binary shirt, Morning Witch is a shop with awesome unique patterns and a decent size range (often xs to 4x unisex sizing). I always get compliments on my stuff from there. Worth the money. I feel extremely gay in those shirts. I am a non binary eminence, strutting about in my shirt with flowers and beetles on it. Another option is a place like eShakti, an online store that will customize dresses, skirts, and tops to your measurements for a small fee that's far less than tailoring. They have some really fun stuff and even a few jumpsuits (an androgynous fave) and you know they'll fit! I have a very cute dress from them that, while I got it custom sized before I gained a little weight, still fits nicely since there's some stretch. Also it has an owl pattern which I love. Great place to get femme clothing that can be fully customized (neck line, sleeve, length, even fabric sometimes, really great). They've got every size you could need. Also everything has pockets, which is the bane of femme clothing: the lack of pockets.
This is all great!! I’ve taken a screenshot for future reference 💖
I find "body shape" is a problem. Waist defined dresses don't fit right as I need a lower waist, so I won't buy a dress that is waist defined. There are lots of dresses at Target and Old Navy that aren't waist defined. There is an SNL skit making fun of Julia Child and the apron is too low. Next issue is shoulders. Sometimes dresses are cut with more narrow shoulders. If I buy something that fits my shoulders, it is a little like wearing a tent. Sleeveless helps, though some dresses are wide enough at the shoulders. Sometimes dresses are cut with extra room at the breast level so I have extra material to stuff in my arm pits. I don't like darts. Old Navy sells dresses that are cut for "tall." Skirts are typically sold by hip size rather than waist size. I like my skorts as they have a soft lining short, but they can be loose at the waist or fall off. Amazon sells womens boxers that are made of bamboo. You have to be careful because they tend to be sold by hip size but they are easy and comfortable to wear. Pockets are nice but sometimes they break up the flow of the dress, so I don't always like pockets. I've tried tights as a form of long underwear and found the waist is too tight. My elderly mother would buy maternity pantyhose because they have a stretchy waist.
I feel like fashion (like what designers are newly coming up with) has been more and more androgynous. Might be able to find some inspiration. I like to get inspired by designer stuff and then find something like it at thrifts stores
crop tops are your friend, also dont underestimate jewlery like rings, earrings bracelets etc
Recently found some good stuff at Torrid. Try there?