I would like to briefly present the types of clothes in which you will look good as a crossdresser or a transgender person who wants to be perceived as a woman. Of course, these are my subjective thoughts and experiences, and my suggestions may not suit everyone. I am not a professional stylist, I do not attend fashion shows, nor do I buy “fashion magazines”, but I still think I do quite well in selecting clothes. If you share this opinion, I invite you to read on, and I’ll show you what guides me in choosing outfits.
Body Shape
Whether we like it or not, our bodies differ anatomically. Often, by looking at the body alone, we can easily distinguish whether someone is a woman or a man, but not always. Everyone is different, born with a different set of genes, and everyone is beautiful in their own way. There is no perfect body; beauty standards are constantly changing. Just compare contemporary magazines with those from fifty years ago. I believe that nowadays, we have more freedom in expressing ourselves than half a century ago. And we don’t have to fit into rigid frames; we can be ourselves. However, the hardest part is to accept ourselves, our appearance. Without this acceptance, we will never achieve a happy life.
In Western culture, it has become established that the ideal woman has measurements of 90-60-90 (bust, waist, and hips in centimeters, respectively). This is the hourglass figure. Many people strive to achieve it through diet, exercise, or plastic surgery, but you can slightly trick the brain and create the illusion of such proportions with clothes, or at least get closer to them. Although I realize that many girls do not participate in this rat race and wear what they want, social pressure is still significant. In reality, every woman has a different body, and there are different body types, not just the hourglass. There are also pear, apple, column, or inverted triangle shapes. And many people are somewhere in between. There are no strict boundaries.
If you were born male, your proportions are likely closer to the inverted triangle silhouette. You have broader shoulders and narrower hips. Additionally, mother nature endowed you with a flat chest and little waist indentation. If you choose the wrong clothes, your male silhouette will be easily recognizable. If that’s your goal, nobody can stop you. However, you must be prepared to draw more attention to yourself when going out. People are not accustomed to “difference”; for them, a woman should have an hourglass figure, or at least strive towards it. Although, on the other hand, when I walk the streets of a big city, I see many people who stand out with their attire and are not afraid to express themselves. And good for them. Thanks to them, society is getting used to the idea that everyone has the right to express themselves in their own way. Fortunately, times are changing, people are more open to novelties, and every year they become more tolerant. Or maybe they’re just focused on themselves and don’t care how someone is dressed. End of introduction, let’s move on to practical tips below.
Top
We have broad shoulders. They can’t be narrowed with shaping underwear or a corset. Our only salvation is to hide them and make the observer focus on other parts of our body. How to achieve this?
Choose dark clothes, preferably black or navy. Such colors are very easy to match with other wardrobe pieces. Be careful with patterns. I think light and delicate ones shouldn’t be a problem. Sometimes they can create the illusion of smaller shoulders. Definitely avoid horizontal stripes, which will broaden our top, while vertical ones will narrow it. Avoid any tank tops. Exposed shoulders probably won’t look good. Men have more developed biceps, which often stand out. Unfortunately, this means avoiding many beautiful dresses. However, if we have one, we can wear something over it, like a cardigan. Boleros used to be a thing, but they went out of fashion. Maybe they’ll come back someday. Avoid any blazers or jackets. They often aim to broaden the shoulders, as seen in men’s suits. We definitely need to give up any puff sleeves and similar accents, which will further enlarge the upper body visually.
Regarding necklines, the worst option is the so-called Spanish neckline, with exposed shoulders. The boat neck may also not be suitable for our silhouette. Although, with the right accessories, like a scarf or a shawl, we might be able to hide it. The best neckline is the V-neck, triangular. Due to its design, it can visually minimize the shoulders. I recommend experimenting. Choose sleeves that are fitting, though not necessarily tight. As I mentioned earlier, men often have a distinctly outlined biceps, and it doesn’t look feminine when it stands out. In my opinion, the best length is at least three-quarters. If you have lush forearm hair, then it’s best to cover it. Sleeve ends don’t have to be straight. We can get creative and choose, for example, wide endings, ruffles, or lace. This way, the observer will focus on our hands, which will be around our waist. Unless your hands have certain imperfections or thicker fingers, then we should avoid this.
This is what theory says. Practice sometimes looks different, and we have to see what suits us. I love women’s shirts. They are simple, tailored, have a pointed neckline, and there’s a huge selection of colors and patterns. It’s good to have a plain, black blouse with long sleeves. Look for rather simple clothes, classic, so they will match many skirts or trousers. The more ruffles, accessories, lace, the harder it is to match the bottom and accessories. I know how hard it is to give up buying a beautiful blouse seen on the internet or in a display. However, remember that everything looks perfect on a model, after all, sellers use certain tricks and graphic programs to make us buy their product. That’s why trying on clothes before buying is so important. Long live free returns!
Bottom
We have narrow hips, so we should somehow widen them. Of course, you can stock up on underwear with pads, and that solves the problem. However, this is not the most comfortable solution and often looks unnatural. Luckily, properly selected clothes can model the silhouette in such a way that our hips will seem wider than they actually are.
All kinds of flared skirts and dresses, from a circle or half-circle, will be our allies. The stiffer and thicker the material, the more it will widen the lower half of our silhouette. Get inspired by the fashion of the 50s and 60s, pinup, rockability. I myself love browsing photos or videos on Instagram of people who dress this way. Plus, such skirts are very comfortable because they don’t restrict movement like pencil skirts and don’t reveal too much when we squat or bend over. We can also go wild with colors and patterns. Make the observer focus on this part of the wardrobe. All kinds of flowers, polka dots, stripes, bold shades. Often, men have very shapely legs, if you’re one of them, don’t be afraid to show them, they can become your asset. If you want to hide them for various reasons, you can choose longer cuts. It would be good if the skirt or dress had belt loops, so with a belt, you could accentuate the waist. If not, no problem, there are also elastic belts that are worn without loops. The best pants cut for us are cigarette pants. They are not narrow around the hips and thighs, so visually they enlarge this area. Shorts should also have a more wide, not tight fit. Generally speaking, we should look for something that optically enlarges the area between the waist and the knees.
Avoid all pencil skirts, skinny jeans, leggings, etc. I know they look great, but to look good in them, we need hips. Real or fake. With flared skirts, we don’t have to worry about that. My wife has wide hips, and all tight clothes look great on her. Not so much on me. On the other hand, flared dresses overly widen her lower silhouette, making her seem thicker. And she’s not, in reality, she’s quite slim. Clothes can greatly distort appearance.
Peplum
Peplum is a game changer for me when it comes to shaping the figure with clothes. It’s nothing else but a type of ruffle sewn at waist height in a blouse, dress, jacket, or skirt. It optically widens the space below the waist, i.e., increases our hips. It’s a kind of “life hack”, a trick, thanks to which a pencil skirt looks quite good on my body, without using hip pads. I recommend buying such a blouse or even a dress and see that it really works. I don’t follow current trends and don’t know if peplum went out of fashion or has already come back, but in my opinion, well-chosen clothes, with a classic cut, never go out of fashion. You might as well say we like vintage or retro style.
Outerwear
As for all kinds of outerwear, I most recommend coats tied at the waist. Whether winter or autumn-spring in a classic cut, they will always look good, and I feel they will never go out of fashion, which makes them a safe choice, in my opinion. However, be careful with decorations on the shoulders, or pads, which will visually widen the upper silhouette. As for color, there are two universals: black and brown. I feel they will match any styling. However, remember to match the shoes in the same or similar color. Navy will also look good. In the case of women’s coats, we are lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) that almost all possible colors are available. No one will forbid you to buy a pink or green coat. They are often very pretty, and I myself want to acquire them, but we must remember that it will be harder to match them with accessories, shoes, or a purse. And we will draw more attention to ourselves. Initially, I recommend buying “safe” colors, and once we gain more experience and confidence, nothing stands in the way of going wild!
As for jackets, I don’t have much experience. I definitely recommend those that emphasize the waist. Unfortunately, all kinds of puffy outerwear add volume and bulges, not necessarily where we would like. Leather ones are very cool, though I feel that biker jackets will also enlarge the upper part of our silhouette. On the other hand, they may emphasize the waist, because they are short and end at the waist.
Conclusion
It’s not easy when we want to match women’s clothes to our silhouette. In my opinion, the bar is set high, and we have it harder compared to cis women. Therefore, I recommend experimenting, trying on, watching, seeing what we feel best in. It’s obvious that at the beginning, we still haven’t defined our style, we lack experience. It’s good to buy cheaper clothes, second-hand. It won’t be a pity to throw them away when we decide we don’t feel good in them. After some time, we will feel more comfortable in the world of fashion, and then it would be good to buy better quality clothes and from natural materials. Nothing warms as well as wool (coats, sweaters), and at the same time, nothing breathes as well as wool. It’s suitable for both summer and winter. In a good wool suit, you don’t sweat in August and don’t freeze in January. Other recommended materials are definitely cotton, viscose. Linen is perfect for summer.
That would be all regarding my advice on clothes. I plan to write similar texts on shoes, accessories, and makeup. If anything is unclear or you need advice, I’m happy to help. I don’t consider myself an expert in fashion, but I know how hard it is to choose clothes at the beginning. So don’t be afraid to ask :)
