#fashion advice
So you want to wear men’s clothes but you’re on the short side, or you have a small frame, or you just can’t find clothes that fit right. This is a common problem for transguys in all stages of their transitions. Many guys find themselves buying clothes in the little boy’s section, which is okay but completely avoidable if you’re over 5'3! Personally I’m 5'5 (on a good day) and 130ish pounds and I am able to find clothes that fit comfortably in several different stores. Yes it takes a bit of looking, but it ispossible and I’m here to help:
Jeans:Aeropostale carries jeans (mostly straight and boot cut) in 29X32s, 30x30s, and 42X32s, prime transguy sizes (with prices around $39); Pacsun has great skinny and slim fit jeans in 29X30s and 30X30s which are good for short, skinny guys (prices range from 39-80 dollars); the Levi website carries a variety of cuts in a good range of sizes and prices; American Eagle carries jeans with waist sizes all the way down to 26’s and leg sizes all the way down to 28’s, the smallest sizes I’ve been able to find yet (prices between 39-49 dollars); Gap is best for “adult” jeans and carry many smaller sizes on their website (prices are on the more expensive side, 50-60 dollars but they are the best jeans I’ve ever owned).
Casual Shirts: American Eagle carries extra-smalls, the only size I could really fit into pre-T, their button downs are still the best fit I’ve been able to find; H&M is good for fashionable but affordable clothes that fit well but they aren’t great for online shopping; Express also carries extra-smalls on their website, but are on the expensive side; threadless.com has fun t-shirts (for 10-15 dollars) and the men’s small is on the smaller side; American Apparel is expensive but fitted and comfy (and also the maker of the best men’s briefs on the planet, in my humble opinion).
Work Clothes: Old Navy is good, even though their small runs a bit bigger than my liking; Express would be a good place to get a fashionable suit but is very expensive; this urban outfitters blazer looks like it would be great for smaller guys; the Gap is an excellent place for trousers, kahkis, and slacks.
Outerwear:Eddie Bauer has jackets and coats that are built for serious cold and fit relatively well; other stores I’ve already mentioned like American Eagle and the Gap also carry some nice coats, jackets, and sweaters.
Some Tips: If you’re planning on starting testosterone soon, don’t spend too much money on clothes. You never know how much you’ll “fill out” on testosterone, I went from an extra-small to a small in 4 months on HRT (I still fit into my extra-small button downs, but none of my fitted t-shirts). Even though I listed a lot of stores that are aimed toward teenagers, you should try to find clothes that don’t look too “young” if you’re trying to look older. If you buy clothes from a “younger” store like American Eagle, avoid buying clothes with the logo or ripped/distressed jeans and buy plain wardrobe staples that fit you nicely but look generic.
These are just the stores that have worked for me, if they aren’t your style try looking online to see if your favorite retailer has smaller sizes there that they don’t carry in stores or look for stores that have “big and tall” sections (often extended sizes extend to the smaller end of the spectrum as well). If you’ve tried all of these options and still have to shop in the little boy’s section, keep in mind that it’s not always a curse: boy’s clothes are usually cheaper.
Remember, when tying a tie the tip should “kiss” your belt buckle. A little short or a little long is OK but aim for that sweet spot!
Dark blue dress with black heels. Which tights should I wear? Sheer and shimmery or black and thigh highs?
Help me, tumblr!
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Leopard jacket: Forever 21
Black tank w/eyelet cutouts: Brandy Melville
Olive pants: TJ Maxx
Boots: Tort Burch from Nordstrom
Since I was wearing a simple outfit I decided to spice it up with the leopard jacket!
Xoxoxo
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Denim jacket: Forever 21
Orange floral dress: MinkPink from HauteLook.com
Gold tip nude flats: Forever 21
Added the nude belt, not sure where it’s from.
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Check out my adorable new MinkPink pieces from HauteLook.com! Can’t wait to wear these:)
Got these at such a great sale price, if you haven’t already signed up for HauteLook.com I definitely suggest you do along with Ebates! (Say I referred you, [email protected])
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Diamond sweater: Forever 21
Burgundy high waisted shorts: Foreign Exchange
Suspended tights: Nordstrom by Pretty Polly
Boots: Nordstrom by Tory Burch
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Hello ladies!
Totally I felt totally Coco Chanel fabulous! Started with this adorable knee length black and white stripe dress. Accessorized with all black!
Dress: Forever 21
Sunglasses: Dolce & Gabbana
Purse: Chanel
Booties: Bakers
Xoxo Hayley Danielle
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Hello beautifuls,
I am totally obsessed with this beaded blanket sleeve sweater from Forever 21. I went for a boho look pairing it with some faux leather leggings. And finished the outfit off with some black combat boots.
Sweater: Forever 21
Faux leather leggings (high waisted): Forever 21
Boots: Steve Madden
Xoxo Hayley Danielle
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Hello loves,
Hope you’ve all been enjoying this beautiful weekend!
Last night I went out so I got dolled up. I wore this black and tan tribal print dress with nude slit heel booties to bring out the tan in the dress. I tied the outfit together with a gold braid head piece and wah lah!
Head piece: Nasty Gal (sale!)
Dress: Forever 21
Heel booties: Forever 21
Xoxo Hayley Danielle
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Hello loves,
Getting into the fall spirit I decided to mix a crocheted tulle dress with a tribal print oversized kimono. To add contrast to my attire I decided to wear a black bandeau and black hat. I finished the outfit off with simple black sandals.
Hat: Forever 21
Dress: Local shop
Lace bandeau: Nordstrom Rack
Oversize kimono: Forever 21
Sandals: Armani Exchange
Xoxo Hayley Danielle
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Capsule Wardrobe
Words & Photography by Kelly Green.
“A capsule wardrobe is a collection of a few essential items of clothing that don’t go out of fashion, such as skirts, trousers, and coats, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces.”
I believe everyone should have a capsule wardrobe along with their few statement pieces, to avoid over cluttering your closet with pieces you only wear once or twice.
While creating a capsule wardrobe I like to keep this in mind – Will I wear this more than I’m paying for it? For example – A white tee shirt is twenty-five dollars, will you wear it more than twenty-five times? Probably. If a top with diamond studs and daisies all over costs thirty-eight dollars, will you wear it that many times? Highly unlikely. It’s important to think of these things while shopping, because you can really like the look of something and be willing to pay a lot for it, but in reality you won’t wear it that often. I like to splurge more money on a basic top, or a simple pair of black jeans, than my statement pieces. Simply because I know I will be able to wear my basic items more often – thus getting out of them what I pay for.
Examples of some essential items everyone should have –
White tee – I never knew how much wear I’d get out of a simple white tee shirt. It literally goes with EVERYTHING. You can dress it up, dress it down, wear it to the gym or even to bed.
Black & Grey tees – The same thing goes for the black & grey tees as for the white tee. So versatile!
Black or grey maxi dress – This again, like most items in the capsule wardrobe can be worn dressy or casual and look cute and instantly put together either way. The thing I like most about the maxi dress or dresses, in general, is that it is a simple alternative for spending time putting an outfit together, just add some jewelry and you’re good to go!
The four basic jeans: light, medium and dark wash + simple black jeans – Everyone needs a good, cute, (most importantly) comfortable pair of jeans, one of each wash is perfect for your capsule.
Black hat – This is probably the most worn item in my entire wardrobe. If an outfit is looking a little dull, all I do is throw on a hat and it instantaneously makes it look put together.
Those are probably the most basic of all basics out there, but depending on your style, you can add to this list. Maybe you wear jean jackets a lot, so a good jean jacket should be in your collection. You could be more of a leather jacket type person, so that would be in there. As styles vary from person to person, I can’t give you an exact list of what your capsule wardrobe should be. It can also vary depending on the seasons. Create your capsule wardrobe based on your style, and the items you know you are going to wear often.
How do add variety + flare to a capsule wardrobe –
Having a capsule wardrobe can seem like a dull idea. Wearing simple black and white outfits might not appeal to everyone. Here’re some tips on making a simple collection have more flare.
Find your colour pallet. Mine happens to be neutrals, it’s what I’m mainly attracted to, so I try to stick to neutrals while buying clothes, so I know I will be getting my full value out of it.
Get some statement pieces. There is nothing wrong with adding a few pieces that you might not wear as often but you love (just don’t over do it.)
Jewelry. I can’t stress enough how much jewelry can change an outfit. Whether that be a simple piece of jewelry or a statement piece, it can add a lot. Invest in some gorgeous jewelry you find appealing.
Well, chosen investment pieces can pull any outfit together. That being said, I believe a great pair of shoes, or a beautiful belt will make any outfit look stunning and well put together. Spending a little more money on one or two staples is worth it, and if you splurge on a basic you probably won’t have to replace it very often as the good quality will age gracefully and basics never go out of style.
Be mindful about proportions. Pairing a top with a lot of flow and baggy joggers together might not look very put together. However a tight top and baggy joggers or a flowy top with some skinny jeans can create simple chic.
Creating a capsule wardrobe can make putting outfits together very simple and quick. As a student, having a simple wardrobe makes my mornings easy and less stressful.
If you want to see my capsule wardrobe essentials, check out my video here.
© 2015 Reef Magazine
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I really love See Something Say Something, Buzzfeed’s podcast about how it feels to be Muslim in America. It’s obviously not made for me, a good white person ™, but I get to come to the party too and hang out and learn and it’s important for all of us good white people ™ to consume media that doesn’t center our experiences.
That being said, I felt very centered last week when Ahmed and Nabiha talked about mixing patterns and power clashing.
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In honor of our Make Your Life Better contest I decided to give some personal style advice on the blog for the very first time!
Thank you to the fan who reached out. I hope my advice can make her life that much better!
“Fashion Advice: The Personal Touch” - http://pbly.co/EAblog85
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Are you embracing the belt trend in your work wardrobe? It’s a great way to add shape, add color and really pull an outfit together.
The belt trend
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