Affordable Androgyny

All these fancy designers that make custom clothes are wonderful and much needed, but there is one problem with buying niche clothing: MONEY. Being a junior in college, money is something I don't have a lot of. I rarely have money to buy groceries, much less $200 dress shirts. I pulled a Macklemore this week and went thrift shopping.

The goal: Find an outfit for under $20.

With the help of @pregohenry and the local Goodwill Store in Waverley, Iowa I was on the mission to find the perfect outfit for a more than perfect price. Thrift shops and second hand clothing stores are filled with tons of clothing styles and adventure.

Tip: Give yourself time! The key to finding that perfect shirt or pair of pants that fits is to look through nearly everything and try it all on! Unlike stores that carry particular lines and brands of clothing, thrift shops sizes are often inconsistent. My biggest struggle was finding a pair of pants. They sizes were vastly inconsistent, so don't be afraid to grab a few that may appear to be too big or small.

The Search
I started my search in the men's shirts section of the store. I grabbed anything that remotely caught my attention for more than a few seconds (it never hurts just to try it on). I grabbed several button-down dress shirts and a sweater vest. I looked at the men's jeans and slacks, but knew that my curvy hips weren't going to pair well with the shape and style of the pants I was seeing.

I moved on over to the women's pants section to look for the most neutral looking pair of pants. Specifically, I was looking for black and tan colored pants with no extra flare or design. I found several pairs of black jeans and two of tan ones. I stopped by the men's accessory rack, but only saw ties that resembled my grandfather's tie collection.

There were a LOT of duds. Many of the shirts I tried on were too big or small or had an awkward fit.

Tip: Do not get discouraged, you may not find that perfect item right away or every trip! I sometimes walk out of the store with nothing and sometimes I am able to purchase a large bag full. Remember that perfect finds are not guaranteed, but well worth the search.

The Results 

The turquoise button up, black jeans, and white undershirt were all purchased at goodwill. The bow tie was purchased at rue21! This outfit can be casually dressed down or more formal with the addition of the white bow tie. I found that buying the women's jeans a size bigger gave them a more masculine look by bagging a bit in the rear end and thighs. 

Prices: 

Turquoise Button-down: $3.95

Black Jeans: $3.95

White Shirt: $1.95

Bow Tie: $4.99

Total: $14.84

Overall, it was a successful shopping trip. I got an outfit I can wear out on the weekends or even on date night. 

Grab a friend and hit your local thrift store for some affordable androgyny! 

Bonus Buy: 

I couldn't resist buying these 1980 inspired windbreaker pants.

Send me your fashion questions and problems below or tweet me @askatomboy!

Bountiful Beauty

Dear Tomboy,
I love men's style clothing, but I have one problem: my chest. As a larger chested female I find it impossible to find clothing that I can wear that doesn't either draw attention to my chest or look like a tent draped on my body.
Send help,
Bountiful Boobies

Dear Bountiful,
First thing's first, you are not alone! There are thousands of women who share in this same problem. If curvy hips and thighs weren't enough, you also got stuck with a chest that limits your freedom to dress in whatever you please. There are a few suggestions I have to help overcome the obstacle and get you headed towards a comfortable and confident dressing style. 

Balance Fitted & Loose
Too many fitted items draw attention to your chest area, and too loose gives you that "tent" look. A balance between the two creates a flattering fit that doesn't draw attention to the wrong areas. My suggestion for something fitted would be a women's plain t-shirt or tank top. Make sure the neck line doesn't cut too low, or the attention will be directed towards that area specifically. I love pairing a simple black (the most slimming color) v-neck under a men's flannel. Feel free to add a jacket or cardigan for another loose layer. 

Beware of Buttons! 
Button placement is everything when searching for the right shirt or jacket to fit your chest area. This is the tricky part because many men's dress shirts and jackets have button placement right in the middle of your ladies. This causes the dreaded button gap and draws attention back to the chest. My suggestion is to start off with a base layer of a camisole or tank top and then find a women's button down shirt that is made for bustier women or a men's shirt that you can leave partially unbuttoned. To give this look a more tomboy feel, try adding a men's cardigan with multiple buttons. Avoid getting one button tops as they often button right below the bust and fit awkwardly. Again try to balance loose and fitted items for the best results. 

Accessorize With Masculinity 
When clothing is impossible to find, accessories will always be there for you. I suggest taking a gender neutral outfit, such as loose jeans, khakis, or a crew neck and adding a load of men's accessories to your outfit. Men's scarfs would be great at covering the bust. Add watches, hats, ties, oxfords, glasses, or anything else you can find.  This isn't always the most ideal option, but it can bring that masculine flare to an outfit without drowning out the rest of your features. 

Customize
When all else fails, there are a handful of companies that custom make men's clothing for womanly bodies. Their items typically cost a pretty penny, but are a great investment. See my previous post on the 10 Tomboy Clothing Companies You Didn't Know Existed for a list of companies that specialize in this kind of custom wear. 

May the clothes be ever in your favor!

-Tomboy

Check out how the always lovely @catherineEorr (editor/38DDD) "Balances a Fitted and Loose" style with confidence!

What other suggestions do you have to add? Comment below or tweet me @askatomboy! 

Four Fall Fashions

The leaves are changing and the temperature is dropping. It can only mean one thing, fall is here! It is my favorite season of the year for activities and fashion. There are so many cute style options for this time of year and I am here to point out my favorites. 

4. The Friday Night Party Goer 
When I think of an outfit to wear hitting the bars or a friend's house party, I think preppy. Not your typical frat bro preppy, but a clean slick look. My personal favorite is wearing a pair of dark washed jeans and a nice button down shirt. I often find that men's dress shirts fit my chest weird and make the shirt bunch up in an unflattering way. There is a queer clothing site called Androgyny that makes the perfect casual dress shirts. They are described as a revolutionary brand designing clothing for androgynous women and trans* identified individuals, who have fit and style preferences that are rarely met by mainstream brands.

Brilliant Lavender Oxford Button-down 

The key to their signature shirt is that it has (1) a “boob” button to minimize gaping, (2) no darts, (3) a full cut to accommodate, but not accentuate, curves.

Limited Edition: Anchors Away

3. The Night-In With Friends
On those nights you just want to curl up and binge watch an entire series on Netflix, you want to be comfortable. Comfortability doesn't have to mean throwing all fashion knowledge out the window. I love shopping at PacSun for more casual fashions. My new favorite trend is a type of sweat pant called a jogger. Joggers typically have a large elastic band around the ankle and sag a bit in the waist area.  What is a pair of comfy sweats without a crew neck?! The crew-neck or as I like to call it, the noodie (no hood hoodie) has made a comeback, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I love the older vintage looking sports team ones, but any will do. Make sure you add your favorite beanie to complete this night-in look!

Been Trill Joggers: $59.95

Riot Society: $44.95

2. The Saturday Morning Coffee Run 
In the past couple of decades, there has been a style movement called "grunge" that has faded in and out. I am not referring to wearing an old trash bag or the nastiest worn jeans you own. I am talking about the style that came out of the change in rock music movement. The grunge style often consists of many unconnected layers of typically cheap clothing such as thrifted items. It's kind of like throwing on your old favorite pair of jeans and tee shirt, but then adding a vest, flannel and old boots. Grunge lets you be unique, without forcing you to buy an entire new outfit. I typically wear an old pair of black jeans with an vintage shirt. I, then tie a flannel around my waist and throw on a bulky pair of boots. This article gives you step by step instructions on how to dress grunge.

Both of these photos are from Outfit Trends

1. The Fall Into Flannel
When I think fall, I think flannel. Flannel can be worn to class, work, parties, tailgates, pumpkin patches, haunted houses, lunch with friends, and everywhere else. They can be worn buttoned up, around the waist, unbuttoned, and under a sweater. Wow! There are just so many choices when it comes to flannels. I would mention a specific retailer that sells them, but honestly you can purchase them just about anywhere. One will never be enough, so stock up on as many as you can!

Photo by Albania

What is your favorite fall style? Comment below and share this post! 

5 Accessories Every Tomboy Needs

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but accessories are a tomboy's best friend. They are an excellent way to jazz up any outfit and often boost your confidence. This is a list of the five must-have add-ons to any outfit.

5. Watches- Not only are these things handy for time-telling, they can also add that extra flare to your style. Watches for the sake of fashion are making a comeback, and lots of cute styles are coming out. Not everyone can afford a Fossil watch, so keep you eyes out for sale and clearance accessories at your favorite stores.

This super cute men's watch is from rue21 and is only $14.99!

4. Bow Ties- Today, I bought my very first bow tie and it was so exhilarating. I can't wait for my first opportunity to show it off! These little wonders can turn any casual outfit into something much more classy. Add a solid colored bow tie to a patterned shirt or vice versa and you're ready for a Saturday night out on the town.  

Photo by Quincy

3. Boxers- So these might not be the accessory that everyone sees, but they can give you the confidence boost you need and make you feel sexy! I personally like boxer-briefs because they fit better with the kind of pants I usually wear. I recently came across a British based web store called Focx that sells boxers made by women, for women. They have world-wide shipping and reasonable prices. Plus their models are very easy on the eyes! If you want cheaper boxers, mall stores like Aeropostale usually run awesome deals on their men's boxers every so often.  I have also found that compression shorts found at stores like Target feel amazing and work well with athletic shorts and tighter pants! 

Focx Underwear

2. Snapbacks- I know some people may feel as if this feeds into some queer stereotype, but I believe snapbacks are such an essential add-on. For those of you that aren't familiar with the term snapback, it's slang for an adjustable flat brim baseball hat.These hats are great for a summer barbecue or a fall college football tailgate. You can find snapbacks at almost any mall store and most department stores. One of my favorite places to shop for new hats is the skate shop store Tilly's. They carry a wide selection of brands and styles. 

Photo by Christie

1. Shoes- Let's be honest, shoes are the greatest accessory to any outfit. With thousands of styles, there is always a pair that fits perfectly with every outfit. Shoes don't have to break your bank either, look for BOGO sales at local department stores. One of my favorite brands for casual footwear is Vans. I find that their shoes hold up to the daily wear and tear that most shoes can't. 

A rainbow of classic vans

Unfeminine styles are hard to find, I'm here to help. 

Comment with your favorite brands of accessories! 

Suit Up! Do's and Dont's for Professionalism

“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.”               -Anne Sweeney (President of Walt Disney)

If there's one hard thing about having a female body, but dressing more masculine, it's finding the right clothes to look professional. As a business student, I find it hard to dress the way I want to dress and be taken seriously by potential employers. As much as I wish I could just go out and buy baggy men's slacks and a goofy tie, I know that the first impression is a major key to success in the 'real world'. In this post, I will give you some tips to help you feel confident in your style while still impressing your potential future boss.

There are several things to avoid when trying to dress professional:

1. Avoid wearing ill fitting clothing for your body type. Most women typically have the problem of wearing too tight of clothing to interviews and work. This is the complete opposite of what I seen in the lesbian and androgynous community.  If you are like me, you probably love loose pants and loose shirts to hide those feminine curves. Loose is okay, but when loose becomes baggy it begins to look unprofessional and sloppy. I know that when buying men's trousers, you typically have to go up a size or so to compensate for bigger hips and a little more junk in the trunk. I would suggest finding a pair of women's slacks or dress pants that hug you just right without being too tight. Some good places to look are stores like JCPenny or Kohls if you are on a budget. It's okay to wear a men's dress shirt as long as it doesn't look like a tent draping over your body. 
2. Don't get discouraged. Unfortunately, your style may not be everyone's cup of tea. Even with all the social progress in the past couple of years, there is always going to be some people that don't understand why you dress the way you do. Don't let those people get the best of you! Prepare yourself for rejection, but also prepare to explain why you stand out from everyone else. Explain why you dress the way you do or share an experience where it helped you achieve a goal. If you can prove you have the skills necessary to get the job done, you should have no problems getting the job. 

Enough of the discouraging dont's. Let's look at some things you can do to help you look professional.

1. Invest! I know you might not have $800 to drop on a brand new suit overnight, but at some point soon, you should try to save up to get one custom fit to your body. There are several brands that were creating specifically for people like us. My personal favorite is Saint Harridan. This company was founded in 2008 by Mary Going when she couldn't find the perfect suit to get married in. The typical suit will cost your roughly $700-$1000, but that's a small price to pay to land a high earning career at your favorite firm. Now, you can custom order an entire suit online that is designed with androgynous females in mind.  
   
    
2. Clean up. No, I am not referring to a massive cleaning of your living space. I am talking about looking your absolute best. If you have short hair, go get it cut a day or two before your big interview or meeting, it will keep you looking fresh! Even with longer hair, a trim or professional style will go a long way. I just went and got a hair cut today in anticipation of our school's career fair coming up in a few days.  You'll want to remove any distracting piercings for the day to make the best impression. 
3. Accessorize. Sometimes its the little things that count most. Adding a bow tie or a little make-up can make you stand out to your employer. If you have certain features you love most about your body, accentuate them! Make-up isn't just a girly girl thing, it can help conceal blemishes and bring out certain facial features. 
4. Be yourself. This is probably the most important one on the list. Above anything, be you. If you're not comfortable, you won't bring your best skills to the table. It's important to always be yourself and never compromise to anyone else's view of you. 

Best of luck on your next professional adventure! 

Pictures courtesy of http://www.saintharridan.com/