We’ve come to an age where it’s considered behind the times to label a person’s individuality in terms of simply male or female. But women, like you and me, who don’t fit into the stereotype of femininity are still being called “manly” when we dress the way we want to dress. Despite how far we’ve come, society is still pushing its ideas of identity, and people are still trying to dictate our style and the way we should look and feel. Despite all that, we still continue being who we are.
This article is going to be an attempt to show the work that goes into being us. We hope that this article entertains you and relates to you, as we explore some of our readers’ best fashion tips, and favorite brands. After all, there’s nothing more reassuring than knowing that you are not alone in your clothing struggles and there is a certain kind of pleasure in seeing people like you enjoy themselves and their style.
We hope that you enjoy reading their stories and maybe take a chance in experimenting more with the brands and fashion tips that you read here today!
#1
1. What are your preferred clothing brands?
SPECTATOR, HGS, GRAMICCI, UNIQLO U, ANDERSEN-ANDERSEN, PATAGONIA, KLATTERMUSEN, RAB, ARC’TERYX, ORDINARY FITS, AND WANDER, PORTER, DANTON, A.P.C, MASONKITSUNE, ISSEY MIYAKE.
* Fluid and free depending on my schedule and the seasons. Rather than obsessing on one brand, I inspect the design and material of what I choose to wear and buy.
2. How would you describe your body?
Average height with large build. Simply put, fat.
3. What are the brands that fit you the best?
4. What kind of fit do you prefer in your clothing?
Upper body : Loose, relaxed
Lower body : Loose tapered, ankle denim, relaxed
5. Is there any part of your body you want to cover and how do you do that?
Being on the heavier side, I prefer clothes that are looser but not too baggy. I also consider color and material to be quite important. I avoid colors that don’t work for me, such as black. Colors that I think look good on me include indigo, navy, brown, green, and I dress to match these tones with each other, combining the fabrics.
Lately, the trend seems to be loose bottoms, but I still prefer ankle fitting pants. But no matter what I wear or how I dress, I can’t cover my weight.
6. What are some of the difficulties you have when styling with men’s clothing?
Usually men’s tops fit me without a problem. I choose clothes that have a natural curve to them and avoid clothes that are too rigid in their fit.
For bottoms, the inseam of men’s clothing tends to be long and while the hips are small. The length is also rather long.
7. What are some of your best style tips?
Roll up your long pants & jackets
-Roll up classic or chino pants about 4cm to match the length of your ankle. If that creates a stuffy look, then I recommend mending or cutting your pants.
-I prefer jackets that are made with sewn in real buttons at the sleeves, and like to roll them up. But depending on the situation, I’ll also wear jackets with button flies or snaps.
Choose your accessories carefully
-More so than clothes, accessories are what really make a person’s style complete. Though I prefer simple clothing, I pay a lot of attention to the items I accessorize with.
A style that matches your lifestyle
-When I’m not working, I tend to be outdoors. So I like to dress in American casual. But if I’m going to be hiking that day, I’m also going to make sure that I wear clothes that keep me warm and comfortable.
Most importantly, smell good and look clean!
#2
1. What are your preferred clothing brands?
CARHARTT WIP, LIFUL, MUJI
2. How would you describe your body?
Short, with long arms.
3. What are the brands that fit you the best?
4. What kind of fit do you prefer in your clothing?
Upper body : Overfitting
Lower body : Slim tapered fit, skinny
5. Is there any part of your body you want to cover and how do you do that?
I don’t really try to cover anything up, I just wear what I want to wear. Sometimes, when I want to look taller, I dress in all black.
6. What are some of the difficulties you have when styling with men’s clothing?
Length is my main problem. When I buy coats or pants, I pay attention to length the most.
7. What are some of your best style tips?
Mend with care
-Other than pants, there’s not a lot of clothes I choose to mend or alter. I feel like it’s because they lose their quality if I make any changes to them.
#3
1. What are your preferred clothing brands?
REAL MCCOY, LVC, FILSON, WESTGATE & CO are all brands that I dress in to achieve a classic American work wear style. When I want a cleaner style, I go for APC.
2. How would you describe your body?
In regards to my upper body, I have a pretty small frame.
3. What are the brands that fit you the best?
4. What kind of fit do you prefer in your clothing?
Upper body : I like to wear clothes with a tight fit, so I usually shop for men’s clothes in sizes small to medium.
Lower body : Classic American work wear style pants and guruka pants that are wide and straight.
5. Is there any part of your body you want to cover and how do you do that?
Although my frame is a bit small, I don’t really try to cover that up. Instead, I try to go for tops that fit me just right and choose pants that are bigger than my size to emphasize the classic American work wear style.
6. What are some of the difficulties you have when styling with men’s clothing?
As I prefer oversized pants, waistline tends to be much bigger and requires a belt. Even with a belt on, the waistline of the pants tends to fold over because of their size.
7. What are some of your best style tips?
Wear suspenders!
-Even though I love wide pants, the size can sometimes be difficult to work with. In that case, suspenders can be a lifesaver. Mending your pants is not the best option as it will destroy the fit of the pants. So instead, I recommend trying suspenders or gurkha pants for a more stylish look.
#4
1. What are your preferred clothing brands?
MASON’S, EAST HARBUR SURPLUS, POLO RALPH LAUREN, BROOKS BROTHERS, JILSANDER, UNIQLO, STAND OUT STORE, CRUNA, DSQUARED2
2. How would you describe your body?
My hips and shoulders are rather wide, and my thighs are thick. Luckily, I have a muscular type of frame, but still I do have a bit of fat.
3. What are the brands that fit you the best?
4. What kind of fit do you prefer in your clothing?
Upper body : I typically prefer tops that are loose, but not too long. I usually wear loose fitting tops that are not too slim, such as standard or work wear style shirts.
Lower body : I prefer tapered and carrot fit. I like clothes that have material which are a mix of elastic and spandex at 2~3%.
5. Is there any part of your body you want to cover and how do you do that?
I strictly only wear tapered bottoms. This is because I have larger hips and thighs, with thinner calves. If I wear straight fitting pants, they fall in a way that only emphasizes my thighs and makes my legs look much shorter. I also tend to avoid clothes that are too thin in their material.
I wear tops that fall just below the middle of my hips. This is a just my opinion but I think that doing this allows my hips to be less emphasized. If I tuck my shirt in or wear a shirt that falls loosely over my hips, I think this emphasizes my hips more and I try to avoid that kind of look.
Although I do cover the things I want to cover, I don’t avoid white or colorfully patterned pants. If I feel like it that day, I just wear what I want to wear.
6. What are some of the difficulties you have when styling with men’s clothing?
Shirts are probably the most uncomfortable for me. Because my shoulders are a bit broad, if I want to match the width of my shoulders then the shirt gets longer but because of my hips, the last button on the shirt becomes difficult to button.
For bottoms, my hips are hard to fit, because men’s pants do tend to have a smaller hip. If I want to match my hip size, the waistline becomes too big. For men’s clothing, it’s hard to find the perfect fit for me.
7. What are some of your best style tips?
Try it on before you buy it
-I always try my shirts on before I buy them. It is because length is going to determine whether or not I can wear a shirt. When I shop online, each shop will have a different length at every shop and I am usually unsuccessful in finding something that works for me. But work wear style shirts and pullovers tend to be shorter in length, therefore they are easier to purchase online than clothing.
Pick the right fit and check the care label.
-If there are slim fit pants that I really want to wear, I settle for a belt, but this tends to feel uncomfortable on my body and I don’t really recommend this approach. So for someone like me, who has wider hips, pants that are mixed with elastic are the most comfortable. But I also do enjoy thick material with a shape, so I avoid clothes with too much elastic and go for something in the middle.