Dolphinlegs asked: So I’ll soon be transitioning from a student to a professional, and I looked around and was like “hmm, I own no professional clothes at all.” And I really have no idea where to start. I was wondering what tips you have on dressing for a professional job interview/ dressing professionally in general. I’m not really the type of lady who would feel comfortable wearing a suit and tie, but would prefer something a little less masculine. Perhaps something on the more “soft butch” side?

To me, the difference between dressing “soft butch” and full-on masculine is the way the cut of the clothes fits your body. The actual pieces; slacks, button-ups, ties, blazers, pocket squares etc, are all the same. But I’d look for professional menswear inspired clothes that fit your gender presentation. You’ll probably have the most luck in the women’s section. There are tons of more feminine suit and tie combos out there that are cut to show off curves, and then everything in between.

(from queerbois.com)

Here are my tips for establishing your new wardrobe as an aspiring soft butch professional. You might tailor this further depending on your field and location. If once you start working there you see people being more casual, follow their lead and take it down a notch. But as far as first impressions go:

1. For pants and blazers, choose conservative colors such as grey, black, navy, army green, and khaki. For shirts and sweaters go for white, burgundy, blues, grays, light pinks, and greens. Ties and pocket squares can add pops of color, but nothing too bright or crazy.
2. Blazers and sport coats! Maybe even with elbow patches. Check out H&M, Topshop, J.Crew, Marimacho.
3. Khakis/ dress pants: Go to town. Once you find a cut that you like, don’t be afraid to buy it in multiple colors! I love the fit of the Gap’s pants. Zara’s are also sweet. Don’t roll the cuffs.
4. Unless you’re interviewing at the most prestigious legal firm, rock separate pieces rather than full-on suits. It’s cheaper, and easier to combine things that fit well. See Blake’s piece on suit separates.
5. For footwear: derbies, brogues, oxfords, fancier saddle shoes, wingtips, and loafers are all great choices. No sneakers, boat shoes, or sandals. 
6. You’ll need at least one black belt and one brown belt. Avoid big, decorative buckles with angel wings and skulls etc. on them. Match your belt with your shoes.
7. Sweaters and cardigans are great, but go for higher-end sweaters that fit well and don’t look frumpy. Check out the ones at Everlane, Banana Republic, J. Crew. 
8. Make sure your shirt fits well; getting it tailored if necessary. Depending on the level of formality, you might need to only wear long-sleeve shirts. If it’s less formal: In the summer, short sleeve button-ups are a good choice! (Ta-da) Stay away from polos, shirts with western detailing, and flannel. Always keep your shirt tucked in.
9. Don’t shy away from neck ties and bow ties! They can break up an outfit and add another element or color or texture. But keep it snug with the top button buttoned; not loosened.
10. Carry a briefcase, portfolio, or professional backpack.
11. Iron! It makes a huge difference!

Did I leave something out? Add it to the comments!

(from brokeandbespoke.tumblr.com)

(from queerplusfashion.tumblr.com)

Ox-1 Portrait Briefcase with detachable backpack straps, formink.com for $59.00

(from marksandersphotographer.blogspot.com)

(from i-dream-of-dapper.tumblr.com)

(from thebespokedudes.com)

Congratulations! With the right outfit, you are halfway to being a Power Queer.

- Sonia

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Anonymous asked: Hello! I have been looking for a casual / going-out blazer for the longest time and I think it’s time to ask for help. I usually shop for androgyny in the women’s section, but whenever I find a blazer style I like it doesn’t fit. I’m a shortie (5’1) with broad shoulders so most women’s blazers are tight in the shoulders and pull out in the chest area. Do you have any recommendations from the womens section or mens section? Should I just buy from the mens section and get it tailored? Thanks!

Courtney says:

As a shortie (5’ 2”) with broad shoulders myself, let me say I feel your pain. Something that I learned from my dad when shopping for blazers: the shoulder fit is most important. Everything else could be tailored if absolutely necessary, but when looking for a more masculine styled blazer, shoulders must fit. I’ve found that even women’s blazers that I don’t think fit me well actually fit and look more masculine if I go up a size to fit my shoulders. So even if you think you wear a certain size, try on a couple others to see if you might like the fit better.

I’ve also found that men’s slim fit blazers fit very well because they are cut to fit broader shoulders along with emphasizing waists.

Blazer, $69.99 at H&M

Brown and Burgundy Skinny Blazer, $230 at Topman

Tweed Blazer, $99.95 at American Eagle

Banana Republic offers petite sizes for their women’s wear as well as regular and tall - but even if you usually buy petite, the regular fit might be better for broad shoulders. Women’s blazers also tend to be cut shorter, so if you’re looking for a more androgynous style and you are smaller, women’s regular fit blazers might hang more masculine on you anyway:

Cotton Hacking Jacket, $150 at Banana Republic

Ludlow Sportcoat in Black Watch Harris Tweed Wool, $548 at J. Crew

This is so expensive, but look at that fantastic plaid! J. Crew offers short cuts for their suiting so it’s easier to find pieces that fit smaller folk. Hey, maybe this will turn up in a thrift store!

I saw this cutie and couldn’t help but ask her where she got her clothes. This should seriously be a Fossil ad, considering her color palette is just like theirs. Some day the queers will be on the forefront of every clothing line. (Hey, we can all dream, right?)

Button up: Banana Republic
Watch: Fossil
Shorts: Hot Topic

Cinthia’s blog: crushoncinthia 

I was at a party the other day and a gay boy walked in with the most fabulous kelly green holdall and I thought, omg I love it. I’m going to do a holdall/duffle post. These are great if you want to impress that cute queer at the gym or are going on a weekend trip and have a medium amount of things to bring.

Bryson Gym Bag, available at J. Crew for $98

(source: formelle.tumblr.com)

Adidas Originals Holdall Bag, available at ASOS for $86.23


(source: meninthistown.com)

Bill Gym Bag Black, available at Bonobos for $119

Recycled-Sail seabags! Made from 100% recycled sail cloth, and customizable! Available at Resails for $159.



Kelly Green Duffle bag, available at Knockaround for $16. OR LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN JUST LIKE IT HERE.

(Source: sfaar.ee)

Weekender bag, available at Banana Republic for $225. Plus 25% off and free shipping.

Sexy. (source: gossip-dance.blogspot.com)

Ernest Alexander Red Duffle, available at Bonobos for $225

that-lovable-ginger asked: Hi there! I've only just really begun to understand that I'm genderqueer, and as a result I've started realising that sometimes I love the idea of dressing masculine. The problem is, I don't own any masculine clothing and don't really know where to begin! My other problem is that I have long hair, which means that I find it difficult to have a masculine appearance (I'm a bit tentative about the idea of cutting my hair short though, because it's such a big change). Please help? :)

Congratulations! Check out A.D.’s blog. They are genderqueer too, and have amazing long hair: exsouthernbelle.tumblr.com. Also check out this post they wrote: Queer with Long Hair.

It can be hard diving into a whole new wardrobe. Are you interested in incorporating masculine pieces into your current wardrobe? If so, you may enjoy this post: Mixing Mens and Womens Pieces. If I was going to buy my very first masculine clothing item, it would probably be a basic button-up. Finding my first men’s button-up that fit really well was an amazing feeling.

I also did just a lot of trying things on and exploring what felt right. I found that the best places to do this are where people aren’t gender policing the customers. So you can comfortably explore and try on many things without feeling like people are watching you. I felt really comfortable in department stores that were either crowded enough that people didn’t notice me, or where sales people weren’t lurking around. It was also easy to bounce back and forth between the mens and boys’ sections. Stores with all gender dressing rooms are also great places to trying on men’s clothing. Dapper Q made a list of stores that have them: Abercombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, American Apparel, Banana Republic, Express, Gap, H&M, Hollister Co., Old Navy, Uniqlo. (From Dressing Rooms: Legal, Physical, & Emotional.) I’d also like to add that some J. Crews and Club Monacos have them.

Good luck and have fun!

No queer deserves to be cold this season. Here are the sweaters I’m currently coveting — from reindeers to cable knits to fair isle — with tips on where find similar styles in affordable places. More favorite knit delights? Put it in the comments!

A.S. Wool Reindeer Crew Neck, Gant Boys’, available at basefashion.co.uk for £60.00 (approx. $97)

A.P.C. Knitted Wool Sweater, available at Mr. Porter for $225. Similar tight knit plain sweaters available at ASOS.

J. Crew Cashmere Cable-Knit Sweater, available at Mr. Porter for $300. More affordable mens and womens cable knits available at American Apparel and J. Crew in Viscose/wool/nylon/angora

The Massai Bib Crew Neck Sweater by GANT, available at The Fancy for $220

Marc by Marc Jacobs Stripe Crewneck Sweater, available at Barneys for $248.00

Wool Cabled Turtleneck Sweater, available at Ralph Lauren for $295.00

Crew Neck Pull with Elbow Patches, available at Scotch and Soda for € 89,95 (Approx. $115 dollars). More sweaters with Elbow Patches at Banana Republic.


Crew Neck Pull with Elbow Patches and Contrasting Cuffs, available at Scotch and Soda for €119,95 (approx. $156)

Boys’ Lambswool Fair Isle Sweater in Multicolor, available at J. Crew for $68


A Lady and a Collar Top, available at Modcloth for $69.99 with free shipping in the U.S. (I LOVE Peter pan collars!)

Argyle Crew Neck Pull, on sale at Scotch and Soda fo €29,99 (approx $29) More delicious argyle sweaters available at Old Navy.

Related Posts: Ugly Sweaters, 10 Cardigans for Fall,

Anonymous asked: Hi! I’m pretty short (4’11”) and want to find straight slim/fitted but not skinny pants for the fall. My height eliminates the possibility of shopping from men’s (unless I just haven’t looked hard enough) and all the womens’/petites’ pants are either boot cut or skinny. Is there any possibility of me finding pants with the fit I want? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

A.D. says: You’re in luck. Go to J.Crew or Banana Republic. Both have slim straight pants in womens that are awesome. If that doesn’t work, have you tried the boys’ section? I hate to suggest such a thing, but pants for them could work for you.

Bennet Chino, available at J. Crew for $79.50

Broken-in straight cords, available at Banana Republic for $49.95

Corduroy Pants, available at H&M Boys for $24.95

Sonia says:

Very similar to the ones at Banana Republic, Gap has some Broken-in straight khakis that are in a boy fit. I fucking love them. I just bought 3 pairs.

Broken-in straight khakis, available at Gap for $41.99 (Prices vary depending on color) 25% off through 9/9

Also, tailoring is always an option for men’s pants that are too long, or women’s pants that you want less tapered. Check out Blake’s pants tailoring tips. She wrote them about plus sizes in particular, but the same rule would apply to anyone.

Related posts: “Anonymous asked, I’m 5’5”, but all my height is in my torso…”

Anonymous asked: So, I've been invited to go to a sweet sixteen next month. The invitations suggest cocktail attire. The few times I have gone out with my mother to search for clothes, she disapproves of the outfits I pick out. She's okay with me going in dress pants but the tops are the things we don't agree on. Do you have any ideas of semi-masculine outfits that a mother would approve of?

Androgynous fitting button-ups from the women’s department sound like the way to go. American Apparel has unisex button-ups, and if your mom complains, show her the picture on the tag of a woman wearing it.

Unisex Pinpoint Oxford Long Sleeve Button-Down Shirt With Pocket, available at American Apparel for $58

The button-ups at Gap and Banana Republic are very simple and fit pretty androgynously. I like the fit of preppy brands too. Ralph Lauren is really good; as discussed in this post. Also J. Crew and brands geared towards older women; genderqueerfashionista recommends Liz Claiborne.

Resources for help with mom stuff:
www.everyoneisgay.com
http://everyoneisgay.com/resources.html Click your city!
www.pflag.org
www.itgetsbetter.org
GLBT National Youth Talkline, 1-800-246-PRIDE Mon-Fri 8pm - midnight EST, 5pm - 9pm PST 

Colorful, Dapper, Preppy menswear for work. Obsessed. This Oakland-residing school teacher’s outfit is totally knocking my invisible socks off. Known as Bookmonkey5000, she includes dapper tips about tie knots for short queers, getting custom made pants from makeyourownjeans.com, and more sartorial reflections.

• Shirt: Land’s End Boys (6 dollars via Lands’ End’s weekly On the Counter sale)
• Tie: Gap Factory Store 
• Belt: Banana Republic Outlet
• Pants: Custom made at makeyourownjeans.com 
• Shoes: Bass Ely 2  

• Shirt: Land’s End Boys
• Tie: The Tie Bar
• Belt: American Eagle
• Pants: H&M, purchased at Buffalo Exchange
• Shoes: Bass Weejuns 

Her words about the first outfit: I’d long been eyeing some beautiful blue suede Nordstrom 1901 Oxfords, as seen in this post by the amazing gentlemen at Closet Freaks, but sadly, those don’t come in a small enough size for me. So I ordered the Ely 2s and then switched out the blue laces for white ones to snazz them up a bit. These chinos are one of a few pairs that I’ve had custom made from makeyourownjeans.com. Shipping is expensive, so they can run you anywhere from $70-$100 a pair, and they’re not designer quality or anything, but they fit me the way I want them to fit, which is more than I can say for almost every other pair of pants in the universe.

Her words about the second outfit: I wanted to pair some simple classics (white OCBD, loafers) with some more modern pieces. I’m by no means a flashy dresser, so pairing these bright blue jeans with a plain white oxford makes me feel like my outfit isn’t too loud. I’ve been really digging knit ties lately; they can make jeans dressier or trousers more casual. Every tie at The Tie Bar is 15 bucks, and while the quality isn’t stellar, you can pick up quite a few nice ties without breaking the bank.

Dapper queer tip: Since I’m kinda short (5’ 5”), my ties are often too long. Because of that, I like to use knots that “eat up” a lot of tie and make the tie shorter. In this look, I used a double four-in-hand. The Knize knot is also a good one for the same reason. The double Windsor is also a large knot that’s good for shorties, but I prefer the asymmetrical look of the Knize or double four-in-hand.