twohearts-theyrebeating asked: Hi there. I do have a quick question! I'm about 5'4 and a heavier build. But I wish that didnt stop me from being able to wear the clothes I love (not skinny, but straight cut jeans. The supra skatish obey type of person). Any idea where I may find jeans that would fit me pretty well? Thanks!

I asked two experts!

Blake says: I love Old Navy Sweetheart Skinny Jeans. They’re only $30 (they go on sale for $19 fairly frequently) and they come in short. After a couple of wears they’ll be straight and not skinny. However, if you want them to be straight on the first wear, buy a size up. If short is too long, you can cuff them or get them hemmed (get them hemmed if they’re more than 3 inches too long). 

Courtney says: Levi’s men’s taper fit (508) and straight (501) jeans cuts are also classic jeans— my 501s look straight and are a bit loose on me. They have pretty frequent sales online and they come in tons of sizes and washes!  

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Anonymous asked: Is it ever a good idea to buy pants that are too big in the waist? I’m curvy with wide hips and big thighs, so a lot of pants (in the men’s as well as the women’s section) that fit me well in the leg are too big in the waist, especially since I prefer my pants to be looser in the leg rather than skinny. Belts are always an option, but in one case a pair of pants I otherwise loved was way too big in the waist. Can tailoring fix this, or have I been looking for pants in the wrong places?

Blake says: It really depends on the pair of pants. You don’t want your pants to be “baggy” in the crotch area (I find that this is more of a problem with men’s pants). If there isn’t too much extra fabric below the waist, everything else can be tailored. Any tailor can hem pants or take the waist in.

I, too, like my pants to be more baggy. I achieve this by buying a size up and wearing a belt. Belts not only keep me from flashing everyone, but they are also a great way to add an extra dimension to your outfit (a pop of color, texture, etc.). 

(^ Blake in the most amazing pants everrr! from queerplusfashion.tumblr.com) 

Leave it to Blake to dress amazingly dapper for $75 total (price break-down below.) Both the tie and the shoes in this outfit were thrifted; other items grabbed on sale. If you live or work near a thrift store, try going in regularly and scanning the shoes and accessories. Once in a while, a real treasure will emerge for you to grab. If the shoes are worn down, you can get them refurbished and looking brand new. Put This On goes over all the valuable secrets in refurbishing shoes in their A Tale of Two Shoes post.

Shirt: Ralph Lauren, on sale for $20
Cardigan: Tommy Hilfiger, on sale for $20
Tie: Thrifted, Goodwill $1
Jeans: Old Navy for $15
Belt: Levi’s for $15
Shoes: Vintage Church’s, thrifted for $4 (DEAL OF THE CENTURY! $300 SHOES FOR $4)

Follow Blake: queerplusfashion.tumblr.com

More on budget shopping: Shopping on a Budget: Plus-Sized Masculine Work Clothes, The Full-On Budget Shopping Post

Anonymous asked: I’ve seen overalls coming back more and more as a trend, but I’m not sure how to wear them stylishly. I’m also wondering how I could make them look more girly. Any suggestions?

Rae says: Forget those super baggy Old Navy overalls of your childhood; look for styles of overalls that are slimmer cut. To femme it up try wearing them with a flowy chiffon top, some fun flats, and an armload of gold bracelets.


Miss Sixty Denim Overall, available at Yoox for $98


Minkpink ‘Double Take’ Polka Dot Chiffon Shirt, available at ASOS for $78.95


Walking on Air Flat, available at Modcloth for $34.99


Spike Glee Bracelet, available at Modcloth for $21.99

Mystique the Truth Bracelet, available at Modcloth for $19.99

Couldn’t Filigree More Bracelet in Ivory available at Modcloth for $24.99

(Gosh, y’all. Rae is visionary. - Sonia)

Related Posts: Overall Awesome

I really love it when people put green and blue together. It’s so unexpected and a pretty combo. Also love her glasses. I highly recommend this outfit to anyone too tired to show up to class on monday morning. Picks ya right up.

Damien, from Manila, put together a Street Urban Comic Artist inspired outfit. I really love it when anyone can mix the superhero theme with classic style. I think after this photo was taken he probably flew across that gorgeous meadow and brought a lost calf home.

Sunglasses: Ray-ban Wayfarers
Superman shirt: Department store
Denim jacket: Old Navy
Pants: Brown Carrot Pants from Bench
Sneakers: Nike

Follow Damien: thedelusionaldreamer.tumblr.com and timetrotter.tumblr.com

Like all things superhero? Check out this question about superhero underwear.

Anonymous asked: Hello! I’m a curvy girl with a large tummy (think Buddha belly… lucky me!!) I know I’m built to wear more girly/femme clothes but I feel more confident in more androgynous/vintage feeling clothes. Please help! Men’s pants look so baggy in all the wrong places (particularly the crotch) and women’s pants are either too low-rise or too girly looking. Thanks!!

Blake says: I can relate to the “buddha belly” problem. There are nooks and crannies in my body that are sometimes hard to fit. Once men’s pants get to a certain size, the zipper seems as if it is a foot long. This creates the “saggy crotch” that I believe you are referring to. I have the hardest time finding pants, so here are my tips for avoiding the “buddha belly 12-inch-zipper problem.”

Don’t be discouraged.
Shop around! Look for pants that fit you in the hips. The hips are the most important reference for fit. Once you find a pair of pants that fit in the hips, just about everything can be fixed with tailoring. For example, the waist and length of pants can be taken in. This leads me to my next point……anticipation…..

Tailoring
Find a tailor that you can trust. My policy for bottoms is buy cheap and then invest in tailoring. If the pants look too wide legged or too boot cut, a tailor can taper the pants. I wrote a post about this here.

Finally, some options:
I like Old Navy’s Sweetheart skinny jeans:

I do believe that we have created a solution to the “buddha belly 12-inch-zipper problem.” I hope this helps!

kieranthehuman asked: I’m sure you get this a lot, but what about for those of us who can’t afford to spend a lot of money clothes. I have the worst time passing as androgynous because I have a very curvy body. I am always looking for different clothes or men’s shirts that actually fit me. Any sites that advertise queer clothes are usually so expensive. Where can I find other options besides scrounging and hoping at the thrift store?

Well kieranthehuman, there’s no easy answer. There’s no one stop solution. Il y a non pas de problème. 

But here are some ideas and tips:

1. Shop the right kind of cheap. Gap, Old Navy, ASOS, outlet stores, H&M’s clothes (but NOT accessories), department store sale racks, all good. But don’t shop at places that are too cheap, because then you’ll just end up spending more money to replace crappy items. I generally avoid Forever 21 and Merona at Target for that reason. If the full retail price seems too good to be true, it’s probably going to fall apart. I bought some galoshes from Target a few years ago for $20 and they didn’t last 3 months. So go cheap, but not too cheap.

2. Thrift Thrift Thrift! Check out the thrift stores tag for inspiration on how many amazing things you can thrift. For more tips, Putthison has a great article on successful menswear thrifting. The most important thing I took away from it was to not look for anything specific.

(source: locallily.com)

3. Take things from you friends and grandparents. You never know what amazing vintage ties your grandfather has that he doesn’t wear anymore, or what delicious lacy tights your ex boyfriend needs to give away. If you go to school, check out whatever your school has for free boxes. Oberlin had a big “free store” at the end of the year where some of my friends used to get their entire wardrobe. Also look at the www.freecycle.org list for your town. (If you are under 18, talk to your parents or guardians about how to make a freecycle exchange safely.)

4. TAILOR! For curvier people looking at menswear, tailoring is key. Find a shirt that fits in the shoulders, arm length, chest, and hips, and then adjust the torso length, torso width, or arm width as necessary. I’ve gotten amazing button-ups at Goodwill for $5 and then tailored them for $10. $15 for a really nice fitted shirt to me is a good deal. Some people with wide hips who want a more fitted look will prefer bringing the sides of the shirt in at the waist and back out at the hips. A lot of the queer clothing designers do this. See this post for more info on that particular type of tailoring.

More tailoring help:

Equally Wed’s Dress Shirt Guide: Measurements (by Yours Truly)
Pants: Creating a Slim Look in a Plus Size
Tailoring Men’s Button-ups for Larger Chests

5. Become friends with the people who work at Gap, and then use their employee discount.

(source: massgames.tumblr.com)

6. Make a shopping list. Write down what you need, and then strategize when you will be able to afford each thing. I don’t do this, and look what happened to me. Every time I walk down Boylston street, I leave with a new pair of shoes.

7. Splurging can be a good thing. Sometimes you may fall in love with something that you weren’t intending on getting. If it goes with your wardrobe, GET IT. I can’t even tell you how many impulse buys of mine turned out to be my favorite things to wear. The key is to have LESS CLOTHES but ones that you love. So don’t be afraid to go with your gut instinct. On the other end, don’t buy things you don’t love just because they are cheap. You think you’re saving money, but you’re really just throwing it away on something you aren’t really going to wear.

8. Browse. Especially if you enjoy shopping anyway, browsing can be great for finding unexpected amazing things on sale, getting to know the market better, and brainstorming about what you want to add to your wardrobe in the future. I spend about 90% of my shopping time browsing without anything particular in mind. But then again, I’m a shopaholic:

(source: hellogiggles.com)

9. Know when the sales happen. If you try something in stores, check the online site to see deals. Sign up for your favorite stores’ mailing lists for insider coupon info. Shop on the off season if you’re confident you’ll still love that item in a few months. Kinowear recommends googling “name of online store” + coupon code before buying anything online. They say that a great promo / coupon code site is: www.retailmenot.com

10. Clear out your closet/ Sell things you don’t wear anymore. Ebay, Craigslist, Buffalo Exchange, Second Time Around. Or even just posting things on your blog for sale. Clearing out your closet is also a good way to remind yourself of what you have that you DO wear, and you’ll have an easier time filling in the gaps.

Thomas’ closet floor, Indiana, 2010

Related Posts: Shopping on a Budget: Plus-Sized Masculine Work Clothes

Anonymous asked: Hey, I love your blog!! I have just started to shop online and I've checked out ASOS but I don't really have a very big budget at the moment. Are there other sites you would recommend that aren't too overly priced? I generally feel more comfortable in masculine/ androgynous clothing :)

There are successful ways of shopping on a budget online, and there are ways that will end up costing you more money. Sites with cheap full retail prices have items that fall apart really easily and end up costing you more as you replace things. I’m generally not the biggest fan of Forever 21 for that reason, but I know some people have a lot of good luck with them too. I really like ASOS because of all their sales, and they have free shipping both ways so that you can try things on and then return them. Gap is one of my favorite places for affordable clothes. They are also very well made for the price, and when things go on sale it can be quite the steal. Old Navy’s clothes are cheaper and not as good quality, but are still worth it. Their shorts have lasted me a couple summers. I love Bass shoes for the quality and price and often order them on Ebay. They have many women’s oxfords that are androgynous or menswear inspired.

Anonymous asked: hey Qwear! My girlfriend is definitely masculine-of-center/ generqueer, 37 (though doesn’t “look it,” whatever that means), and is definitely NOT skinny (she’s working with a gorgeous big ass for one thing). She’s a total babe and wants to look more stylie, but a lot of the looks on here involve stuff like skinny jeans and a “straight up and down” aesthetic that simply isn’t possible w/ her body. Can you please advise? Accessories and basics? Pref on the cute casual tip vs. dressy/ dandy.

Blake says: I say embrace your curves (I mean you tell your girlfriend). When I wear clothes that are straight up and down on another person, they are obviously not straight up and down on me. However, regardless of shape, I feel as if I still look put together and stylish. See me in my latest number. I say all this just to make a point that you (not you, but your girlfriend, or also you I guess) can wear whatever the hell you want regardless of size or shape. But moving on, here is some inspiration:

1. Pants

These straight leg jeans “with Right Fit Technology” are a great alternative to skinny jeans. (available at Lane Bryant for $29.97) They’re not too hip hugging but they also provide a figure flattering shape. In addition, they can be dressed up or down. These Old Navy jeans are also good. 

2. Hoodies and Sweatshirts
For casual wear I like to throw on a “non-sweatshirt hoodie.” Hoodies are a great way to vary your look from the usual collared shirt. Below is an example.



I also love a good varsity jacket. You can pick them up at H&M, Forever 21, Dr. Jays, and ASOS

(source: blog.markafoni.com)

3. Tops

Try a baseball tee or a Henley for casual tops.



Men’s Classic Baseball Tee, available at Old Navy for $14.94

3. Accessories
I generally don’t wear accessories outside of ties and bracelets, so I’ll give you some inspiration on that front.



Bracelet Set, available at American Eagle Outfitters for $9.50

The trick to ties is knowing how to dress them up or down. To reduce the formality of ties, wear them with just a cardigan or sweater, or on their own. Also, swap out a silk/shiny tie for a cloth tie for a more casual look. 


(source: theflyingfeathers.tumblr.com)


(source: i-dream-of-dapper.tumblr.com)

I get my ties from goodwill now. Any thrift store will probably be more cost efficient than a department store.