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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By guest blogger, Rien 

Padded Vest, at YesStyle for $98

Tired of the boys’ section? Asian menswear is another great option to consider. Due to Asian MAAB’s being generally smaller, Asian menswear tends to be sized smaller all over, including in the chest and hips. So if you are petite but curvy, you will probably have better luck buying international/US and getting a tailor to alter accordingly. In general, I would recommend Asian menswear for queerfolk with slimmer builds or who are less curvy. That being said, the rule of “fit shoulders and hips, the rest can be tailored to fit” still applies.

For those who don’t live in Asia or speak any of their languages, there are some setbacks. Many Asian designers run small businesses, or just prefer to make sales out of storefronts, and thus do not ship internationally. If you ever find yourself in Asia, the best thing you could do for your wardrobe is to spend a little time doing some research and shopping around.

As for buying Asian menswear online, I find that a lot of websites tend not to be in English. Here are some sites that are in English and ship internationally:

UNIQLO: Japanese brand, does good quality preppy casuals and basics
RAOUL: European styling, on the expensive side but very lush fabrics. Currently no mens clothes available for online purchase, but here is a list of  retailers.
YesStyle.com: Asian style menswear, many popular brands
Saku Japan: Similar to YesStyle, has an office in Brooklyn, NY
Domanchi: Singaporean label, makes both casual and workwear
store.uktsc.com: Suits in Asian sizes, website in Japanese and English

MEN Made In Japan Slim Fit Jeans, by UNIQLO for $120.52

I have bought UNIQLO and Domanchi clothing from their brick and mortar stores and can personally recommend these brands.

Plain Athletic Jersey Jacket, at for store.uktsc.com for $212.78

Asian style

You might have noticed that there seems to be a strong Korean/Japanese fashion influence in much of Asian menswear, and that will be reflected in what is available for order online. The general style tends to be less dapper and more “street” fashion. A notable exception is menswear from Thailand, which can lean towards being very preppy. Presently, I have no links to Thai websites in English that ship internationally, so if you know of any, please let us know! 

Men Slim Hooded Coat, at Saku Japan for $58.50

Bespoke Tailoring

Don’t know where to go on your next long haul holiday? Might I suggest taking a trip to Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Shanghai? There are many tailors in these cities that are very good at what they do, and they generally do it for a lower price. If you’re going to be there on holiday anyway, you may as well get some shirts made. Avoid shops that proclaim “3 suits for the price of 1, plus free tie!” and try to go with someone who speaks the local language, if at all possible.

Happy shopping!

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Anonymous asked: Okay I’m a 5’ 3” 110 pound lesbian and I wear a 24 in girls pants, I’m tired of wearing womens jeans all the time, but that’s all that looks good on me. Mens pants never fit me because I’m too small but boys pants are either too baggy or too short. Do you have any suggestions? I’m looking for a nice skinny fit but still a little baggy with skater style

Courtney says: Pacsun and American Eagle both go down to 26 in the waist for their men’s pants; and while a 26 is not a 24, this might leave the right amount of room for sagging in the aforementioned skater style. I personally have found that my 28x30 American Eagle slims fit me the same in the waist as my 30x30 Dillon Skinnies from Pacsun, so Pacsun’s sizing may even go down smaller than they are labelled. Levi’s also get very skinny but their men’s pants only go down to 27 in the waist. However, Levi’s also has lots of variety in their pant styles for boys, which may be able to solve this dilemma for you. (Sonia adds: Ashley also recommends Levi’s boys — she is wearing them in this post. With a 29/30 waist, she says they are a little small on her. So they might be perfect for you.)

Skinny Jeans in Berry, currently on sale for $44.99 at American Eagle

Drakes Skinniest Layered Blue Jeans, $49.50 at Pacsun (2 for $69)

Levi’s currently has a sale on their website for 25% off and free shipping! GO BUY SOME JEANS, FRIENDS!

Levi’s Boys 510 Super Skinnies, on sale for $34

Anonymous asked: I love the recent tips for shorties! I wondered if there were any shorties in the UK who could suggest UK-specific shops/websites worth checking out? I know many of the brands in the US are available here, but the selection isn’t always the same, and I’m sure there are sources here I’m not aware of! Particularly for those of us who are short but curvy and looking for a more masculine look. Many thanks for any help you could offer!

Opening this up to all our UK followers! As always, I recommend Topman. - Sonia

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!

Anonymous asked: Question for Courtney!! 1. Are the pants you're wearing in that photo from AE mens (and hemmed/rolled) or womens? I love them and just wanted to know :) I have the hardest time finding pants that actually fit since i'm only 5'2". Thanks!

Courtney says: I’m also 5’ 2”, and those jeans are my favorites! They’re 28x30 slims from AE men’s. I have a black pair and a distressed pair of the same jeans because they fit me so well. They aren’t carrying that exact fit anymore, but their Slim Straight fit look very similar. The Skinny ones would be another to try. They’re always changing, so if you find pants that you love, there’s nothing wrong with buying a couple of them in different colors. As for the hem, they’re just rolled tightly twice for that cuffed look that’s so popular in menswear right now. I press them sometimes to get them cuffed even tighter. I also like that by rolling them I can show off my colored laces!

(Re: Our New Shorty)

Anonymous asked: It’s getting cold, so I was wondering what kinds of masculine, stylish winter jackets y’all would suggest? What do I look for in style and fit? Especially for people who are super-petite—I want to be warm, but I also want to be handsome and not look like my winter coat is eating me!

Courtney, Our new dashing petite style consultant, says:

When you’re petite and looking for a coat, fit is a super important aspect to look out for. You want to make sure the style of coat you’re wearing is sized properly, particularly in relation to waist placement and length. So it’s usually best to try things on and check the fit before you commit to a coat; especially since quality coats are usually on the expensive side. Shorter styles that are meant to end at the hip or mid-thigh are generally safer. Peacoats, because they are a shorter cut style, are good for achieving that high class wool overcoat look without feeling like you’re drowning. 

American Eagle coats are pretty good quality, and the men’s sizes go all the way down to extra small. I have a friend with a peacoat from there that she is very happy with.

American Eagle Peacoat, currently on sale for $79.99

Land’s End is, of course, known for their quality outerwear. Their Wool Commuter Parka in Current coat comes in a lovely currant color, as well as being, again, cut shorter to accommodate for the shorties.

H&M usually cuts things slimmer, so it’s easier to find styles that work with a smaller figure. It can be somewhat hit or miss, however, so trying things on helps a lot. (Sonia adds: for someone who has been known to complain about the quality of H&M’s clothes, I love their jackets. This is the third winter I’ve worn a puffy coat I bought from them for $50, and it keeps me real warm. It also makes me look muscular.)

This Ralph Lauren Overcoat, on sale for $129.99 at Macy’s is cut shorter and also comes in short as well as regular. Lots of big department store brands offer short sizes in coats.

We also have an earlier post on winter coats with several styles that would work excellently on petite people!

Courtney’s Tumblr: adventuresoftinydyke.tumblr.com

Courtney, a 5’2” menswear enthusiast, will be helping us out with petite menswear related Qwearies. So if ya got any more, send them along! She’s mostly inspired by color, pattern, and texture coordination. She also digs colored laces, and has an unruly collection of bow ties and pocket squares. I’m looking forward to hearing more tricks of the trade soon.

(Photo credit: Caroline Wood)

Shirt: H&M boys
Sweater: H&M men
Jeans: American Eagle
Shoes: Clarks Desert Boots
Laces: Benjos (Sonia says: woah… this store is sweet!)

Courtney’s Tumblr: adventuresoftinydyke.tumblr.com

Anonymous asked: Hi. I want to dress androgynously, but I have a kind of big (irony coming) problem. I am tiny (irony). I am 5'4 and 110 pounds. I cannot find ANYTHING but things in the little boys section. Help?

Yea. Hehe. First of all, I need a petite menswear-rockin fashion consultant. Anyone? Email me if you fit the bill: sonia@qwearfashion.com

Have you tried Topman’s things? They go ridiculously small. Like, I take an S in their shirts, and they go down to XXS. Their pants also go down to 28S. 

I also came across this Short Shrifted blog a while ago and they have really helpful tips! Cis men, but still applicable.

Once we get an expert in the house they will be able to help more.

Anonymous asked: I saw the post on pegging from a long time ago and tried it out on jeans and khakis but couldn't get it to stay longer than a few minutes. I thought maybe I'm doing something wrong? or maybe it's the fabric of the pants I was wearing? any tips would be appreciated, thanks! actually, any other way to rolls pants legs without looking like a stereotypical nerd would be nice,as well (I am a nerd, I just don't want to be judged on it, lol)

A.D. says: Alllllright. If your pant legs are falling down, you are not rolling them tight enough. So, step-by-step:
1. Unroll pants, and make them taut around your ankle. Leave two fingers of space between your leg and pants.
2. Roll up 2-4 times. 
3. Stand up. If they fall, roll up again.
4. Fix throughout the day as necessary (but, if you do this correctly, you should only have to correct a few (3?) times).

Here is our last pegging post!