Jennelle of Portland, Oregon rocking a sweatervest combo on a freezing January day

Hat: Goorin Bros
Jacket: Levi’s
Shirt: Goodwill
Tie: $5 at an antique mall in Seaside
Pants: Goodwill
Lhasa Apso’s jacket: Hip Hound

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(photo credit: Boogie)

Blazer: Burlington Coat Factory
Floral shirt: Target
Paisley tie: Goodwill
Waistcoat: H&M
Jeans: Express
Shoes: Goodwill (Outdoorables by Daniel Green)

More I Dream Of Dapper on Qwear: I Dream Of Dapper (In The Library) | Pattern Mixing Guide with I Dream of Dapper, The Queer Pomp in 3 Steps With I Dream of Dapper | Follow I Dream Of Dapper

(photo credit: Boogie)

Bow Tie: Amazon (Susan G Komen)
Grey blazer: Goodwill (no lable)
Sweater: Kohl’s (Lauren Conrad)
Striped Shirt: Express

More I Dream Of Dapper on Qwear: Pattern Mixing Guide with I Dream of Dapper, The Queer Pomp in 3 Steps With I Dream of Dapper | Follow I Dream Of Dapper

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

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.

Someone left this H&M jacket in my cousin’s store a few years ago, and it’s become my fall wardrobe staple. Even though it’s a women’s jacket and 2 sizes bigger than I usually take, it fits really well and gives me an androgynous shape. Every season, H&M comes up with variations on this style. The buttons are looking pretty flimsy on their jackets days, but you can always replace them.

Also, on the subject on spending more to last longer, the $40 splurge on the Ralph Lauren boy’s sweater 2 years ago is proving very worth it. I still love the crew neck design and it is way more durable than the sweaters I got for less, which tend to stretch out and do weird things. My next culprit may just have to be one of their cable knits.

Jacket: H&M
Shirt: George, thrifted at Goodwill
Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Macy’s Boy’s Dept
Pants: Gap Broken-in Straight Khakis

Shopping for well-priced work clothes in plus sizes can be hard. No fear! I have some staple pieces that will keep your budget in check while also giving you a professional look. Here are some items to give your wardrobe a professional boost with inspiration for people of all shapes.

1. Can I say cardigans more than once????
Cardigans are a wonderful way to class up any outfit while providing comfort and an element of androgyny (men’s and women’s cardigans are virtually identical.) In addition, they cross over well from day/work wear to nightlife wear. I suggest buying a cardigan in gray, blue, black, and a statement color. I bought most of my cardigans from a Tommy Hilfiger outlet mall in Williamsburg, VA. However, if you don’t live near an out mall, I also like the cardigans over at Old Navy for the price point. 


(source: gentleman-forever.tumblr.com)

2. Vests!
I currently have two vests that I go to whenever I am trying to look more put together and professional. Vests are a great multi-purpose form of clothing. You can pretty much wear then with anything! Goodwill or a comparable thrift store usually has some great options in all sizes.

(source: covermenmag.com)

3. Collared Shirts
Just like cardigans and vests, collared shirts have crossover appeal. If you have trouble finding one that fits you, keep looking! They come in all cuts, sizes, colors, and patterns! You can survive off of owning 5 to 7 shirts — one white, another light blue, and 3 to 5 of your choice. Get some with button-down collars, and some without so that you have a range of of casual and fancy (button-down = casual.) The combinations of cardigans, vests, and collared shirts are endlesssssssss. I recommend Saddlebred collared shirts and Ralph Lauren for plus sizes; they fit me well. Just shop around for what fits you best. 

(source: maxxanch.tumblr.com)

4. Blazers
I have had GREAT luck at Goodwill. However, thrift shops are a mixed bag. Lane Bryant has some really nice blazers. The arms fit well enough that I can bend them and the body of the blazer fits perfectly to my curves. I suggest that you look out for a sale; Lane Bryant can be pricey (I went during a sale and got two blazers for $90, not bad). A blazer should fall below the waistline but not go past your bum. The sleeves should be in between the knuckle and the wrist. 

Herringbone jacket, available at Lane Bryant for $89.95

5. Pants 
Buy pants cheap and get them tailored. I would shoot for khakis and a light weight dress material. Try to stay away from the Poly and Ester twins. I find that slim leg pants are the most flattering look for any size. Have your tailor adjust your pants leg to about 9.5 inches to create the look (trust the tailor with the number of inches). I buy pants from all over, mainly Tommy Hilfiger on extremeeeee markdown and Old Navy during the holiday deal season. See my post about tailoring pants for more info.

Look for pants with these cuts:


(source: panizsehatniaki.blogspot.com) Pants from Zara


Pants from Tommy Hilfiger (source: he99.blogspot.com)

6. Shoes!
Shoes can make or break an outfit. No holes, no tears, not too broken in for the office. Out of all of the above basics, I recommend that you spend the most money on good quality shoes. I like Clarks desert boots and Bass Weejuns for the office.

Desert Boots. Pick yours up at Topman, FarFetch, The Tannery, Infinity Shoes, or basically anywhere. (source: four-thirdsgentleman.tumblr.com)


Bass Weejuns (womens) available at Bass

Related Posts: Androgenizing With Ralph Lauren, Diminishing Curves With Menswear

Anonymous asked: Hi! I've just moved to Boston and was wondering if you (or anyone else) might know where I can find cheap boyish clothes to buy. I'm pretty short and a pear shape so I don't know where to even start looking (not to mention how expensive Boston is!). Also, I'm looking for vests in particular. Your blog is really amazing and has already helped me figure out my style! I can't wait to buy the clothes and actually look "dapper"! Haha! Thank you! =)

Welcome! Boston actually has a lot of amazing finds if you know where to go. Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill, and Boomerangs are my favorite thrift stores. I’ve gotten so many great things at Goodwill…. beautiful boys’ shirts for 5$ each. Goodwill will have vests too. Department stores are my next haven for cheap clothes. Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Marshalls, Filenes, etc. They have several locations, but you can hit a lot of good ones at Downtown Crossing and Boylston St. And if you are looking for boy clothes, the H&M at Downtown Crossing has a kids section with some amazing stuff for really cheap (and the added benefit of all-gender dressing room.) I also love the CambridgeSide Galleria. My favorite affordable stores there are Old Navy, Macy’s, American Eagle, Express, and Gap. If you catch the sales at Express and Gap you can get amazing finds.

As you can see, I’ve done a lot of shopping here. Any other Boston favorites?

My new hoodie for those late nights on the dock.

Hoodie: American Eagle, bought at Goodwill