Esquire Theme by Matthew Buchanan
Customization Design by Sonia Oram
26
Apr
Anonymous asked: No questions here! Just wanted to say that I love love love Qwear! Also, Cotton On's men's clothes are great! And affordable! Oh! and SKINNYFATTIES is like THE coolest business ever! They tailor your lame-o wide neck ties into pretty, little, skinny ones. Mhmm. Yeah. Freakin' amazeballz! You're amazeballz, too! This blog is amazeballz!
NO YOU ARE!!! Thanks, anonboo. Here’s Cotton On. SKINNYFATTIES looks AWESOME. - Sonia
20
Mar
freegladelancer 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?
Rae AKA The Handsome Butch says: Reducing the waist size is very simple for most good tailors. In the custom suiting business, we sometimes purposefully cut the waist to be slightly larger with the intention of reducing it after the second fitting. The classic pant has two outseams and one back seam. Depending on the amount of extra material you have, I suggest your tailor adjust the waist at all three seams to give the pant a more natural waistline. If only the back is adjusted, it might result in the dreaded wedgy effect.
Rae is a clothier with Bindle & Keep in NY. To contact her for a fitting, email Rachel@BindleandKeep.com
11
Mar
Y’all, Rae of The Handsome Butch is now our expert queer tailoring consultant. So send us all yer tailoring questions! If you live in or near NYC and want to get anything hand made with her, check out Bindle & Keep, or email her at Rachel@BindleandKeep.com.
In addition to being an amazing human being, Rae used the word “abreast” in an email with me. I sooo need to use this word more often.
I like to think that she’s sipping coffee while answering our questions. #holdittogethereveryone (from thehandsomebutch.tumblr.com)
*Sigh*
Oh, was I saying something?
Anonymous asked: Hello! I recently bought a vintage (1930s) tuxedo: The high-waisted pants fit well but need to be taken in, and the coat needs a bit of adjustment. I’d love to achieve a feminine-slanted androgynous look with the ensemble, a la Marlene Dietrich, but am unsure how to find a tailor I can trust with the work. (I’m in NYC.) Any advice on how best to describe what I want, or how to find the right tailor?
THB says: Yes! We’ve worked extensively with Laura & Melinda’s in the Lower East Side. I suggest you bring a few pictures of the exact fit and have them pin your tuxedo until you’re pleased with the mockup. Take special care to ensure the shoulders and jacket length are proportional with your frame. And be mindful that extensive alterations (especially the shoulders) can sometimes exceed the cost of the original suit.
08
Mar
By Guest Blogger, Liann
I think we all have some major struggs associated with finding the perfect pair of jeans. Typical women’s and men’s jeans never satisfied my needs. I didn’t like the thin material used with women’s jeans and they either accentuated my curves if I wore them above my hips, or displayed far too much backside if I sagged them. I also didn’t like the cut and style of typical “men’s” jeans: they were too baggy, had too much rise, and fit too tightly around my hips. And, no matter how I wore any of them, they never looked particularly clean-cut.
But a new-found love for jeans came back full throttle four years ago, when I permanently switched to wearing raw denim.
What is raw denim, you ask?
When you buy a pair of blue jeans, overwhelming chances are that they have already been treated in some way outside of the “cotton+indigo+weaving+sewing=jeans!” equation. Any type of fading, distressing, bleach spots, or frays are all purposely done by the producer to make them feel softer and look cool. Even stiff-feeling dark wash jeans have probably been hit with a resin coating to prevent color loss.
These jeans are the big kahuna when it comes to pre-distressing (from us.levi.com)
Raw denim (also sometimes called “dry denim”) does away with all of this. They generally have no stretch, feel as stiff as cardboard, and are a deep, near-black indigo when you first try them on (although they’ll bleed sky blue on everything). With raw denim, you’ll want your jeans to be anywhere from a bit tight to soul-constricting for the first few days. The differences in immediate comfort and freedom of movement between “jeggings” and non-stretch dry denim are very quickly apparent, but after a couple of weeks your jeans will begin to mold and fade perfectly to your body.
Since there’s no treatment to keep the indigo in the fabric, people generally avoid washing their jeans for as long as possible. A lot of people swear by not washing for 6+ months to develop a high-contrast fade, but that’s not really necessary. You shouldn’t wash them every day, but every 30 wears isn’t a problem either. I personally wear them until they start to reek, at which point I throw them in the bathtub with some detergent.
My own Gap Skinny Selvedge, left (4 days, 0 washes) and heavily patched APC New Cure, right (1+ year, 3 washes)
A lot of raw denim is also selvedge, meaning that it has a self-closing end on the outseam. Contrary to popular belief, selvedge edges (or lack thereof) don’t guarantee quality, but they do generally correlate with a higher quality final product because they are more expensive to produce. If you have jeans with a selvedge edge, it’s common practice to show them off by rolling up your jeans a bit.
Ellen DeGeneres showing off some selvedge on her 3Sixteen raw denim jeans
The quickest way to this dapper, androgynous look is probably APC. Lots of their fits are branded as unisex, which is virtually unheard of in the denim world and is proof of their ability to look fantastic on just about anyone.
If you’re looking for men’s raw denim that doesn’t accentuate curves while fitting well, look at the skinniest fits and lowest rises you can find. Also, you shouldn’t be concerned if your sizes are all over the place. When I was trying on two different Naked and Famous brand men’s jeans in the same size but different cuts, one was far too loose in the waistband but I couldn’t button up the other. This is just a side effect of not knowing exactly how, and where, they will sit on your body.
On that note, TRY THEM ON before you buy! I cannot emphasize this enough, especially for people with curves looking at men’s denim. Raw denim is finicky and expensive. I also recommend this for women’s raw denim, although Steven from Railcar Fine Goods helped me a lot in finding a well-fitting pair of Viper X001’s via e-mail. Also, don’t be scared if you have to make the jeans skinnier below the knees to achieve the perfect look – even “skinny” men’s denim doesn’t compare to the amount of tapering you are used to with women’s jeans. Denim Therapy offers this service for $40. As with most things, fit is most important.
The Sartorialist himself admits that his he bought raw denim that is too tight to wear comfortably…. Don’t emulate! (from thesartorialist.com)
Left, Zac Efron dressing down some well-worn APC’s (from upscalehype.com)
I know I’ve just made this seem like a lot of expensive work, but well-fitting raws will blow any jeans you currently own out of the water— I promise. Here are suggestions for skinny, low rise, and/or women-specific jeans. If you want an easier time with fitting, try the ones with some stretch:
Less Expensive (under $100):
Gap Skinny Selvedge
Uniqlo Slim Selvedge
Unbranded Skinny Selvedge
Levi’s Shrink to Fit
Expensive ($100-$201):
Naked and Famous Weird Guys/Skinny Guys
APC Hipster/Petit Standard/New Cure
Railcar Fine Goods Viper
3Sixteen Slim Tapered Fit
Really Expensive (you don’t want to know):
Samurai Geisha
Dior Homme Raw
Skull Jeans Linda
Pure Blue Japan Women’s Slim
The Flat Head Balder
Real Blue Japan Slim Tapered
02
Mar
sleeplings asked: My mum gave me a jacket that I really like but it is a woman's jacket so when I put it on it kind of exaggerates curves making it look like I have more boobs and hips than I actually do. I want a more boyish looking body and I'm not really comfortable wearing the jacket for that reason. I find that a lot of woman's jackets are cut in a way that does this. Is there a way to taylor jackets in a way to give them a straighter cut? Thank you xx
I asked Rae of The Handsome Butch, who is also a clothier with Bindle & Keep in NY. She says:
The major differences between men’s and women’s jacket cuts are bust and skirting (flair between lower ribcage and the top of the hips). When we make women’s suits for people with curves, we take a series of measurements to triangulate hip and bust curvature. The key to putting a men’s cut on a person with curves is to skip these steps and instead treat the bust as chest size, not chest size plus bust. It’s important to realize that not only has the fabric of your jacket been cut to allow for the bust but so has the interlining. The interlining is the internal canvas by which the outer fabric has been glued or sewn. Cinching and tucking the fabric to give a straighter cut is next to impossible because the interlining will still have the curvature you’re looking remove. The abridged answer is that I’m afraid even a magical tailor won’t be able to give the results you’re looking for.
13
Feb
Those who’ve been following Qwear for a while have seen my array of button-ups. I’ve brought multiple brands to the tailor and have even taken the custom-made route. But this number by Androgyny is one of the best fitting shirts I’ve come across. I’ve enjoyed my other shirts a lot, but when I tried this on I went, “oooooh, that’s what it should feel like!” It didn’t require any adjusting or pulling to fit over my curves. And like most of you, I probably would have never known what was possible in a shirt that could fit my body and gender expression until now.
Due to the high production costs of manufacturing in San Francisco and being a start-up who produces limited editions of each style, Androgyny’s shirts are priced at $125. Though many of you have graciously informed me that you don’t have that kind of cash (I think my favorite line was: “this blog is run by a privileged idiot”), if you do have the means or are saving for a special occasion, your money will be well spent. And, if nothing else, it helps to know that shirts made for androgynous folk are now in existence and will someday be more easily acquired!
The name of the company describes the shirt exactly: it hides my curves without creating a more masculine shape than I want. The bottom comes out to accommodate hips but not in a way that’s at all noticeable. l’m certainly not a shirt construction expert, nor can I account for all the body-types other than my own — but from the way it feels I can tell they’ve done their research on the needs of androgynous people with curves. To top it off, their shirts feature contrasting inner collars, sleeves, and buttonhole thread. All their collars allow ties. Some people may find the colors in their current collection “feminine,” but you know how crazy I go over colorful menswear.
I also appreciate that they button on the right side like men’s shirts. Many dry cleaners charge sometimes up to 3 times as much for women’s shirts, so this will save you money. Pretttty cray. Also, these days maids aren’t expected to dress their Victorian mistresses, so it’s not really necessary to keep the left-side button practice.
This Crisp White Magenta shirt and 4 other colors are available at www.wearandrogyny.com in sizes S-XL. I hope all the dissatisfied andros get the experience of trying on one of these babies at least once. For now, they are only available online, but offer free shipping and free returns. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates on their growing color and size options.
Thanks, Androgyny!
- Sonia
08
Jan
Anonymous asked: I recently bought a pair of pants which turned out to be tighter in the butt and thighs than I'm comfortable with. Can tailoring fix this?
A.D. says: Dear friend,
Unfortunately, this is one of the issues that tailoring cannot fix. Tailoring is limited to the fabric that is contained within the garment. If the pants are too tight in the butt and thighs, there’s no way to let out the seams in that area, because those seams are typically very small already (to minimize lines, etc.).
Note: Always, always, always make sure pants fit in butt, thighs, and crotch; anything else you can fix.
Don’t see your qweary here? Check the forum!
06
Jan
Getting a custom shirt takes a bit of extra effort — but after my successful go of it with Ratio Clothing, I wanted to see what other companies were up to. So I got in touch with Blank Label and they sent me a sample to share with all of you! I found the shirt to have a very masculine fit, so I recommend this for all masculine-of-center folk out there. The shoulders have a broadening cut, which will help minimize your chest (if you have one) and create an overall more masculine shape.
Single ply 100s thread count for 85$? Woahhh.
Blank Label has a pretty awesome array of fabrics and patterns — colorful, yet understated. I needed a white dress shirt, so I ordered Charlie Dunst: solid white twill weave with mini point collar. The fabric quality lives goes beyond any expectations for an $85 shirt. Single ply 100s thread count; a $220 value at most tailors. The weave of the fabric is probably my favorite part about the shirt. They let you customize pretty much everything about the shirt, so you can choose from 10 collar options, none of which are too extreme for any face, and some quite unique. Why not try a club collar? You can also choose length based on whether you plan on wearing it tucked or untucked; If you plan on wearing it formally, I highly recommend the tucked option so you don’t have to worry about it coming out.
How to measure:
If I was doing this again, I’d absolutely send them measurements of my favorite shirt rather than measurements of myself. Why? It’s easier to screw up measurements of yourself. Even if you get them taken professionally, it is still then up to Blank Label to decide how to best cut the shirt. And if you are trying to use a shirt to create a different look for your body, this can get even more complicated. Even aside from female curve issues, some people prefer a looser fit to a closer fit. Luckily, Blank Label provides a guide for measuring a shirt. It takes about 20 minutes. Even if you have a shirt that fits pretty well, you can guess on adjustments needed with the measurements you send. (e.g. you have a boy’s shirt that fits perfectly except for arm length.) If you fall in-between sizes, always size up. Or if you don’t mind giving up your favorite shirt for a little while and you live in the US, you can send it to them and have them measure it! Free of charge.
Then email them (sayhi@blanklabel.com) just to say hey, I want a men’s shirt:
If they think you are female, they will add feminine tailoring elements, so it’s best to specify what you need:
Need more help? Email me!
If you want a queer to discuss fit with before making the order, feel free to email me at sonia@qwearfashion.com and I’d be happy to help!
I totally recommend them to anyone who wants a masculine shirt for a fancy occasion. Their prices and customization options are unbeatable.
xoxo,
Sonia
24
Dec
We got a few more pant fit questions following Courtney’s advice on Combating Waist/Hip Ratio Issues in Men’s Pants. This time I turned it over to Blake. Happy holidaze! - Sonia
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)
All of my jeans are Old Navy’s Sweetheart Skinnys. The legs don’t hug me too tight, but they’re fitted. The quality isn’t the greatest, but they are affordable and fit me well. My khakis are Tommy Hilfiger chinos that I got tapered and hemmed. Excellent quality and fit, a bit pricy. At the end of the day, shop around to find the pair of pants that work best for you. They are out there.
Anonymous asked: So I know for shirts and blazers and things, you really want to make sure that the shoulders fit you. What would be the equivalent for pants? I mean hems would be pretty easy, but would it be more problematic to have a saggy butt or too wide waist or what?
Blake says: Tailoring can essentially fit any pants that are too big perfectly to your frame. If they are too tight, tailors can’t take or add fabric to the butt area. Likewise, too much or too little fabric below the belt can’t really be altered. Besides that, tailors can do just about anything. I’ve gotten pants tapered (see Pants: Creating a Slim Look in a Plus Size!), hemmed, and gotten the waist taken in. If in doubt, just ask your tailor. They know much more about clothes than me! Looking for a queer friendly tailor in your city? Ask the forum!
06
Dec
Anonymous asked: I am a curvy queer girl (size 16-18 US) who just came out, and I’m starting to dress with a more masculine feel. The problem is, I have DDD cup boobs- menswear looks completely weird on me, if it fits at all. Any advice for finding stuff that fits, or WHERE to find it? I thrift like crazy, which leads to some great finds, but some new stuff would be good too. Thanks!
Blake says: Hey there! Sounds like we are both fighting the battle of the boobage.
I know how hard it is to find menswear that fits a large chest. After all, most menswear wasn’t made to have room for such things, especially large ones.
I shop at Belk almost exclusively. Their brand is Saddlebred; it’s cheap and of decent quality. Ralph Lauren shirts also fit me well (ta-da!) I haven’t had much luck with other brands off the rack. So shop around to find a brand that fits you.
If you can’t find a brand that you like, tailoring is the way to go. Buy shirts that fit you in the chest, and everything else can be tailored; sleeves, shoulders, etc. (Sonia adds: Here is an old post with tips for Tailoring Men’s Button-ups for Larger Chests.)
