Yay I'm not alone, hot damn! I'm not much for classic or fancy button downs, god knows I might have to wear one for my sisters wedding. I find what is comfortable for me. I guess maybe clothes don't make the man, it should be his integrity and personality.

I agree jar mens warehouse is my fav place to buy suits

I really enjoy a banded shirt or shirts with French I don't wear polo shirt I usually wear long shirts all year around

I don't think the clothes make the man! It is what his heart and personality say! That is just my opinion!

I am Goodwill shopper myself.

If it costs more than $5.00 I will not buy it.

Nothing wrong with being a thrift shopper. I don't spend a ton of money on just one clothing item.

However a special occasion is coming up so I have to spend a bit more for one item.

I'm country and I wear wranglers and the t-shirts and cowboy boots. When I wasn't on t I was buying in the men's off the rack and they fit weird but now that I'm on t they fit me so much better but I gained so much weight being on t and being disabled I had to go up a few sizes. Plus I'm large in the chest and I haven't had surgery yet I have to buy 2x shirts just to fit over my chest.

Welcome Blueboi_dragon!

I hear ya about the big chest, I cant hide mine yet but I am pre everything right now due to other health issues.

Glad to see more country guys in the thread!

How long have you been on testosterone? I have only been on it for 6 months (most of that time low dose), and my upper body was quick to bulk up (without strength training, even), larger shoulders and the like.

Although I have had top surgery, I have needed to go up in shirt size. I am not sure what exactly is going on with my middle/core area, but I am not fitting into my pants. It is hard to tell what is larger. I know this sounds weird, but I don't think that my gut is that much bigger. Anyway, I have gained 15 lbs and have had to go up 1.5 pants size. I am sure the majority of that is muscle increase, though.

I also don't know how much is what weight. I am taking cypionate testosterone, which I know carries water at the beginning. Problem is I had to drop to low dose after I had moved up to regular dose (now I am back up again), so part of this is my body not knowing which hormone it is to work off of.

Anyway, so far I have only bought one pair of jeans and I am wearing the same couple pair of dress pants to work because I really want to try to see what happens. I already needed to move up in size of jeans (like a year ago), but these are tighter than they would have been pre T.

Anyway, I have a number of nice, expensive dress pants I have to toss due to the change.

Fortunately, I have always been able to buy off the rack, in both men's shirts and pants, even prior to top surgery. I had a larger chest, but the years of binding kept them flat, so I didn't have to buy larger and then have to get the arms shortened/shoulder seams moved up to the shoulders.

I hate shopping for clothes now! I used to love to shop but I will wear what I have till they wear out!

I am sick of shirts either don't fit due to being top heavy or they don't fit around the waist!

I know I can't be the only one!

I've been on T for two years now and still trying to get money up for my surgery for I'm fighting for my disability as well for both mental health and just plain health reasons. So with just one income in my home it makes it very hard luckily I don't have rent or morage (spelling) because I bought my house 10 years ago and paid it off already.

But I too hate shopping for clothes. It's like they think everyone wants to have sparkly crap on them. When really I want a nice pair of blue jeans without the sparkle and a t-shirt and boots that's it.

I can't wait to get back into Wranglers like I used to, the good ole cowboy cut relaxed fit, NO SPARKLY STUFF jeans.

I used to love shopping but now I don't, I dread it cuz I have gained a bit of weight and it costs so dang much.

I am lucky because we have outlet stores of my favorite brands just a bit over an hour away. Otherwise, I do online shopping.

Today, though I am going to the "mall". Now that I am living as male at work, I need to ensure I "pass" with new people. I need to start wearing ties. Ties will seal the deal that I am male if someone does wonder. I am thinking in about 4 weeks my voice will be low enough that there won't be a question.

I have gained weight and my shoulders have broadened, so I need new shirts and pants, too. I have been wearing pretty much the same size (in both), since I was in my 20's, so I am not thrilled with this. I am going to try to get away with only buying a couple pairs of pants as I don't know where my body is going to go next with taking T. It is possible some of it is just water retention and this inflated stomach will shrink a bit.

I just got a new haircut, something shorter. It is funny because I used to have to be careful that my hair wasn't too short Pre-T so that I could "pass" as female at work, now I need to be seen the other way! Pretty funny.

Men's dress shoes in women's sizes
 

If anyone likes shopping at Kohl's, I have found that the Helix button down shirts in the casual mens section seem to fit really well. I have found I also don't need to bind while wearing them due to their fit they are able to hide my chest. It works our rather nicely.

Same games for the Levi's stretching jeans that they are now selling. Granted Kohl's can be a bit pricey, the fit is very nice.

The clothes I wear can definitely impact whether or not I feel self-conscious. Generally I'm a pretty casual person. My preferred "dress code" is cargo shorts and band shirts, or cargo shorts with t-shirt and open (usually) plaid button down. I'm not really into dressing formally and it makes me feel a bit uncomfortably and uneasy, not myself. At work luckily with my job I'm fine wearing shorts/pants and a plain t-shirt, plain longsleeve, open button down or something like that. Plus the same boots I wear everywhere (which I need to change soon cause they're cracking and heel's been worn away pretty bad thanks to 7 years of wearing them in pretty much every context that isn't super formal or the gym).

If I dress formal its just dress pants, dress shirt, and same dress shoes I've had since I was 16 (aka 15 years) :seeingstars: I pretty much only have two dress shirts right now, one burgundy/black striped with long sleeves, another plain black with short sleeves. Only really wear the burgundy/black stripe one cause its really soft and light. Not really into ties or that sort of thing.

I once bought a super nice black blazer from H&M which was the only time I really felt good in one, but after the event I ended up returning it for the refund cause I was low on cash. Now wishing that I'd kept it though because I'm going to another wedding soon and would prefer to have one. Really regret that, heh. I would love to find another one like that, but can't even remember the size.

As far as off the rack vs tailored, I've only ever bought off the rack. I'm around 5'7 so I don't find I've ever had too much trouble fitting into regular men's clothes. Sometimes something might be a bit long, but I don't really mind much or notice much.

Nope you're not the only one! Only time I've really dressed up in the last five years has been for a wedding, funerals, and my partner's graduation. Otherwise I can get away with being pretty casual...which is how I like it lol

No button down shirts? I can understand not wearing them casually, but what else would you wear in a formal setting since most formal shirts are button down? Edit: I just looked up an "Oxford shirt" and apparently these are also button downs. I'm confused now lol

Anyway with the casual button downs, I dunno I think I'm just stuck in the 90's or something. I grew up in the late 80's and 90's when plaid button downs open over a t-shirt were pretty much the default shirt. Plus for whatever reason Canadians like plaid button downs lol I don't wear them as much in the summer, but I find them pretty convenient for fall/spring/a warmer winter.

I can't tell you the last time I got really dressed up for something because to me dressing up is formal wear like a tux.

I wear khakis and a nice shirt to like funerals or other things but mainly I stick to my staples.

I just recently bought myself my first short sleeved pearl snap western shirt, it fits great and I am happy to finally be comfortable in clothing.

For me they do...
 

I'm usually fairly casual, though I do love a button down collar and tie for work.

Bought a custom suit deal on ebay a few years ago for a great price. Sent all my measurements to Hong Kong and got a really nice wool suit. Wasn't perfect, but needed minimal tailoring here. For me, clothes that fit well definitely make me more confident, especially on more formal occasions.

Now that I have transitioned, I have very much loved adding the tie to my work ensemble.

At last
 

I have purchased and worn suits for years; purchasing one today was quite different.
First now that 1/2 top surgery is done ( removal) my chest issues no longer exist and I can buy one that is not custom made. Binding was never possible even with ace bandages and duct tape I only ever got down to a maybe D.

So today I bought myself a 3 piece Harris tweed brown with matching hat and scarf.and tie... and the tailoring needed was minimal!
Size 48. Reg jacket with just a tad taken in on the back.... taken in!!!!
At 6’ trousers have never been an issue, and oh I got well ordered 2 shirts to go with it... one a muted yellow and the other a soft beige . Now for the new shoes..... heading to Nordstrom rack they have a sale.
I have been wanting this for years and promised myself I would buy it after top surgery. So I saved my pennies.
My favorite clothing store has been and will continue to be Good Will ... I picked up 2 Armani shirts and a nice white dress shirt with Nordstrom label for 2 dollars each. I am known for my cheapness just ask any woman I dated in past 30 years. 😀
Now that I am finally starting to see the person inside me stare back at me in the mirror and when I had that suit on.... all I was missing was the well trimmed beard. Time to spoil me for a while; and put myself first.

The hubs and I went to a men's store in downtown San Antonio a few weeks ago to buy him a suit. He was soooo cute, like a kid in a candy store! He's dressed up before but never with the whole ensemble. This was his "Birthday" present. (I almost said Birthday Suit, lol)
We had it tailored and he's in heaven. He loves wearing ties with his shirts. too.

I love to see him sooo happy with how he looks. His transitioning is giving him a 'stache and beard too, so he's really evolving into the image of himself he's always known he'd be!

So I'd say yes, the clothes help quite a bit.

After being on T for some time I did experience some distribution changes :). While at 5'9", I can buy from the rack and it works just fine. I wear a lot of wranglers and t-shirts when I am not working so no issue there. I have had some suits and tuxedos tailor made, those are the ones I wear to extremely important events but other than that a suit off the rack will suffice. I do think something a lot of guys forget is a great pair of shoes or boots. They have so many great looking socks now I do get sucked into buying those too..lol. I prefer silk ties in basic colors but do have some fun ones as well :0. I agree with some of the others that said I want to keep in mind the woman I might be going out with and dress to please her but if I am not comfortable, neither of us would be comfortable and I would expect her to feel the same....if you look good you feel good!!!:praying:

I still stand by my last statement. I feel its his personality, his character, etc makes him the man he is. Clothes are just materialistic to me.

Just curious if you've ever tried those ascots with pin.
Have always thought them attractive, but nothing to wear
them with myself.

Definitely agree with you about the footwear.
Nothing beats a good pair of wing tips or leather inlay
on pointed toe Western boots. And, yeah I have a
sock fetish too. There are so many good ones out there now.

:|

Well, yeah, but the thread isn't to discuss if clothes makes the man, or questions if clothes makes the man....it is simply about trans men and what makes them feel good to wear. What you are talking about is a different topic....so I'm confused.

cathexis, I have a hard time getting myself to buy any dress shoes besides wingtips...oh, how I love them so...

As others have said, I am lucky that I have always been able to buy "off the rack", even pre-T/ pre top surgery. I do think one should still take their suits to a tailor to really "hone in" the fit, even if they can buy off the rack.

Suited, A 2016 HBO documentary
A behind-the-scenes look at the Brooklyn tailoring company Bindle and Keep might also be helpful in this conversation! I would say the sheer look of happiness and contentment on these folks faces says it all!