Transfixed on Fashion

“No one calls you a crossdresser if you’re a woman in men’s clothing,” Ann, a right fashionable friend of mine observes over lunch. (She’s a transwoman who’s been through the fashion wringer.) “You’re either a tomboy, a lesbian, or both. But if you’re a man in women’s clothing in our patriarchal society,” her eyes roll with sarcasm, “there’s obviously something wrong with you.”

Jo, a polished transman, agrees. “[That] actually makes it harder to pass [as male] because the intent is not as clear.” Too look at him — even with down-to-the-thread scrutiny — you’d have a hard time believing anyone ever doubted his authenticity. That’s exactly what paying close attention to presentation will do. “It’s all smoke and mirrors,” Ann says. “Fashion is an illusion.”

So I’ll just let them rain down some knowledge on points to ponder for newly transitioning individuals entering the fascinating fields of fashion.

Draw the eye away from your trouble areas.

For transmen, prominent hips can mess with the look. A nice-fitting overcoat (think blazers and jean jackets) helps straighten the lines of your frame. Go for dark, solid colors in your button-ups and splurge on a good, breathable binder if you’re well-endowed up top. For height, Jo recommends Doc Martens boots. “They add about an inch to your height,” he says.

In transwomen, troublespots are commonly feet and/or hands, so wear boot-cut jeans or any type that flares a bit. Skinny jeans + large feet = the illusion of bigger feet. Also, there’s a huge market for feminine footwear in flats. Big hands? Avoid jewelry that calls attention to them.

Be discerning.

Sometimes foxy, excited new transwomen go overboard right from the jump. There’s often a “making up for lost time” that includes “tween” and “lady of the night” attire: patent leather skirts, five-inch heels, plunging necklines that put a push-up bra’s prizes front and center, animal print, bright red lips, and a visible thong. (You see where this is going.) If that’s your thing, honey, you do you. For others who aren’t into wolf-whistles and intensely sexualized spotlights, Ann recommends checking out Gap, Banana Republic, or Ann Taylor catalogues for a modern ensemble that blends you into Denver’s sexy, career-woman landscape.

Hair’s the thing …

For many new transmen, facial hair isn’t an option. “There’s not a good way to fake facial hair honestly,” Jo says. “It all mostly looks fake.” How you can get your hair-swerve on? “Go to a real barber and get a stylish cut by someone who is a pro with mens’ cuts,” he tells us. “That helps.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude toward drag queens,” Ann says. “They’ve taught us a lot.” For example? “For example, how to hide the 5-o’clock shadow.” She says that in reality, the darkness of soon-to-sprout facial hair translates as green to the eye when it’s still beneath the skin. “Using red lipstick as a base neutralizes the green — then you put your foundation over that and you’re back in business.” Genius!

But no matter what style you choose, rock the hell out of it, brothers and sisters, for who better to create an illusion than your own inner magician?