Take Off Your Clothes | North America's Biggest Clothing Swap!

20 . 01 . 2011

Borrowed from the Boys

by Jennifer Lem

I have what you would call a boyish figure. As such, I often find myself wandering over to the men’s section when I’m out shopping. And I’ve had surprisingly good luck in finding things that actually fit and flatter me. Over the past year or so, I’ve bought at least one men’s shirt, two men’s sweaters, and three men’s t-shirts.

Why do I like men’s clothing so much?

1) I like to be eccentric and contrary.
2) I’m shaped like a boy and have disproportionately large shoulders.
3) Men’s clothing tends to be cut/constructed with more ease room.
4) The colours, fabrics, and durability of men’s basics are generally decent.

Outfit 1: t-shirt (thrifted, $7), trousers (men's, borrowed), leather belt (thrifted, $10); Outfit 2: sweater (men's, borrowed), skirt (thrifted, $10); Outfit 3: sweater (men's), tie-neck blouse (thrifted, $12), trousers (women's), goggles (borrowed)

Bottoms: Sadly, not all men’s clothing can be easily transferred to the other side of the closet. Men’s pants are more difficult for women to wear because of the way the front is constructed. I’ve had to put back many nice pairs of men’s trousers because of the awkward bubble in the you-know-where area. However, if you’re not averse to the paper-bag waist look, you can just cinch up the waist with a belt and all the awkwardness magically disappears into the pleats.

Men’s Accessories: If you’re not keen on wearing men’s clothes, you can still get a lot of mileage out of men’s accessories. Watches, belts, hats, scarves, and suspenders are easy-to-wear items that can add cheekiness to an everyday outfit. I personally wear suspenders about three times a week — not so much for the fashion impact, but because I really dislike how belts feel around my waist. How are you supposed to eat a proper meal with your belly strapped in?

Ladies First: To keep an outfit from looking too masculine, add a couple of overtly feminine elements such as delicate jewellery, red lips, high heels, skinny jeans, a frou-frou skirt, or a nipped-in waist. See examples above.

Have I got you convinced? If so, next time you’re out shopping, thrifting, or swapping, check out the men’s clothes too — then come back and tell me what you found!

Jennifer Lem spent her childhood camping and hiking, mucking about the garden, and occasionally sewing ill-fitting clothing. She now works and volunteers in the non-profit world, runs a blog on environmental and health issues, and has overcome her ineptness with sewing machines. www.thehealthyfootprint.com