random thoughts on clothing and gender presentation

[edenfalling]

I've been thinking off and on about this Tumblr post about clothing presentation styles, sorted by both gender impression and level of effort.

I am, by natural inclination, somewhere in the intersection between fox (gender neutral) and sparrow (low effort) -- loose, comfy shirts one or two sizes "too large," relatively loose pants, sneakers or clunky gender-neutral flat shoes, hoodies and/or coats chosen for warmth, plain undergarments chosen for function rather than appearance, etc. -- but everything I wear tends to look feminine because I have super obvious boobs and hips, plus a very female-looking face. This is actually probably why I can get away with relatively gender-neutral outfits and a very short haircut without ever attracting negative attention: everything else about me says "woman" so I have more social leeway.

Well, and I wear dangly earrings (I long ago reached the point where I feel not-quite-dressed if I leave my house without earrings); I carry a bag over my shoulder, which aids the feminine impression even though it's a large and shapeless canvas tote bag rather than a purse; and even though my winter coat is a huge shapeless mass that comes down to my calves and has no waist at all, I still look feminine because I loathe hats and wrap a scarf over my head instead.

In an ideal world, none of those things would necessarily be gender signals, but in this current world they are, so. *sigh*

My work outfits lean more feminine, mostly because it is very hard to find women's casual-professional stuff that isn't fitted/styled. So the shirts are shorter-sleeved, more form-fitting, and often have lower necklines -- thus emphasizing my boobs *deeper sigh* -- and in compensation for their reduced skin coverage, I have taken to wearing dressy indoor scarves around my neck so I don't freeze to death. I still wear the exact same pants and shoes, though, because I am still more interested in the comfort/low effort aspects than in presentation beyond "clean and minimally professional."

I've never gotten into layering (aside from winter outerwear, when it's just good sense) because layering takes effort, if the layers get disarrayed it's like nails on a chalkboard and I hate it, and one of the best ways to prevent disarray is a tight under-layer and I don't like tight clothes. I don't wear button-down shirts, because they gape like fuck over my chest and as previously mentioned, I hate layering. I have been thinking I might want some kind of loose cardigan, though, to supplement the indoor scarves, but I have yet to find one that is a nice neutral color, a non-awful texture, a non-awful shape/design, big enough to be comfy and loose, and still professional-looking enough to wear in an office. (Admittedly, I haven't been looking very hard, but I do check whenever I'm in a clothing store for other reasons.) When I'm at home, I have a powder-blue synthetic fleece vest I use for that purpose (and on casual days I have my black zip-up hoodie), but those are not suitable office-wear, more's the pity.

...

There was no real point to any of that, but I wanted to get my thoughts down in writing so hopefully they will stop popping up distractingly at random moments. *wry*

Comments

[heliopausa]

Is it possible that what you have called a button-down shirt is what I would call a button-up shirt?
If so, what a very pleasing geographical/linguistic difference! (ie since I learned my language use in the hemisphere seen as the antipodes from the one in which you learned your language use.) :D

[edenfalling]

Since I believe that kind of shirt is called both button-down and button-up in America (I am unsure whether the difference is regional or just personal preference), yes, it's probably the same thing. :)