Tips on how to Pass, FtM?

For me, I always wear baggy clothes. Depending on your chest size, a baggy shirt can be enough to hide it all. I usually buy a shirt with nothing on it. It's pretty cheap and pretty much all stores have them. If your parents aren't okay with a shirt like that, you could always wear a hoodie. Both boys and girls wear this and it hides the curves. For the pants, I wear baggy sports pants. I think that's mainly guy pants but maybe you can find those in girls' aisle if you really need to. Just to say, I wear this and I pass all the time, so you should be good. (I don't really look ''cool'', though. But I pass.)

 

I usually wear undershirts underneath my t-shirts. This way, the t-shirt does not cling to my skin as much. Also, haircuts help too. You want to go with something that is not too feminine, but not really masculine either. I wear baggier pants, just because I find them more comfortable. They also help hide hips as well.

 

Since I am sort of in the opposite boat as you, I can give a bit of an idea of what I try not to wear, which is basically a compilation of all the types of clothes that make me look more male. Basically, when trying to pass as male, especially when your natural body definitely isn't, the less form-fitting your clothes are, the better (sans kilts and the like (those don't help all that much). When it comes to pants, the straighter the cut is, the better. If you have any male siblings (of similar size) who either wouldn't care, or wouldn't notice if you 'borrowed' a few of their clothes, nab a outfit or two, try them on, see and see what makes you look the most male. If you think that you look more like a man, chances are that others will at least notice that you look more masculine.


About whether you should go straight to dressing completely male, I don't have a definitive answer for you, but I would expect that it would be easier/less awkward for you to acquire male clothing if you were to enter a store dressed relatively androgynously. That would probably just mean something like a baggy shirt, a hoodie and sweats, or something of the sort. It wouldn't be all that fashionable, but at least there wouldn't be too many questions asked.

Finally, above all else, the key to passing is to believe in your self. I mean it. If you are confident that you look like a guy, you will look a lot more like a guy than if you feel that you still look female. It'll make it that much more convincing to the casual passerby.

Hope this helps,
Andrew/Clara

 

Man101 on hipstr- er, Tumblr, is a blog for FtM guys who want to pass.
It has very sound advice on looking masculine. Check it out.
Of course, if you don't act masculine, people will give you odd looks.
I'm not saying you should make your personality make a complete 180, but consistency is important.
Start off neutral, and, if you plan to pass- don't sit with your legs too close together. For guys who aren't trans, and for pre-op trans girls... It hurts like a bitch.

 

Ha! Not necessarily, but for most people with male bits down there it certainly is more comfortable to give them some room, so I would agree that sitting in a way that seems to provide room for your hypothetical junk is a good plan.

 

Uhm, I still have those male bits down there, but I sit most comfortably with my one leg over the other, even hooking that leg's foot behind my other leg. I don't feel anything, for my male bits are simply lying on top of both legs as it were. I'm not saying that spreading the legs doesn't look more masculine, but the reasoning is not entirely correct for everybody.

 

Well, I usually wear slim/skinny men's pants in a dark wash, like deep indigo or black. Baggy pants aren't particularly fashionable, don't seem to hide my curves (not that slimmer pants really do either, but baggy pants tend to look oversized and silly, and make my feet look small) and I'm self-conscious. Though I do have a few pairs of cargo pants actually, and I really like them, but I find it hard to find ones that fit how I like. Other things I wear:

- t-shirts - plain or stripes. I have a few with boxy graphics on them. I like v-necks.
- button-down shirts - I'm small so it's hard for me to find ones that fit well, but when I do I invest. When I don't, I wear the sleeves rolled up a bit, sometimes with a vest, because it looks pretty dapper.
- hoodies/cardigans
- shoes - I just wear chucks. It's impossible to find shoes my size.

From an outside perspective men's fashion doesn't seem to offer much, but it is possible to do it wrong, especially when you don't have the figure naturally. Look at pictures of well-dressed guys online, and try people-watching. The latter is especially good for helping develop the sort of masculine mannerisms that will help you pass with strangers.

Also, pay attention to the little details. Guys wear accessories too. Look at what they wear and how they wear it. Then try and emulate it, see what works with you, and what works against you.

Other things that might help you pass:

- getting the right haircut - go too short and you'll emphasize the softness of your face, go too long and you'll likely look feminine.
- choosing the right glasses if you wear glasses - the last time I picked my frames out, I went with fairly neutral ones (i think, could be wrong).
- shaving your face - i read once that because men either have facial hair or shave, shaving your face to get rid of your peach-fuzz can help you pass, particularly if you're fairly androgynous. it's one of those things people look for to try and gender you. also good practice if you're planning on hrt in the future.
- re-learning your gendered mannerisms - while I firmly believe the binary is a crock of shit, other people seem to put a lot of stock in it. So, learn to take up more space. Walk with a different stride. Swing your hips less. Talk with less inflection in your voice. Cross your legs differently if you cross them at all.
- bind - if you can invest in a proper binder, bind well and bind safely. Never wear your binder for longer than is comfortable, never size down to try and get flatter (it doesn't work), and take binderless days in between to let your chest and back relax. And it goes without saying, but wash your binder pretty frequently too, and air-dry it to help retain its elasticity. If you can't invest in a proper binder, then do not use ace bandages or tape, under any circumstances. Just tough it out and keep looking for a binder.

 

:lol: Guess I made too much of a generalization there. I still have a lot to learn.