Ya Gotta Have Style!

Being transgender is no easy task; there is a lot to learn and it’s a steep learning curve. When we transition we are literally reinventing ourselves from the ground up; we have to learn things on the go that cis-people have had their entire lives to learn and understand. Not only do we have to learn how to be comfortable with ourselves and figure out our place in life, we also have to deal with practical issues such as how to present as our authentic gender. Our appearance is one of the things we focus on, especially early in our transition, because the reality is that how we look plays a large role in how we are accepted; in other words, whether or not we pass. But passing is more than just about looks, it’s about confidence. There are some things we can change, for instance, through surgery, and there are others which we can’t change and we just have to adapt and manage with what we have. But one of things which we can learn, is fashion. And fashion is more than just the clothes we wear; it’s a statement about who we are. It’s an attitude.

Developing your own unique sense of style takes time, and a lot of it is trial and error; figuring out what doesn’t work is just as important as figuring out what does work. You can learn a lot online and by observing other people, but there is no substitute for actually trying on different outfits and styles and seeing what you like or don’t like, and more importantly, seeing what looks good on your body style. And while it can be a challenge, developing our sense of style should also be something which we have fun with, because most of us had to go through quite a journey to reach the point where we can express who we really are. And it’s not as much about the clothes and makeup and shoes as it is that we now have that option to wear whatever we want and to be our authentic selves. One of the things I enjoy most about being a woman is that I’m able to polish my nails. Something as simple as that is very meaningful for me, along with having long hair. I had to wait over 50 years to be able to transition and reach the point where I could express who I really am, so you can be darn sure I’m going to savor every moment of having polished nails and wearing my hair long!

But as I mentioned earlier, having a sense of style is more than just the clothes and make-up and hair; it’s about who we are on the inside. It’s being confident in who you are and feeling good about yourself. You can wear the most expensive clothes and makeup, but it won’t matter if you don’t have confidence and your own sense of style. I don’t need to be perfectly dressed and made up to feel good about myself. Early in my transition I wouldn’t leave the house without wearing make-up and being perfectly dressed and accessorized because I wasn’t secure enough about myself without all those things; they were my battle armor I needed to venture out. But these days I generally go without make-up and I wear my hair up, and I’m okay with looking frumpy! I still love the opportunity to get all dressed up, but the difference is now it’s my choice; my sense of worth is not determined by what I’m wearing or how I look or worrying about how others perceive me. And that is part of the process as we transition and learn to be comfortable with ourselves; we are all unique and there is no right or wrong way to be trans, just be yourself. The only person you need to please is you! And that brings us back to developing our sense of style. Again, there is no right or wrong way to express who you are and your sense of fashion; the most important thing is to find what works for you! Some people just want to blend in and live their lives, while others want to express their unique style and stand out. So, it’s important to know yourself and what style you’re going for.

When I do clean up and dress nicely I often get comments about the clothes I wear and my sense of style. I doubt I have a better sense of style than anyone else, I’ve just figured out through trial and error what works for me. I understand my body size and shape and know what styles look best on me. Trust me, I’ve spent countless hours inside store dressing rooms looking at myself in the mirror trying to decide if a certain style looked okay on me and figuring out the right size. Like I said, trial and error! There are some styles I’d love to wear but they look terrible on me because of my body type, so I avoid those and instead wear things which accentuate what I do have. Being rather flat chested eliminates a lot of clothing options, but I can get away with small boobs since I’m tall and slim and wear styles which emphasize a slender figure like mine. Basically, I’ve always just worn things that I liked and which I felt looked good on me. I don’t worry about current fashion trends; I tend to stick with the classics which never go out of style. And I’m not overly adventurous when it comes to fashion, I mainly stick with a few certain styles that I know work for me. Also, be aware of your surroundings and dress appropriately for the occasion; you won’t see too many women wearing a little black dress and 5 inch stilettos at the grocery store. Nothing will draw attention to you as quickly as being inappropriately dressed.

Another consideration is cost; it can add up very quickly when you’re trying to build a wardrobe. But you don’t have to buy expensive clothes to look good; I buy a lot of my clothes from stores like Target which have pretty reasonable prices. And when I first began transitioning I shopped at places like Goodwill and found a lot of really nice clothes at bargain prices. Another thing to keep in mind is that even though we all love dresses you have a lot more options with separate tops and bottoms which you can mix and match.

And one last thought: SMILE!!! It drives me crazy how often I see trans women who post pictures of themselves and they’re dressed nicely and have beautifully done hair and makeup, but it’s all for naught because they’re not smiling! A smile goes a long way towards how you look, as does how you move and carry yourself. And not just how we walk, but the overall way we move and carry ourselves. The best way I can describe it is flowing; you want flowing graceful movements, whether it’s walking, reaching for something, or turning around. You can see what I mean if you watch people dance, and in particular ballet; the graceful and elegant way they move. It takes time to develop an awareness of how you move and to be able break old habits and develop new ones. Lots of practice and lots of patience!