Trans Notes

Resources for finding transfemme clothes

Bras

Obviously, one of the most important things to discuss when talking about transfemme clothing is... the bra.

Starter Bras

If you're thinking about or early on in your medical transition, buying a bra can be both a source of euphoria as well as a harbinger of dread. Thankfully for me, I had a cis/femme partner who was willing to work with me and help me with this process. Since not everyone has that luxury, I've put together what we learned for you to use!

The bra I suggest people start with is the "Jockey Generation Women's Seamfree Tank Strap Bralette."

Since you may not have access to the same stores I do, I won't link anything directly. However, in my area, at the time of writing, these can be ordered from Target.

In case this specific model isn't available where (or when!) you are, here are the things I think make it stand out:

  1. It doesn't show under most clothing
  2. The wide elastic bands are comfortable, and they don't "mold" your body as much, so the bra is less likely to squish you and make itself obvious
  3. It has pads (aka 'breast forms') which can be put in if you need more padding for budding breasts, or if it gives you euphoria. Since they're removable, you can leave them out when going out in public to help you stay off the radar for longer
  4. It's sized more like underwear (ie, "Small" to "Extra Large") than it is like bras, so there's less measuring to do
  5. It's stretchy, so if you're still growing, it will continue to fit you. As a point of reference, I went from "basically flat" to "C-cups" in six months, and it's still super comfortable.

My partner actually wears the same size as I do, even though she has F cups(?!).

Sports Bras

I've read a lot of online recommendations for transfemme people that suggest you should start with a sports bra. I don't find them nearly as comfortable, and I feel like they're way more obvious under my clothing. As far as activity goes, in the Jockey bra, I routinely go for walks and even tried jumping on a trampoline with sore boobs, and had no issues.

That said, sports bras are still helpful to have, especially if you're athletic. And you might end up preferring them; everyone's different!

The two sports bras I recommend are:

  • Hanes Women's Racerback Cotton T-Back Bralette - These are made of cotton, and while they're not as comfortable as the Jockey above, they do provide more control.
  • Champion Women's Sports Bra - This one is 95% Nylon and 5% Spandex. It gives the most boob control, but is by far the least comfortable for extended wear. If you absolutely, positively must not bounce, put this on.

Binders

A binder is a kind of chest garment that is intended to minimize the appearance of your breasts. Trans people of all shapes and sizes find them helpful when they want to pass for masc but might have... assets that make the task difficult.

If used improperly, a binder can cause damage to your body. I recommend minimizing the amount of time you spend in a binder, and ensuring that you're comfortable when you're wearing it.

That said, if it's a choice between your safety and being squished for a few hours... well...

The binder I picked out and like is: LGBT UNICORNS Chest Binder (which I found at Amazon)

It's made of a similar material to the vests you'd wear in gym class to tell two teams apart. However, the front has a semi-flexible panel that hides the curves of your breasts. It also applies pressure to flatten them somewhat.

More bra stuff at some point...

Yeah, I'm not quite done talking about bras, so this will probably be updated with other information in the future.

Underwear

The next most tricky thing to solve in the transfemme wardrobe is underwear.

See, a lot of transfemme folks have something in their pants that cis women... don't. One technique for dealing with this is called "tucking." The Trans Lifeline guide to tucking can give you some useful details.

While you don't need special underwear for tucking, it can help. However, it's often quite expensive compared to "normal" underwear. The vendors that I've had recommended to me on several occasions are:

Shoes

Let me get this out of the way - yes, it's true what they say about people with "big feet." We do, indeed, wear big shoes.

My feet are big by human standards, regardless of any sort of gender. When shopping for shoes, I've found a few places I can find my size:

General clothing tips

If you can, try finding a drag group in your region. These are masc people who dress up as the most femme. They know where to buy all sorts of clothes (and shoes, etc) that fit masc frames.

Try out resale shops - they're going to probably have a wider array of sizes than some stores will stock.

Old Navy (in my region of the world) is a great place to shop. I've found lots of inexpensive but stylish clothes there. I can usually browse the women's section without any dirty looks, too. The changing rooms are also gender neutral, so nobody has to know that you're trying on girl stuff in there.

Especially when you're just starting out with girl clothes and don't want to spend a ton, consider shopping at an online t-shirt wholesaler. These places stock shirts (and other pieces of clothing) that are intended to be printed on before they're sold to customers. By shopping at these places, you can pick specific brands that you might not otherwise find in stores. You can also mix-and-match different colors and sizes.

My favorite brand of t-shirt is "Next Level Apparel" - they're super soft and get softer the more they're washed. Look for their "Boyfriend" style.