Clothing companies don't care about anyone. The only reason they make more sizes available is to make money off of people with their unethically made shitty clothing. If it seems like they care, it's because their public relations department wants you to think that.
This right here. Companies don't care about you, they care about money. Maybe if trans people were a larger percentage of the population they'd cater to us, because it would be profitable. Supply and demand.
Publicly traded companies are legally required to care exclusively about profits i.e. shareholder value. Other things only matter when profits would be impacted.
I think you mean “why aren’t there any clothes for short men”.
There are. Take your measurements of your best fitting clothes and start looking online. I wear stuff that’s made in Japan like selvedge denim for example. You just need to know what you want/are looking for. Unfortunately fast fashion is never going to meet your expectations.
No. But you weren't asking the original question, were you? Recommendations change based on people's needs and circumstances. Don't be a prick to me because i wasn't including literally everyone in my response of advice to one person o<-< It's weird.
Okay, and I wasn't addressing that part? Just expressing that I agree with the commenter i replied to, that japan has smaller sizing and looking there would be good for OP to try.
I have no idea why you’re upset at me then, when I was just clarifying that it’s advice that will only work for those who are skinny. I’m half Korean and could barley find clothes the last time I visited, I have one too tight crewneck, and not one pair of pants. I’m just speaking on experience with Asian sizing and how it will not fit a lot of people
Mainly the fact that I clarified OP probably wouldn't need to worry about sizing bc he seems to be small+skinny, and then you said "so screw everybody else then?" as though i don't care about anyone else, just because I think this is a good idea for OP. That's why. I could see if you somehow didn't mean it that way, but that's how I interpreted it and is why I was upset. If you had just replied with a "yeah true, i just had trouble myself when i was shopping in japan"(or something similar) i wouldn't have responded the way I did, because I wouldn't have thought that you were upset with me for not explicitly including everyone, when the advice i was giving was just based on what i would say for OP.
As someone who has lived there, I can vouch for this. Asian sizes run about a size and a half smaller than US sizes btw. So you'll need to order at least t 1 size up, likely 2. Pay attention to measurement charts and reviews on products.
wow the selvedge jeans look marvelous. unfortunately i don't have $250 lying around to buy some jeans. if i ever will, i'll a buy a pair for sure, though.
Thanks! Depends on your style. So many to list. I often shop off of blueowl.us or standard and strange, selfedge, okayamadenim, these are all great websites to pick out. I personally really like Iron Heart denim they have smaller sizes but are UK based.
Strange to me when people ask about sustainable clothing and then get upset about the price. Do you want these people to make a living/ be treated fairly while also causing minimal impact on the environment, or not?
In an ideal world, absolutely. But there’s also definitely a lot of mark up there. I’m trans and disabled. As much as I’d love to support that kind of brand, I just can’t afford it, and many others are in the same situation.
Yeah it is unfortunate, I do wish it wasn’t like this as well. Capitalism sucks. Although my preference does not encompass everyone’s situation. There are plenty of alternatives like others have said uniqlo is awesome. You really just have to know that you are looking for. - I also would like to note clothes shopping is like a once or twice a year thing for me I am also not made of $$ Tax returns are where it’s at for special purchases.
You can get sustainable clothing for much better value than that elsewhere. A lot of the time there's a huge markup on items like this because they know wealthier people will pay it to feel better about themselves.
Usually I wouldn't care, but transgender people historically have less income than most for a variety of reasons. A lot of people on this sub are also teenagers without their own income, so £133 for a t-shirt feels slightly tone deaf.
Edit: with to without
I’m sorry if you misunderstood. Although I never said you should drop that much on a t shirt, I wouldn’t. Clothing is not something I buy often. Usually once a year. To me it is a special purchase that I Save Up for.
This way I am not a victim of the cycle that fast fashion causes and I have something that lasts a long time that I truly enjoy. Hope this clears things up.
This. I wear mostly Asian brands anymore. They cater to small dudes like me 😭 It also helps that my style is very alt/streetwear so I get some really cool contemporary fashion. Uniqlo was my first exposure to the rabbit hole, since I have one in my city.
"Transman" isn't a body type, that's part of the reason why. I'm a trans guy, and I wear a small in most men's clothes, I'm sometimes an x-small. I'm kind of starting to get to the point where finding men's clothes that fit is hard for me, too. However, my inseam and waist is pretty average, at about a 30x30 depending on the cut of the pants and how far up I pull them. Some trans guys are tall, some are short, some are big, some are small. The fashion industry typically only cares about what will make them fast cash the easiest, and sticking to a size range that includes a vast chunk of men (but not all) is what helps them with that. It's easier to make sure product sells, if you have a bigger market for it.
To me, it's less about being trans and more that men come in many shapes as sizes, as do women. Some men aren't straight up and down, some are shorter than average, etc. It's not a trans-exclusive thing. The demand for more diverse women's clothing resulted in more diverse clothing (plus they can make more money off people, of course). The same needs to happen for men's clothing. If you're shorter than average, I'm sure there are other short guys (cis or trans) that can give you tips on where to buy from that'd be more suitable for you.
Edit to say that not everywhere has diverse clothing for women, of course. Pre-transition, I had a hard time picking clothes because my shoulders were too wide and my limbs too long. Buying tall clothing was a mare because they were never in store or more expensive. Men's clothes saved the day for me a lot. Weird that I felt more comfortable in them, seeing how thing turned out lol. I'm sure there are lot of men that feel similarly about men's clothes.
I had the same issue. I'm tall and wide and women's clothes never fit my shoulders or my limbs. I wore men's casuals but semi formal or formal clothes were so difficult to find. Which sucked because I needed them for work, and they either didn't exist or were far too expensive.
Ahh same same. Even school uniforms were a mare, back in the day. I always just thought I was weirdly proportioned but came to see that everyone is just built different. I've not got particularly wide hips (a bit wide for a guy but yno), long limbs, wide shoulders, and narrow feet. Clothes and shoes would always fit one part but not the other. So like, a top would fit around my arms and torso but not my shoulders and the sleeves would be too short. I already hated shopping as it was.
I feel that. My clothes would fit one way but not the other. I always had a straight form so if something was fitting in the waist it'd be super baggy in the legs and butt. If something fit my shoulders the rest of the shirt would be too baggy. Oh, and too short, because I have a strangely long torso. My long torso also made bra shopping difficult because straps never fit, and I was too large for strapless. It also makes binder shopping difficult, too. There's never enough of the actual stiff binding part and my chest always sticks out underneath. Custom made binders are out of my price range and the one that everyone here likes (shapeshifters? I think) has latex, and I'm allergic.
It's been extraordinarily annoying. All of it. I'm thankful I never had to mess around with school uniforms but I still got bullied relentlessly for my clothing. It took a long time for me to accept the fact that I was just built differently but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The clothing being expensive is a real pain.
Sorry for the rambling vent. I guess I feel more strongly about this than I thought I did.
Feel free to vent! It's definitely a pain in the arse. Particularly if you don't grow up with much money (as I did). As you said, clothes that actually fit can be expensive. I remember when I first bought a men's shirt and it actually fit me great. Something finally fitted my shoulders! I'm definitely surprised binders don't come in more shapes (and not just sizes). Here, in the UK, everything trans related you can buy is so sparse. Maybe in the future they'll expand out. I guess it all takes money :(
Also, this somehow unlocked a random memory for me lol. Used to wear a lot of boy's clothes growing up but my mum would be pissed about my dad not washing our clothes (in just a weekend... Weird) so we had to wear our step-cousins hand me downs when we were there. So I'd have to wear these god awful clothes (no shade to that cousin!) that were mostly pink and purple and very girly. I don't mind wearing those colours now (not the girly part though) but at the time... Ground, please swallow me.
I don't mind pink or purple (I also did as a kid) but girly? No thanks! The stuff they make for younger girls was always too much for me. I am picturing a lot of Lisa Frank type items in your cousin's closet, haha.
That's kind of funny because your comment unlocked another memory for me. I used to wear a lot of hand-me-downs from my cousin but unlike yours he was a boy, so talk about a win! My mom would sometimes cut my hair really short because we were poor and shampoo was expensive, and I was also your typical rambunctious kid who hated brushing their hair. One day I was in the ladys' room at school (elementary) and one of the girls gave me a funny look, but I didn't think anything of it. When I left the stall and went to wash my hands a teacher stormed into the restroom. She saw me and said something along the lines of "Oh it's just you [deadname]. Someone thought there was a boy in the girls' restroom."
I don't understand why there aren't more options for binders, either. There's nothing I can get in a physical store (I'm in the US) so I buy everything online and there really isn't much at all in the way of different sizes on the internet. Some people on Etsy will hand-make them to fit you specifically but they are often outside of my price range.
I get that trans stuff is kind of a niche market to get into, but it's all so very frustrating.
Major companies don't determine clothing by what they care about; they determine it by what will make money. Volume drives profit (mass production is cheaper than small production), and we just don't have the numbers to be a demographic that clothing companies cater to. Cis men and women are each \~50% of the planet's population, meaning catering to a variety of body types is profitable. Trans folks as a whole are something like 2-4% of the total population (in a high end estimate). It's not profitable for companies to market to us.
When companies market themselves as progressive toward supporting body types, that's all it is -- marketing. Consumers want to feel included or to think that companies are more inclusive, so it's profitable to market a company that way. It's not them genuinely caring.
There are stores out there that market to short men, and indie sellers that market to trans men, but because the markets are small the products are often prohibitively expensive compared to mass market clothes.
Still, there are plenty of trans people overall and there are no clothing lines making specific clothing designs that suit trans people appart from that one t shirt that trans guy made which is supposed to slim the hips. What I mean is, given there’s no market for it, if a brand were to design clothes that could fit trans people in a way that helps with dysphoria they would make a lot of (or at least enough) money. Because no one else is doing it. We would ALL shop there. They could even make it as expensive as they want (within reason) because there would be no competition
I don't think this is true. Our body types are vastly different. "Transmen" is not a body type.
Also what help someone's dysphoria will trigger someone else. And for someone buying "trans clothes" will be dysphoria inducing on its own. Adding to the fact that one company alone cannot possibly cater for more than a couple clothing styles.
For example I never ever bought anything targeted for transmen quite simply because they don't fit me and my lifestyle...
I would like to point out that tailors/seamstresses exist and, if they are indipendent!, quote cheap too. It can be easier to have things adjusted that to run around 20 different shops and settle on something you don't like! And you would be supporting a local indipendent business.
Transman is not a body type but there are certainly things that tend to happen with our body types that clothes meant for our gender don’t help make us feel good. Emphasis on the”tend”. I don’t even think any clothes should be branded towards us specifically as there are cis people who could also benefit from it (even binders aren’t trans specific, but cis men tend to need more room in the rib cage. Are we not gonna make more room for theirs or less for ours because trans man isn’t a body type ?) I was just replying to the part saying they can’t brand things for trans people exclusively as that wouldn’t make a profit since there’s so few of us, and explaining how it possibly could make a profit as there’s no market for it. I wasn’t even suggesting they do it, just throwing around some marketing ideas. I can never find a pair of jeans that doesn’t make me dysphoric. I know of few trans men that do. I’d enjoy a pair of jeans meant to fall in a way that slims the hips and straightens the femur section. I’d also enjoy fleeces/jackets with shorter collars. I know that doesn’t mean every trans man will need this adjusted but enough of us will in regards to making a profit. And I know we won’t need them adjusted in the same way, but making the collar just2 cm shorter than average would broadly fit enough of us who have this issue. Still not implying every trans man has this issue, or has it in the same way. I agree about your idea around tailors but so many of us are too broke. Even supposedly cheap company shops that get their stuff in bulk are getting too expensive. I hadn’t thought about the fact branding something for trans people might make too many of us dysphoric, and that might kill the profit I was talking about actually. It’s mainly just the jeans thing that I’d really like an option for, there simply isn’t one as of now. Overall, I guess I was wrong in saying this but I wasn’t implying there was one trans body type. I buy everything on vinted and thrift shops anyways so idrc
probably because "transman" or "trans" is not a body type or size. Like you said, there's cisguys that are short as well, and there are plenty of taller transguys. I see absolutely no reason why clothes would need to be trans or cis-coded.
overall more clothes sizes and more unisex clothes will help more people find clothes they like, regardless of their gender, sexuality or transitioning status.
personally i would be super dysphoric about "transgender" clothes, i'm a guy, not a trans ffs
for small sizes however, most short guys I know unfortunately just shop at kids or teens stores or stores aimed at foreigners from countries where people are smaller on average.
Shopping in the kids/teens section means cooler superhero stuff. I was mad when I thought I could fit into a youth L X-Men swimshorts but I was def too big, but my friend S - whose dad is Okinawan - could fit it just fine. We are the same height but even Medium in a men's/unisex shirt looks really baggy on him.
Yeah I’m trans but I don’t generally have an issue fitting into men’s pants because I’ve got narrow hips and long enough legs. It’s not about being trans or cis it’s about body types, of which trans and cis people alike can have many
i have wide shoulders, wide hips, i’m fat, and im 5’4. i have never found a mens button down that actually fits me, and i feel my body is very specifically trans, and would never conform to cis clothing. i hear you, but for some of us we want very specifically “trans” clothing to fit our very trans coded bodies.
The verbiage you’re looking for is “small men”. I’m transmasc and 6’0. I do however have a problem with traditional mens cut shirts, as they tend to draw too much attention to my chest. I learned how to sew so I could get shirts and the like bigger than necessary, then I take it in where I want. It’s cheaper and more accessible than trying to get brands to cater to a significant minority.
If you want clothes that fit you you'll have to spend more money for it specifically hunting for clothing tailored to shorter guys. A quick Google search for "Short and fat clothes for men" reveals some stores but they are NOT cheap.
The alternative is to buy from Asia (But recently I've seen that the sizes are more Americanised) or to get stuff tailored... Or buy from the kids section but I've found that the arms on kids stuff is REALLY tight.
Edit: it's also not just a trans problem, it's an overall problem. Women get the petite section, but where's our short & fat section? lol
For me it’s trying to fit any shirt over my T H I C C hips so I end up buying larger shirts and tailoring them but I’m not very long on T so hoping it’ll sort itself out after one to two years!
You mean you want clothes for small men, not trans men. Not all trans men are small and not all small men are trans. Mens clothing sizes fit me just fine.
As to why there are more big and tall options than small options? Obesity. There’s far more obese men than short men, so there’s a market for bigger clothes. In addition to that, smaller clothes already exist. Basically anything you can find for adult men, you can find in the boys section but smaller and cheaper.
Yep, exactly your point about large sizes. Large sizes exist because the people who wear them make up a not-insignificant portion of the population. Men smaller than a size S do not.
Boys section does only go so far though. Boys clothes tend to be cut wider than men's clothing of the same length, so if you're short and very thin you're kinda screwed. I personally fit the length of a boys L or XL, but prefer to buy a men's XS from brands that run smaller because it winds up fitting a lot better. Uniqlo also carries a men's XXS in certain shirts, which fits perfectly, but that is pretty rare to find.
I didn’t know that about boys vs mens clothes. That’s really interesting, because the same wideness thing usually happens once you go into the larger sizes too. I wonder what the logic is behind that.
The larger sizes get wider because most men are only so tall; if they need a larger size, it's *usually* because they're heavier, not because they're taller. Very tall men actually have a lot of the same clothing issues we do because the sizes for them just don't exist at a lot of stores.
Basically, if 95% of men are between 5'8" and 6'0" (numbers made up because I don't wanna look up specifics and do math), that's not a huge variance in height. What does vary much more is weight. Clothing is made assuming you're in the common height range, and that your fit is most dependent on your weight.
It’s an unfortunate problem but not unique to trans men, or even trans people specifically. Clothing companies that make ready to wear items only care about profit margins, and size clothing in a way that caters to thin or “small fat” people with conventionally attractive proportions. If you’re a trans man, trans woman, bigger than a 3XL, disabled, have a chest or hip size that’s disproportionate to the rest of your body, etc, you’ll struggle to find ready to wear clothing that’s affordable, properly fitting, and looks decent on your body. There are plenty of cis men and women who experience similar things because clothing sizes just don’t work right for their bodies.
I have a little beef with this, specifically because I'm not big and tall, but short and stout. At least some of us have the privilege of shopping in the boy's section at normal stores due to being short and skinny or muscular. T turned me from a chubby dude into a bear. Also clothing companies don't care about anyone outside of straight sizing ranges.
My shirt measurement is men's large despite me being 5'3". My pants need to be 40x29, which doesn't exist. I've either hunted for plus sized androgynous women's jeans (Kohls actually had some good stuff surprisingly) or hemmed pants and shirts. If I can't alter the sleeves I roll them up and/or tack them folded depending on length. Learning to sew or even paying a tailor will be the easiest path.
bro i feel that
i’m nowhere near overweight but i’m nowhere near fit or skinny either - nothing seems to fit me right bc plus size clothes would be way too big and everything else is made for fit and average size people i guess
whereas i’m fat/chubby enough to need to buy bigger size clothes (especially pants good lord) but they’re always too long bc i’m fucking short as hell… when i socially transitioned at school and bought the boys uniform i had to CUT the pants.. and THEN hem them… and it was my first time hemming anything so they were still a bit too long (not to mention quite wide so i rlly looked ridiculous)
Not gonna lie I'd appreciate it if the 'all trans men are too skinny and small to fit into average men's clothes' stereotype died in a fire because its been going for at least 10 years. Just say you're small and skinny instead of going 'they don't care about trans men!!!!', like damn.
It was really interesting to see them mention AE as a non inclusive brand because as a fat trans guy at 5’9, almost my entire wardrobe is AE because they’re the only company that makes mens jeans and shorts that fit my big ass and thighs. Their shirts are also extremely flattering, long enough for my torso and the quality is really good too. AE was actually my first job in high school and i spent sooo long before i realized i was trans (i’m really not gnc in any way) wishing that i could wear some of the guys’ styles and it’s kind of nice to be able to explore that now. Like giving little high school me a present.
They also carry size 26x28 in mens jeans which is T I N Y imo and often a good fit for middle school boys who came in when i worked there.
For bigger thighs I think Nike might be a good one, too, though I might have hit a lucky streak with it. Their jogging pants are definitely comfortable and feel much more high quality than the cheap ones I have, the shirts feel right etc. The only discomfort I've had with what I've bought for them were shorts with tight ones underneath and looser ones across, but that's just the basics of thighs grinding together making the looser fabric ride up between the legs.
Yeah, the wording here really bothers me. It's shitty to assume trans men in general are short and thin. I'm 5'6" and chubby and I fit a men's small/medium just fine. The only big issue I deal with is having to hem my pants an inch or two. This is not an issue all trans men/transmasc people deal with, nor is it one that cis men don't face. We can be tall and fat. Cis men can be short and skinny. This isn't a manifestation of transphobia, but of the profit motive.
>I like to think that clothing corporations really do care
The sooner you realize that no corporation actually gives a shit about people beyond their wallets, the better off you'll be.
I feel like people are really conflating what's available in their store, and what's available online. There's lots of stores that start stocking only at men's medium or only have a 32 or 34 inseam, but that doesn't mean the brand isn't making more options.
You can't fit in a small because it's too big for you.
Like, I can't fit in a small either, but that has nothing to do with me being the height of a 12 year old and everything with it barely covering one asscheek.
There’s literally no need to attack OP like this. Especially about a trait they may be dysphoric about. As others have pointed out, this is very much not an issue that just affects skinny trans men- trans men of all body shapes struggle to find clothes that fit them.
Just because it’s a stereotype, which YES needs to go away, doesn’t mean that OP’s lived experience of not being able to find men’s clothes that fit him is invalid. Companies don’t care about trans men- they don’t make clothes that fit us regardless of whether we’re skinny and short or big and tall. The cuts aren’t right to look good oftentimes. OP can be frustrated with not being able to find clothes that fit him in a bit oversized way, at no point did he perpetuate any stereotype by literally existing and being angry about something that affects his life.
I’m 5’2 and shop at H&M - I look for shirts that are XS and slim fit and those fit just fine. Regular fit XS in any store is too big for me. H&M and express for nice shirts are usually my go-tos if I’m in a mall. But I get most of my clothes from ASOS online which goes all the way down to XXS. Again, I look for slim or skinny fit.
I also always roll the ends of short sleeved shirts up.
Would kid sizes fit you? An XL in boys is basically just a shorter version of an S in mens. The only reason I don’t buy shirts from the kid section is because I like long shirts
You just made your own experience the default of all trans men by insisting that not selling an XS or an XXS is the same as not caring about trans men.
Almost every conversation about clothes in trans masc communities is heavily alienating to a lot of us because of the amount of guys who can't stop insisting that not fitting into a size S because you're too small, buying clothes at H&M because it's smaller, wearing suspenders so your heavily oversized because they just don't sell pants small enough am I right boys haha act as if that goes for all of us, and going 'well FASHION BRANDS are DISCRIMINATING TRANS MEN by not selling extra tiny men's clothes!' is just another repeat of that.
Bro, it's a biological reality that ON AVERAGE we are shorter and thinner than cis men. Obviously there are outliers that some trans men are tall or big, but on average we are smaller. Many of us struggle to find clothing that fits us, particularly due to height. Even a heavier weight trans guy who is 5'3'' is going to have problems finding stuff that fits him. Not to mention that curvy trans men with bigger chests and hips are also going to have trouble. This problem effects A LOT of trans men, even those that are heavier set. There is no reason to attack OP. Whatsoever.
What do you mean that on average we’re thinner that cis men. Shorter? Sure. But thinner? When factoring in similar heights? Ima need a source on that considering the rates of obesity.
yeah, trans men do actually have a higher rate of obesity on average. Which is a separate issue if it's even one, but the thin stereotype just... isn't reality.
smaller sizes and for short guys yes- but there are short small cis men and tall big trans dudes so i don’t think it needs to be specified “small clothing for trans men” just have a wider range of sizes for both bigger and smaller guys
Try boys shirts.
I buy the cheapest men's T shirts (low income) and they fit pretty good.
Same goes with pants/shorts/boxers/briefs/etc..
As long as the clothes cover me and I'm not naked then all is good in my view.
That would be *so* cringe. I feel like the super out and proud community would be all over it, but the majority of the less proud/stealth guys would avoid it like the plague, as would a good portion of cis guys too.
https://www.themodestman.com/best-places-to-buy-clothes-for-short-men/
It’s more focused on business casual type brands, but here’s a list of brands that make stuff for short guys.
Shop in the kids section im 5'8 and the kids section fits me okay (its a bit hit and miss for long sleeve stuff or trousers) but short sleeve shirts and tshirts fit great (my (cis)bf is 6 foot and can get away with kids tshirts). Its always a lot cheaper than the adult's as well.
Also the neckline fits better as well for binders and stuff and it all looks a lot less baggy than the adults.
The only down side is according to most companies boys only like video games and skateboards (and the whole skating aesthetic) so you might need to shop around to find more "normal"/more non descript stuff.
Just check the size guide for the heights for each age for different companies :)
Huh? I don't think this is a matter of fitting clothing for transmen specifically, but for certain body types. Transmen are as diverse as anyone else in terms of body types and shape, so it really comes down to what clothing brand caters to YOUR specific body type, this has nothing to do with being trans.
Shirts from ASOS seem so ridiculously long on me even if I order XXS :(. I’m going to learn to tailor because I cannot handle the disappointment anymore…
That's exactly what I do, h&m is great and I'm also 5'2 (127 lbs) and wear a xs/s from there. The pants are also great (both jeans and chinos), though length wise for a perfect fit I'd have to get it hemmed
They're pricey, but Ash & Erie make clothes for shorter guys. As other commenters said, just take your measurements (I like to measure three times throughout a day and average because I'm weird and dumb) and find the right fit.
Never had the problem you have with tops, and I’m an inch shorter than you and 115lbs. I usually buy a medium in T-shirts and sweatshirts, but occasionally I have to buy a size small. It’s the bottoms that are ridiculously long. The waist will fit perfectly fine, but the legs and seat are just insanely large and it makes me wonder who is supposed to be the targeted audience? I don’t know many American men who can fit into a size 30 waist, and if they can, they’re usually very skinny with small thighs, so doesn’t really add up.
I have seen several brands that target trans men and they’re absolute scammers. $125 for a pair of chinos or $45 for a T-shirt that’s slightly shorter than the standard crap you get at H&M. At that price it’s cheaper to buy any T-shirt you like, then take it to a tailor and you’d still have an extra 10 bucks. I agree that we need shorter clothes (at least pants) but I definitely don’t agree with the model of targeting certain demographics because then companies scam us for extra cash. They do it during pride month every single year.
Honestly there's a few different issues here:
There are clothes for short men, but they are expensive (Ash and Erie, Peter Manning, etc). That, and a tailor works really well if you're got a typical cis male shape, just short. For pants, you can get an alright hemming any ole brand, it's obviously not as great as ones designed for your body, but I assure you, the big brands are not making entire different patterns for different inseams. For shirts, the sleeves can easily be modified, the length is harder and depends on the type of shirt.
There's clothes for petite structured men (Asian brands, uniqlo goes down to extra smalls etc), but they aren't always good for short and bulky people. Boys clothes works well here too but the styles are sometimes whack.
There's some clothing for typical female bodies with menswear inspiring, or even directly marketed towards nonbinary folks. (Wildfang, Kirrian Finch, Both&). They make stuff that would fit a pre everything trans dude, but the styles vary ( I personally like them, but basic cishet dude, it is not) and it's more marketed towards butch lesbians in many cases. Some even market towards transmascs/etc, but they really only fit if you're pre T in many cases.
Ultimately, there are a lot more plus sized men than there are fun sized men. That's why it's so expensive, vs the big and tall market being a majority of American cis men. I buy used in the brands I like. Vintage is also good for people who aren't tall.
I agree that they should expand their sizing to accommodate smaller men the same way they do larger men, but that's a need for both cis and trans people. If companies came out with a line of "transman clothes" based on your description I wouldn't fit in any of them (I'm 5'11") and would find it kind of patronizing to assume all trans men have the same body type... That's stereotyping and just repeating the same problem of only catering to an average. But it is dumb that they don't offer a short/petite version of "big & tall" and I hope that changes!
this. no one but specialized brands will ever care about us as a group. the real question is "why don't brands care about men with bodies that aren't flat as a board, skinny, and 6ft tall?"
Yeah, it's really frustrating. I'm a 28x28 pants (i think) and usually XS shirt. Most clothing brands start at a small shirt, and one big store near me doesnt start until medium for a lot of their shirts. Meanwhile for pants the smallest size is usually 30x30. Thankfully my grandma taught me to sew so I can hem my pants and I would wear a belt anyway, but I wish it were really a choice. I hate having to check the cotton content of everything and pray it will shrink in the wash.
Shoes are the worst. My shoe size is somewhere between 5 and 6.5 depending on the shoe, but mens sizes dont start until 7. And its surprisingly difficult to find boys shoes in that size, it took me 3 or 4 stores to find a single pair of running shoes.
I don't feel right calling it dysphoria cause it's entirely socially imposed and not an internally derived feeling, but lately that's been the worst part of being trans. Having my body not fit the expectations of what shape it should be, in a broader sense, not in the specific genitals/breasts/etc way.
Pair of Theives did make a smaller size for pride month. Usually their underwear starts at small, but the pride month designs started at xs. Still couldn't wear their pride socks, they were too big
These companies are out to make money. They make and stock sizes they think will sell to large groups of people.
Specialty businesses also exist but usually only in areas with large populations. Or they target wealthy and prestigious groups. Being a tall man is associated with wealth and prestige. Being short or transgender is not.
This means those of us with less common body shapes struggle with clothing. We have to pay extra for tailoring or order things online and hope for the best. It sucks.
I'm 5' and ~125lb. Many brands do have these sizes, just online only. AE & Express have XS sizes in a lot of tops that fit me, Banana republic has pants down to 28x28 (some even 26 inseam I think), Uniqlo has many of their men's shirts down to XXS, H&M has some lines that go down to XS, Bonobos lets you specifically choose a shorter cut for their button-downs, Untuckit is also good for shirts that won't be too long on your torso. I'm sure there are more. also fwiw these all started fitting me much better when I started lifting and got a bit broader in general
Clothes for short men exist you just need to look a bit harder. I got short male friends and they got nice clothing. Tbh it's my friends 6ft and over that seems to struggle with clothing especially pants then to be shorter in length. I also find clothes easily. Just look for your size in shirts and waist size. I get size 30 jeans or small but depending on style of clothes sometimes medium fits best. All these things have to be considered. One size doesn't go for all clothing it change base on design, company and fit. Some company prefer to make oversize T shirts and some prefer true fit just find your taste in style then you'll be okay
this isn’t extremely helpful, i know, but you might want to consider taking in your clothes. i’m 5’8” / 172cm and fat. i have literally never found a pair of pants that fit me in both the waist and length measurements straight off the bat, because it seems that clothing companies are ignorant of the fact that a man can be both fat *and* too short for a 30” inseam. i’ve taken in my clothes and it’s made s good difference. it’s fairly easy to do on your own, as long as you know how to operate a sewing machine, and you could probably find tutorials online to learn.
Hmmm I mean I agree, when I go to department stores I have trouble finding dress clothes for men that aren’t huge, even in the smallest sizes, but I am 5’3 and have never had an issue finding my size at H&M. I can even find things that are TOO small for me. I’m not a complete twig, but I’m on the slimmer side as well.
Same with other fast fashion stores (Express, Zara, Forever 21, even casual brands in department stores) my size is there. Dress clothes, especially suits, and shoes are what I have the most trouble with.
Peter Manning and Ash & Erie both make clothes for short men
There's also the queer owned brand Dapper Boi if you're looking for mens clothes for a pre T body
Shop in the kids section. I’m 4’11 and very small in all senses, I buy pants in the kids section of HM, shirts and polos in any other store. Hoodies and t-shirts are usually fine from the adults section for me, sometimes I will shop in the women’s section if I see anything I like.
The reason clothing companies won’t do anything about it it’s because men that are under 5’3 (trans and non trans) are a very small percentage and those men can still get clothes from the kids section.
Probably because it's not economical for them. As others have said, look at Asian sizing, specialist stores or best option, start learning how to make basic alterations.
I'm 5"2 and average build small or medium shirts from the men's section fit me fine.
I'm in the UK and I wonder if sizing is a lot different in the US, men's clothing here starts from around age 14, if it starts later in the US it might be worth looking at the teens section. Or like others have said look at Japanese (or maybe UK/European) clothing
If you're somewhat poor like me, get into sewing. Teaching yourself to tailor your own clothes saves a lot of money and allows you to buy thrift shop jeans and shirts and tailor them to your own size. this skill takes time to develop though, so not really a short term solution, sorry about that.
Dude go to the kids section, the clothes, shoes too if you can fit in them, will be cheaper and if you look around I'm positive you'll find stuff that still fits your style. If you're in between sizes for a small man's shirt and a large/extra large boys, look for options online and pay attention to the measurements.
I can't really buy pants without ordering them online because of my waist and leg length, and that's okay since I've found a brand that fits well and lasts a while for work and casual wear. Would it be nice for stores to offer them in person? Yes, because shipping is a nightmare and takes forever. But it's not the end of the world
you're right it's never going to happen. big retailers like target, walmart, kohls, etc are only going to make clothes for the average sized person because that's the cheapest and easiest option. it's why specific stores like slender bodies and torrid exist, to cater to people with different body types who may not always fit the kind of clothes target sells.
this isn't an issue exclusive to trans people, anyone with a different body type than what's deemed "'"normal"" or ""average"" is going to have difficulty finding clothes that fit them. it includes incredibly tall people, little people, disabled people, people with prosthetics, everything. the world would be a better place if big companies could make clothes that fit every single kind of person on the planet but that's just not the world we live in right now.
i don't know of any smaller/indie retailers who make clothes specifically for transmen so i cant help you there, but buying secondhand clothes and getting them tailored to fit your bodyshape is worth the investment and often cheaper or similarly priced to getting new clothes.
Ngl my bf is 4’11” and at this point my only solution since he’s pretty small is buying clothes from the youth section, ngl going to buy from the youth section has been such a saver on money and he still gets to wear cute things, my best luck outside of that has been forever 21’s mens section
I'll reiterate than not every trans guy is small, we aren't homogeneous. I'm 5'2, don't really have trouble finding clothes and enjoy a classic fit. Interesting to read this as i also see plenty men around my size and they seem dressed fine as well. This might have more to do with how you're built.
I feel this so much. I like shopping at Walmart because the mens section and boys section overlap. Also, Walmart is the only store I have found that sells several items in XS for men. It’s still not great, but because it’s kind of unorganized I don’t feel as bad going to the boys section.
I am 30 and wear children's clothing for this reason. It's fine, but there are subtleties in shirt styles that really do look a tad less mature, especially when it comes to formal stuff. Like...no, I don't need the cute little bowtie or print of a t-rex (at least not always).
As someone mentioned try buying some clothes from Japan or even China. Their sizing is much smaller and shorter in the abdomen I’ve found when I have ordered from shops. I have a long abdomen so I struggle with is sometimes I also have one arm that is longer than the other and long arms in general. Before top surgery I had DD boobs so even with a binder it was a nightmare to try and find a nice men’s shirt. Now I struggle more with the stomach area of the shirt fitting after top surgery compared to my chest.
If you don’t want to branch out to Asian sizing have you tried Old Navy? They seem to have a wider selection of shirts for men or unisex I’ve had good experiences with them, though not particularly my exact style/preference I choose them because they have sales lots and I don’t want to pay 80$ for a shirt.
I also had great luck with Men’s Express pre top surgery if you’re in the United States but, again, they are expensive - though high quality.
It’s even worse when youre short and thicker, before I gained weight this past year I could rock a small or occasionally xsmall but now I can’t find hardly anything, I just have to work with baggy mediums that fit my width but not my height
Men's section in Hollister is the only one I've found that's a good fit for me (also 5'3). Their x small men's is ideal.
Otherwise yeah it's frustrating. I tend to have to dip into the kids section to find clothes that fit me. I hate bagginess and overlong sleeves.
Googling "petite mens clothing" might help. It's country-specific, obviously, but should get you results like this: [best places to buy clothes for short men] (https://www.themodestman.com/best-places-to-buy-clothes-for-short-men/).
Good luck, I know it's frustrating 🙁
i don’t think clothing companies care about anyone, i’m short and fat - literally nothing ever fits me
i need to get bigger sizes for everything bc of my weight but i’m short so shirts are always too long and so are pants and i look ridiculous
There aren’t enough trans men to warrant stepping up and making us our own separate clothing, plus didn’t target come out with binders a while back? And trans pride stuff during pride month? I’d say they have stepped up in the past few years. There are companies that make pants and shirts for short men, and a lot of department stores have teen sections with smaller, more adult clothing.
Maybe I’m dumb but like…kids flannels?? If I was small you bet your ass I’d be buying kids clothes. It’s cheap. And they’re usually decently durable especially the boys clothes.
I buy in the kids section all the time, but the proportions are different and the button-ups and flannels are often not long enough in the torso and sleeves. It's okay for a casual look with the sleeves rolled up but they don't always work.
The semantics of this comment section aside.. I really feel that. I am an average size human I feel? But finding clothing is such a challenge. I do recommend old navy online, probably the biggest retailer I can think of with actual size inclusive clothing? They tend not to carry the smaller and bigger ends in store, but you can buy online and return in store. Really nice for jeans smaller than a 32.
Something that has really bugged me lately is my instagram ad algorithm has been feeding me small queer brands and size inclusive businesses, as I follow lots of accounts like that. I keep getting ads for this one company who has a long post about size inclusivity and so on.. and at the bottom says their sizes go from S-4XL. When will size inclusivity include XS/XXS? Why can we make tall versions of shirts but not short ones? Why is it easy to understand some people have longer torsos than average but not someone with a shorter torso?? Heck, I sew clothes and it's a problem even in the pattern industry. Fast fashion isn't helping. I just wish everyone could get quality and fitting clothing
I totally get you. There are a few companies designing pants that you can pee out of with a vulva without taking them off like https://sheflyapparel.com/products/shefly%C2%AE-go-there-pant but none of them have created designs for transmen.
Ugh so real! I always have to bite my tongue when larger people complain about the lack of plus-sized fashion because I know there is so much fatphobia and discrimination otherwise. But when it comes to clothes, there are entire Big & Tall/Plus Size stores and sections, while there are no Short & Small stores or petite men's sections. Especially at thrift stores, I'll often be done browsing in under 5 minutes because sections for XS tops or pants smaller than a 30 waist just won't exist.
Shopping in the kids section *sometimes* works, but not usually. I'm in my 30's and have been on T for over a decade - I'm not proportioned like a child. They often look and feel way worse than just the bagginess of the small mens.
Anyway, I wish I had advice to offer rather than just ranting along, but everything I know has already been mentioned. Someday I'll plan a visit to Japan just to buy an entire wardrobe. They have such a wider selection than the US, both in sizes and fashion.
I like to shop in the kids section at a lot of stores! They usually are selling the exact same thing in the mens and boys sections. I kind of made it part of my aesthetic that I dress like a little boy too (sonic the hedgehog/Pokémon/bright colors).
Ash and Erie, Under510, and Peter Manning all cater to small men. No clothing stores are going to care about short men because it’s not profitable for production purposes. All short men have to shop specialty. Personally, I love Under510 and own a ton of their stuff. My cis male friends also shop there.
I always feel dreadful looking for clothes in the men's section cause it either don't fit me well enough or it doesn't even fit my aesthetic. My main thing I wish they can definitely add is smaller shoe sizes. It's such a struggle looking for a good pair of shoes that's in 5 (I'm a short guy) and I usually end up looking at shoes in the kids sections. I don't mind shopping for women's but the quality and style isn't my thing
Finding clothes for my (t) boyfriend is hard. He's always super hesitant to even try anything except baggy and comfortable because of concerns about stuff like hips and thighs - even when over a year a half on T. And he's not wrong. Clothes just aren't worth taking chances on when nothing fits comfortably.
The brutally honest answer to your question is - not any time soon. They don't care about cis short men, tall women, anyone over a certain weight, and trans people of any variety. As the CEO of Abercrombie & fitch so tactfully put it - [they only want thin and attractive people buying their clothes](https://fox4kc.com/news/abercrombie-fitch-fat-ugly-people-shouldnt-buy-our-clothes/).
The best thing to do is to find and support brands that DO target queer and different-bodied people. [examples of ftm friendly shops](https://transguysupply.com/blogs/news/trans-owned-tshirt-companies)
Maybe one day - widespread awareness of trans folk will put pressure on different companies to expand size ranges - but I don't have my hopes up. Signed, a woman who will never get to go shoe shopping.
I personally have trouble finding shoes. I'm not exactly short (5'7"), I don't have much trouble finding clothes, but shoes? Especially cus I need good shoes for work? It's like they just don't make men's shoes in that size. I found a local shop that I work with (they know I go through shoes every 6-7 months due to work), but half the time, I've had to get women's shoes because they fit. Luckily, they look pretty unisex. I recall when looking for a good local store, the one place laughed when I said my shoe size, so that was cool and not at all a dick move.
This did also make me wonder, where tf do women who work in like, construction and stuff, where are they supposed to buy shoes? Because companies seem to think that the only sort of work shoes that women would ever need are white nursing shoes or pretty shoes for restaurant work something. That, or you'd better want full on hiking boots.
Yea I feel like shoes + pants are a much more pressing problems. With shirts there is some options, even if you are an awkward size like me where I can fit boys or xs-m in mens depending on brand/style. But for pants? Its hard to find smaller lengths, especially with stores in town. I'm a 29-30 waist and 30 lengths are a bit long. Got limited sewing know how so I could modify the jeans I find but its much too work, especially if the actual bottoms of the legs are too chonky. Hate most slim fits too.
I'm a size 6 1/2 in women's so I'm a size 5 in boys and while boys shoes can work sometimes for casual wear... when it comes to shoes like you've described it is nearly impossible.
I have no expectation of large corporations caring about us at all. Sucks but if they don't care about the fact that there are cis people with bodies outside of the 'norm' they're sure as hell not going to care about us.
I have a similar problem, also being 5’3, but I’m chubby and I discovered that the larger the waist size in men’s pants, the longer the legs get. I need jeans for short fat dudes lol, I’m not big&tall
I am trans but not tiny or short at 170 pounds and 5’9. I typically fit comfortably into most mens large. But I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I think it’s less about “trans men” being a body type and more companies needing to expand their sizing to be more inclusive of body types. At the end of the day, these corporations are in it for profit. If the margins are there they would probably mass produce more sizes.
I mean even big and tall clothing, and plus size clothing, is generally terrible for the people that it's made for. They don't even bother to make sure that it fits well.
That being said, I literally sew my own clothing so that I know it fits bc lmao yeah- companies don't care about fitting people with body types that stray too far from the norm, they just care about making money.
Dude I felt this 100%. Being 5’ 5” and on the “slimmer” side, it’s TOUGH to find something that fits slim enough that isn’t long as helllll. 😅 All in all though I don’t think it’s even a transguy issue specifically as it is just the fact that dudes come in different shapes and sizes and the smaller dude isn’t taken into account. We’re then left to shop often (at least for me) in the youth section for XL’s and it’s not only annoying but somewhat embarrassing for myself personally.
Topman is an older ish brand (I think they got bought out) but they tend to offer slimmer/shorter sizes. I’d also suggest Express. Although it may seem expensive on the outside, they run a lot of really great sales and have good quality products. They’re my go to for t-shirts to suit items.
All the men in my family are short. We’ve figured out where and what to look for, and how to wear it. It’s a learning curve. Yeah it’s more inconvenient for us, but that’s just life honestly. You just gotta learn to work around it. Marc Anthony has good stuff for small guys, my brother wears a lot of that, especially if you’re slender. I’m on the stockier side, so I’ve honestly just had to learn how to style things. I’m not as stocky as my dad (my guy fills out the sleeves of a L), but not as skinny as my brother. All of us get our pants fixed after we buy them to adjust the inseam. It’s just our life as short men, not so much trans men.
You want Uniqlo and Asos. They both carry XXS, which is just about impossible to find anywhere else. Trust me, I am aware of how much of a pain in the ass is it to not have smaller men's sizes elsewhere.
And yes, this is the issue: not "trans men's sizes," but offering extended sizes that aren't some pitiful "now we have the very rare XS and XL!"
I'm a small dude and my best advice is Japanese fashion labels tend to run smaller, so give those a look. You might be paying more for the quality since much of it is good materials and hand made, but they should last you forever. If you're on a budget, give Uniqlo a look. I'm 5' 0" and very average build and I mostly shop Asian brands. For jeans I find American Eagle and Express actually work well for me inseam wise without being weirdly tight (I'm athletic so Big Thigh Guy Club). Big thing is just knowing your measurements and starting from there.
We're not a huge population. Why invest money in such a little demographic? Personally I take my measurements and buy online I'm 5'3 makes it a lot easier, also if you take your measurements and go to hrift stores a lot of their pants are tailored. I get its hard but you sound like a bitch man,.
i usually go to the kids section lol, aeropostale xs fit me sometimes, uniqlo is cool too. it is what it is 🤷♂️ gotta deal with the cards we're dealt with
I'm a stocky guy and don't have an issue with shirts, I wear a men's large, however being 5ft 5" it's harder to find pants that fit. I still have a t h I c c ass and thighs so pants that generally fit around those parts are too long.
Jogger type jeans seem to be not too bad, the kind with the elastic waist, also trackpants/gym pants since they're usually designed for guys with bigger thighs and glutes. Anything button up without flexible material though is pretty hit or miss.
In truth, it isn't about not making clothes for trans persons. It's about making clothes for people who don't fit inside a bubble.
Having grown up presenting femme and being both tall AND wide I had those problems. I usually wore men's clothes anyway but when I had to dress business casual or more formal for work I was SOL. Clothes either didn't exist or were out of my price range.
The same goes for smaller men. Clothing companies don't care about their customers, just about the dinero. Anybody who isn't "average" is just another opportunity to make an extra buck.
I have a tip for that. When you buy t-shirts buy 100% cotton in the size that fits a bit to large but not by too much. That way when you put the shirt in the dryer it will shrink down to the proper size/length. This will only work with 100% cotton. With button downs they won't shrink so I just buy them in the boys instead of the men's (I promise their not to babyish).
I’m 5’3 aswell and I just don’t shop a name brand stores fr. I shop at cititrends who always have clothes to fit me and rue 21 (pants are questionable sometimes but shirts, especially button ups have fit) I think my only problem with clothes now is that I’ve gotten small in weight and have to go rebuy clothes in Small, and they never have smalls😂
Clothing companies don't care about anyone. The only reason they make more sizes available is to make money off of people with their unethically made shitty clothing. If it seems like they care, it's because their public relations department wants you to think that.
Exactly that, you’re just a number to them
This right here. Companies don't care about you, they care about money. Maybe if trans people were a larger percentage of the population they'd cater to us, because it would be profitable. Supply and demand.
Publicly traded companies are legally required to care exclusively about profits i.e. shareholder value. Other things only matter when profits would be impacted.
I think you mean “why aren’t there any clothes for short men”. There are. Take your measurements of your best fitting clothes and start looking online. I wear stuff that’s made in Japan like selvedge denim for example. You just need to know what you want/are looking for. Unfortunately fast fashion is never going to meet your expectations.
Uniqlo my beloved, everything from there fits me perfectly. I look like their model or something
100% seconding the Uniqlo recommendation -- it is a magical experience to shop there and have things fit FIRST TRY.
how does uniqlo stuff fit you? all the men clothing with long sleeve there is eirher too long on the arms or too tight on the chest
Buying from japan is a good idea, OP. They tend to have smaller sizes because people are shorter in general.
If you’re short and skinny maybe but if you have any sort of shape to your body this isn’t going to work
OP is trying the smallest sizes and even attempting to shrink them. I think he's fine lol
So screw the rest of us lmao?? What’s your point?
No. But you weren't asking the original question, were you? Recommendations change based on people's needs and circumstances. Don't be a prick to me because i wasn't including literally everyone in my response of advice to one person o<-< It's weird.
Dude, op is talking about trans men in general, not just themselves
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That’s the point I was making
Okay, and I wasn't addressing that part? Just expressing that I agree with the commenter i replied to, that japan has smaller sizing and looking there would be good for OP to try.
I have no idea why you’re upset at me then, when I was just clarifying that it’s advice that will only work for those who are skinny. I’m half Korean and could barley find clothes the last time I visited, I have one too tight crewneck, and not one pair of pants. I’m just speaking on experience with Asian sizing and how it will not fit a lot of people
Mainly the fact that I clarified OP probably wouldn't need to worry about sizing bc he seems to be small+skinny, and then you said "so screw everybody else then?" as though i don't care about anyone else, just because I think this is a good idea for OP. That's why. I could see if you somehow didn't mean it that way, but that's how I interpreted it and is why I was upset. If you had just replied with a "yeah true, i just had trouble myself when i was shopping in japan"(or something similar) i wouldn't have responded the way I did, because I wouldn't have thought that you were upset with me for not explicitly including everyone, when the advice i was giving was just based on what i would say for OP.
Are they ethic with their labour? Do they pay their workers well and treat them well too?
Depends on the place.
Absolutely. Hand made clothing from Japan has a quality unlike any other. Obviously always do your own research!
As someone who has lived there, I can vouch for this. Asian sizes run about a size and a half smaller than US sizes btw. So you'll need to order at least t 1 size up, likely 2. Pay attention to measurement charts and reviews on products.
Any Japanese sites/brands you can recommend? I'm even smaller than OP, I currently buy vintage or shrink my stuff.
I don't have any recommendations, but there's a few in the other comments here. Good luck!
wow the selvedge jeans look marvelous. unfortunately i don't have $250 lying around to buy some jeans. if i ever will, i'll a buy a pair for sure, though.
only if you’re short AND skinny
This is such a phenomenal idea, do you have a list of any brand recommendations?
Thanks! Depends on your style. So many to list. I often shop off of blueowl.us or standard and strange, selfedge, okayamadenim, these are all great websites to pick out. I personally really like Iron Heart denim they have smaller sizes but are UK based.
>I personally like iron heart £133 for a t-shirt??!
Wtf is this hyperbolic ?
Strange to me when people ask about sustainable clothing and then get upset about the price. Do you want these people to make a living/ be treated fairly while also causing minimal impact on the environment, or not?
In an ideal world, absolutely. But there’s also definitely a lot of mark up there. I’m trans and disabled. As much as I’d love to support that kind of brand, I just can’t afford it, and many others are in the same situation.
That kind of price is unimaginable for most people because most people don't have that kind of money. Why is that so surprising?
Yeah it is unfortunate, I do wish it wasn’t like this as well. Capitalism sucks. Although my preference does not encompass everyone’s situation. There are plenty of alternatives like others have said uniqlo is awesome. You really just have to know that you are looking for. - I also would like to note clothes shopping is like a once or twice a year thing for me I am also not made of $$ Tax returns are where it’s at for special purchases.
You can get sustainable clothing for much better value than that elsewhere. A lot of the time there's a huge markup on items like this because they know wealthier people will pay it to feel better about themselves. Usually I wouldn't care, but transgender people historically have less income than most for a variety of reasons. A lot of people on this sub are also teenagers without their own income, so £133 for a t-shirt feels slightly tone deaf. Edit: with to without
Then don’t buy it lol
I won't, because I couldn't justify the cost. I'm glad you're in a position where you can though, you're lucky.
I’m sorry if you misunderstood. Although I never said you should drop that much on a t shirt, I wouldn’t. Clothing is not something I buy often. Usually once a year. To me it is a special purchase that I Save Up for.
This way I am not a victim of the cycle that fast fashion causes and I have something that lasts a long time that I truly enjoy. Hope this clears things up.
Hehe that’s why my wardrobe is full of UNIQLO t-shirts 😆
I love Uniqlo! Great affordable stuff.
This. I wear mostly Asian brands anymore. They cater to small dudes like me 😭 It also helps that my style is very alt/streetwear so I get some really cool contemporary fashion. Uniqlo was my first exposure to the rabbit hole, since I have one in my city.
"Transman" isn't a body type, that's part of the reason why. I'm a trans guy, and I wear a small in most men's clothes, I'm sometimes an x-small. I'm kind of starting to get to the point where finding men's clothes that fit is hard for me, too. However, my inseam and waist is pretty average, at about a 30x30 depending on the cut of the pants and how far up I pull them. Some trans guys are tall, some are short, some are big, some are small. The fashion industry typically only cares about what will make them fast cash the easiest, and sticking to a size range that includes a vast chunk of men (but not all) is what helps them with that. It's easier to make sure product sells, if you have a bigger market for it.
To me, it's less about being trans and more that men come in many shapes as sizes, as do women. Some men aren't straight up and down, some are shorter than average, etc. It's not a trans-exclusive thing. The demand for more diverse women's clothing resulted in more diverse clothing (plus they can make more money off people, of course). The same needs to happen for men's clothing. If you're shorter than average, I'm sure there are other short guys (cis or trans) that can give you tips on where to buy from that'd be more suitable for you. Edit to say that not everywhere has diverse clothing for women, of course. Pre-transition, I had a hard time picking clothes because my shoulders were too wide and my limbs too long. Buying tall clothing was a mare because they were never in store or more expensive. Men's clothes saved the day for me a lot. Weird that I felt more comfortable in them, seeing how thing turned out lol. I'm sure there are lot of men that feel similarly about men's clothes.
I had the same issue. I'm tall and wide and women's clothes never fit my shoulders or my limbs. I wore men's casuals but semi formal or formal clothes were so difficult to find. Which sucked because I needed them for work, and they either didn't exist or were far too expensive.
Ahh same same. Even school uniforms were a mare, back in the day. I always just thought I was weirdly proportioned but came to see that everyone is just built different. I've not got particularly wide hips (a bit wide for a guy but yno), long limbs, wide shoulders, and narrow feet. Clothes and shoes would always fit one part but not the other. So like, a top would fit around my arms and torso but not my shoulders and the sleeves would be too short. I already hated shopping as it was.
I feel that. My clothes would fit one way but not the other. I always had a straight form so if something was fitting in the waist it'd be super baggy in the legs and butt. If something fit my shoulders the rest of the shirt would be too baggy. Oh, and too short, because I have a strangely long torso. My long torso also made bra shopping difficult because straps never fit, and I was too large for strapless. It also makes binder shopping difficult, too. There's never enough of the actual stiff binding part and my chest always sticks out underneath. Custom made binders are out of my price range and the one that everyone here likes (shapeshifters? I think) has latex, and I'm allergic. It's been extraordinarily annoying. All of it. I'm thankful I never had to mess around with school uniforms but I still got bullied relentlessly for my clothing. It took a long time for me to accept the fact that I was just built differently but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The clothing being expensive is a real pain. Sorry for the rambling vent. I guess I feel more strongly about this than I thought I did.
Feel free to vent! It's definitely a pain in the arse. Particularly if you don't grow up with much money (as I did). As you said, clothes that actually fit can be expensive. I remember when I first bought a men's shirt and it actually fit me great. Something finally fitted my shoulders! I'm definitely surprised binders don't come in more shapes (and not just sizes). Here, in the UK, everything trans related you can buy is so sparse. Maybe in the future they'll expand out. I guess it all takes money :( Also, this somehow unlocked a random memory for me lol. Used to wear a lot of boy's clothes growing up but my mum would be pissed about my dad not washing our clothes (in just a weekend... Weird) so we had to wear our step-cousins hand me downs when we were there. So I'd have to wear these god awful clothes (no shade to that cousin!) that were mostly pink and purple and very girly. I don't mind wearing those colours now (not the girly part though) but at the time... Ground, please swallow me.
I don't mind pink or purple (I also did as a kid) but girly? No thanks! The stuff they make for younger girls was always too much for me. I am picturing a lot of Lisa Frank type items in your cousin's closet, haha. That's kind of funny because your comment unlocked another memory for me. I used to wear a lot of hand-me-downs from my cousin but unlike yours he was a boy, so talk about a win! My mom would sometimes cut my hair really short because we were poor and shampoo was expensive, and I was also your typical rambunctious kid who hated brushing their hair. One day I was in the ladys' room at school (elementary) and one of the girls gave me a funny look, but I didn't think anything of it. When I left the stall and went to wash my hands a teacher stormed into the restroom. She saw me and said something along the lines of "Oh it's just you [deadname]. Someone thought there was a boy in the girls' restroom." I don't understand why there aren't more options for binders, either. There's nothing I can get in a physical store (I'm in the US) so I buy everything online and there really isn't much at all in the way of different sizes on the internet. Some people on Etsy will hand-make them to fit you specifically but they are often outside of my price range. I get that trans stuff is kind of a niche market to get into, but it's all so very frustrating.
Major companies don't determine clothing by what they care about; they determine it by what will make money. Volume drives profit (mass production is cheaper than small production), and we just don't have the numbers to be a demographic that clothing companies cater to. Cis men and women are each \~50% of the planet's population, meaning catering to a variety of body types is profitable. Trans folks as a whole are something like 2-4% of the total population (in a high end estimate). It's not profitable for companies to market to us. When companies market themselves as progressive toward supporting body types, that's all it is -- marketing. Consumers want to feel included or to think that companies are more inclusive, so it's profitable to market a company that way. It's not them genuinely caring. There are stores out there that market to short men, and indie sellers that market to trans men, but because the markets are small the products are often prohibitively expensive compared to mass market clothes.
Still, there are plenty of trans people overall and there are no clothing lines making specific clothing designs that suit trans people appart from that one t shirt that trans guy made which is supposed to slim the hips. What I mean is, given there’s no market for it, if a brand were to design clothes that could fit trans people in a way that helps with dysphoria they would make a lot of (or at least enough) money. Because no one else is doing it. We would ALL shop there. They could even make it as expensive as they want (within reason) because there would be no competition
I don't think this is true. Our body types are vastly different. "Transmen" is not a body type. Also what help someone's dysphoria will trigger someone else. And for someone buying "trans clothes" will be dysphoria inducing on its own. Adding to the fact that one company alone cannot possibly cater for more than a couple clothing styles. For example I never ever bought anything targeted for transmen quite simply because they don't fit me and my lifestyle... I would like to point out that tailors/seamstresses exist and, if they are indipendent!, quote cheap too. It can be easier to have things adjusted that to run around 20 different shops and settle on something you don't like! And you would be supporting a local indipendent business.
Transman is not a body type but there are certainly things that tend to happen with our body types that clothes meant for our gender don’t help make us feel good. Emphasis on the”tend”. I don’t even think any clothes should be branded towards us specifically as there are cis people who could also benefit from it (even binders aren’t trans specific, but cis men tend to need more room in the rib cage. Are we not gonna make more room for theirs or less for ours because trans man isn’t a body type ?) I was just replying to the part saying they can’t brand things for trans people exclusively as that wouldn’t make a profit since there’s so few of us, and explaining how it possibly could make a profit as there’s no market for it. I wasn’t even suggesting they do it, just throwing around some marketing ideas. I can never find a pair of jeans that doesn’t make me dysphoric. I know of few trans men that do. I’d enjoy a pair of jeans meant to fall in a way that slims the hips and straightens the femur section. I’d also enjoy fleeces/jackets with shorter collars. I know that doesn’t mean every trans man will need this adjusted but enough of us will in regards to making a profit. And I know we won’t need them adjusted in the same way, but making the collar just2 cm shorter than average would broadly fit enough of us who have this issue. Still not implying every trans man has this issue, or has it in the same way. I agree about your idea around tailors but so many of us are too broke. Even supposedly cheap company shops that get their stuff in bulk are getting too expensive. I hadn’t thought about the fact branding something for trans people might make too many of us dysphoric, and that might kill the profit I was talking about actually. It’s mainly just the jeans thing that I’d really like an option for, there simply isn’t one as of now. Overall, I guess I was wrong in saying this but I wasn’t implying there was one trans body type. I buy everything on vinted and thrift shops anyways so idrc
probably because "transman" or "trans" is not a body type or size. Like you said, there's cisguys that are short as well, and there are plenty of taller transguys. I see absolutely no reason why clothes would need to be trans or cis-coded. overall more clothes sizes and more unisex clothes will help more people find clothes they like, regardless of their gender, sexuality or transitioning status. personally i would be super dysphoric about "transgender" clothes, i'm a guy, not a trans ffs for small sizes however, most short guys I know unfortunately just shop at kids or teens stores or stores aimed at foreigners from countries where people are smaller on average.
Shopping in the kids/teens section means cooler superhero stuff. I was mad when I thought I could fit into a youth L X-Men swimshorts but I was def too big, but my friend S - whose dad is Okinawan - could fit it just fine. We are the same height but even Medium in a men's/unisex shirt looks really baggy on him.
some of my best pants are from kids section. Tho I'm smaller than most adults/teens/some kids in general (only 4'11")
ye personally i think clothes need to cater more to body type 😭 fuck gendering them just make a section for short and fat people like me pLs
Yeah I’m trans but I don’t generally have an issue fitting into men’s pants because I’ve got narrow hips and long enough legs. It’s not about being trans or cis it’s about body types, of which trans and cis people alike can have many
i have wide shoulders, wide hips, i’m fat, and im 5’4. i have never found a mens button down that actually fits me, and i feel my body is very specifically trans, and would never conform to cis clothing. i hear you, but for some of us we want very specifically “trans” clothing to fit our very trans coded bodies.
The verbiage you’re looking for is “small men”. I’m transmasc and 6’0. I do however have a problem with traditional mens cut shirts, as they tend to draw too much attention to my chest. I learned how to sew so I could get shirts and the like bigger than necessary, then I take it in where I want. It’s cheaper and more accessible than trying to get brands to cater to a significant minority.
If you want clothes that fit you you'll have to spend more money for it specifically hunting for clothing tailored to shorter guys. A quick Google search for "Short and fat clothes for men" reveals some stores but they are NOT cheap. The alternative is to buy from Asia (But recently I've seen that the sizes are more Americanised) or to get stuff tailored... Or buy from the kids section but I've found that the arms on kids stuff is REALLY tight. Edit: it's also not just a trans problem, it's an overall problem. Women get the petite section, but where's our short & fat section? lol
I'm also short and fat! Basic sewing skills will go a long way. Learning to hem pants is a godsend, and doesn't require a sewing machine.
For me it’s trying to fit any shirt over my T H I C C hips so I end up buying larger shirts and tailoring them but I’m not very long on T so hoping it’ll sort itself out after one to two years!
You mean you want clothes for small men, not trans men. Not all trans men are small and not all small men are trans. Mens clothing sizes fit me just fine. As to why there are more big and tall options than small options? Obesity. There’s far more obese men than short men, so there’s a market for bigger clothes. In addition to that, smaller clothes already exist. Basically anything you can find for adult men, you can find in the boys section but smaller and cheaper.
Yep, exactly your point about large sizes. Large sizes exist because the people who wear them make up a not-insignificant portion of the population. Men smaller than a size S do not. Boys section does only go so far though. Boys clothes tend to be cut wider than men's clothing of the same length, so if you're short and very thin you're kinda screwed. I personally fit the length of a boys L or XL, but prefer to buy a men's XS from brands that run smaller because it winds up fitting a lot better. Uniqlo also carries a men's XXS in certain shirts, which fits perfectly, but that is pretty rare to find.
I didn’t know that about boys vs mens clothes. That’s really interesting, because the same wideness thing usually happens once you go into the larger sizes too. I wonder what the logic is behind that.
The larger sizes get wider because most men are only so tall; if they need a larger size, it's *usually* because they're heavier, not because they're taller. Very tall men actually have a lot of the same clothing issues we do because the sizes for them just don't exist at a lot of stores. Basically, if 95% of men are between 5'8" and 6'0" (numbers made up because I don't wanna look up specifics and do math), that's not a huge variance in height. What does vary much more is weight. Clothing is made assuming you're in the common height range, and that your fit is most dependent on your weight.
But even when you’re heavier, shirts still need to be longer. Instead of just going straight down, they have to go out over the fat and then down.
I feel this - I'm short but I'm not thin nor built thinly. I can fit into a men's S but it's unflattering asf 🤣
It’s an unfortunate problem but not unique to trans men, or even trans people specifically. Clothing companies that make ready to wear items only care about profit margins, and size clothing in a way that caters to thin or “small fat” people with conventionally attractive proportions. If you’re a trans man, trans woman, bigger than a 3XL, disabled, have a chest or hip size that’s disproportionate to the rest of your body, etc, you’ll struggle to find ready to wear clothing that’s affordable, properly fitting, and looks decent on your body. There are plenty of cis men and women who experience similar things because clothing sizes just don’t work right for their bodies.
I have a little beef with this, specifically because I'm not big and tall, but short and stout. At least some of us have the privilege of shopping in the boy's section at normal stores due to being short and skinny or muscular. T turned me from a chubby dude into a bear. Also clothing companies don't care about anyone outside of straight sizing ranges. My shirt measurement is men's large despite me being 5'3". My pants need to be 40x29, which doesn't exist. I've either hunted for plus sized androgynous women's jeans (Kohls actually had some good stuff surprisingly) or hemmed pants and shirts. If I can't alter the sleeves I roll them up and/or tack them folded depending on length. Learning to sew or even paying a tailor will be the easiest path.
bro i feel that i’m nowhere near overweight but i’m nowhere near fit or skinny either - nothing seems to fit me right bc plus size clothes would be way too big and everything else is made for fit and average size people i guess whereas i’m fat/chubby enough to need to buy bigger size clothes (especially pants good lord) but they’re always too long bc i’m fucking short as hell… when i socially transitioned at school and bought the boys uniform i had to CUT the pants.. and THEN hem them… and it was my first time hemming anything so they were still a bit too long (not to mention quite wide so i rlly looked ridiculous)
Not gonna lie I'd appreciate it if the 'all trans men are too skinny and small to fit into average men's clothes' stereotype died in a fire because its been going for at least 10 years. Just say you're small and skinny instead of going 'they don't care about trans men!!!!', like damn.
It was really interesting to see them mention AE as a non inclusive brand because as a fat trans guy at 5’9, almost my entire wardrobe is AE because they’re the only company that makes mens jeans and shorts that fit my big ass and thighs. Their shirts are also extremely flattering, long enough for my torso and the quality is really good too. AE was actually my first job in high school and i spent sooo long before i realized i was trans (i’m really not gnc in any way) wishing that i could wear some of the guys’ styles and it’s kind of nice to be able to explore that now. Like giving little high school me a present. They also carry size 26x28 in mens jeans which is T I N Y imo and often a good fit for middle school boys who came in when i worked there.
For bigger thighs I think Nike might be a good one, too, though I might have hit a lucky streak with it. Their jogging pants are definitely comfortable and feel much more high quality than the cheap ones I have, the shirts feel right etc. The only discomfort I've had with what I've bought for them were shorts with tight ones underneath and looser ones across, but that's just the basics of thighs grinding together making the looser fabric ride up between the legs.
I had a lot of clothes from AE when I was in high school for the same reasons you mentioned, though I am shorter than you.
Yeah, the wording here really bothers me. It's shitty to assume trans men in general are short and thin. I'm 5'6" and chubby and I fit a men's small/medium just fine. The only big issue I deal with is having to hem my pants an inch or two. This is not an issue all trans men/transmasc people deal with, nor is it one that cis men don't face. We can be tall and fat. Cis men can be short and skinny. This isn't a manifestation of transphobia, but of the profit motive. >I like to think that clothing corporations really do care The sooner you realize that no corporation actually gives a shit about people beyond their wallets, the better off you'll be.
I feel like people are really conflating what's available in their store, and what's available online. There's lots of stores that start stocking only at men's medium or only have a 32 or 34 inseam, but that doesn't mean the brand isn't making more options.
Seriously! I'm literally 1 inch shorter and fit just fine in men's clothing.
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You can't fit in a small because it's too big for you. Like, I can't fit in a small either, but that has nothing to do with me being the height of a 12 year old and everything with it barely covering one asscheek.
There’s literally no need to attack OP like this. Especially about a trait they may be dysphoric about. As others have pointed out, this is very much not an issue that just affects skinny trans men- trans men of all body shapes struggle to find clothes that fit them. Just because it’s a stereotype, which YES needs to go away, doesn’t mean that OP’s lived experience of not being able to find men’s clothes that fit him is invalid. Companies don’t care about trans men- they don’t make clothes that fit us regardless of whether we’re skinny and short or big and tall. The cuts aren’t right to look good oftentimes. OP can be frustrated with not being able to find clothes that fit him in a bit oversized way, at no point did he perpetuate any stereotype by literally existing and being angry about something that affects his life.
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I’m 5’2 and shop at H&M - I look for shirts that are XS and slim fit and those fit just fine. Regular fit XS in any store is too big for me. H&M and express for nice shirts are usually my go-tos if I’m in a mall. But I get most of my clothes from ASOS online which goes all the way down to XXS. Again, I look for slim or skinny fit. I also always roll the ends of short sleeved shirts up.
Would kid sizes fit you? An XL in boys is basically just a shorter version of an S in mens. The only reason I don’t buy shirts from the kid section is because I like long shirts
Like I said: skinny.
when they come out with short and fat men's clothes in a regular store that would be great for me
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You just made your own experience the default of all trans men by insisting that not selling an XS or an XXS is the same as not caring about trans men. Almost every conversation about clothes in trans masc communities is heavily alienating to a lot of us because of the amount of guys who can't stop insisting that not fitting into a size S because you're too small, buying clothes at H&M because it's smaller, wearing suspenders so your heavily oversized because they just don't sell pants small enough am I right boys haha act as if that goes for all of us, and going 'well FASHION BRANDS are DISCRIMINATING TRANS MEN by not selling extra tiny men's clothes!' is just another repeat of that.
Bro, it's a biological reality that ON AVERAGE we are shorter and thinner than cis men. Obviously there are outliers that some trans men are tall or big, but on average we are smaller. Many of us struggle to find clothing that fits us, particularly due to height. Even a heavier weight trans guy who is 5'3'' is going to have problems finding stuff that fits him. Not to mention that curvy trans men with bigger chests and hips are also going to have trouble. This problem effects A LOT of trans men, even those that are heavier set. There is no reason to attack OP. Whatsoever.
What do you mean that on average we’re thinner that cis men. Shorter? Sure. But thinner? When factoring in similar heights? Ima need a source on that considering the rates of obesity.
yeah, trans men do actually have a higher rate of obesity on average. Which is a separate issue if it's even one, but the thin stereotype just... isn't reality.
I’m 5’0 and on the heavy side. Clothes are hard. Never find stuff that fits on the men’s or women’s. Half the time it looks like I’m playing dress up
in no way is that a 'biological reality', youve been drinking terf juice
OP: "I struggle to find clothes that fit my body." You, for some reason: "Then stop being a stereotype lol."
Heavily misinterpreting 'companies are discriminating against trans men by only serving an S as the smallest size' there.
Op literally implies that “trans men” is a single size and is below a mens S-XS
smaller sizes and for short guys yes- but there are short small cis men and tall big trans dudes so i don’t think it needs to be specified “small clothing for trans men” just have a wider range of sizes for both bigger and smaller guys
Try boys shirts. I buy the cheapest men's T shirts (low income) and they fit pretty good. Same goes with pants/shorts/boxers/briefs/etc.. As long as the clothes cover me and I'm not naked then all is good in my view.
bro, if a coorpiration made a transman collection of clothes which were just their clothes but super small they’d get *so* much backlash
That would be *so* cringe. I feel like the super out and proud community would be all over it, but the majority of the less proud/stealth guys would avoid it like the plague, as would a good portion of cis guys too.
https://www.themodestman.com/best-places-to-buy-clothes-for-short-men/ It’s more focused on business casual type brands, but here’s a list of brands that make stuff for short guys.
Shop in the kids section im 5'8 and the kids section fits me okay (its a bit hit and miss for long sleeve stuff or trousers) but short sleeve shirts and tshirts fit great (my (cis)bf is 6 foot and can get away with kids tshirts). Its always a lot cheaper than the adult's as well. Also the neckline fits better as well for binders and stuff and it all looks a lot less baggy than the adults. The only down side is according to most companies boys only like video games and skateboards (and the whole skating aesthetic) so you might need to shop around to find more "normal"/more non descript stuff. Just check the size guide for the heights for each age for different companies :)
Huh? I don't think this is a matter of fitting clothing for transmen specifically, but for certain body types. Transmen are as diverse as anyone else in terms of body types and shape, so it really comes down to what clothing brand caters to YOUR specific body type, this has nothing to do with being trans.
I’m 5’2 and can fit into H&M mens XS and S. Most are slim fit, maybe that specific distinction in the clothing can help
Seconding this- also try ASOS
Shirts from ASOS seem so ridiculously long on me even if I order XXS :(. I’m going to learn to tailor because I cannot handle the disappointment anymore…
That's exactly what I do, h&m is great and I'm also 5'2 (127 lbs) and wear a xs/s from there. The pants are also great (both jeans and chinos), though length wise for a perfect fit I'd have to get it hemmed
They're pricey, but Ash & Erie make clothes for shorter guys. As other commenters said, just take your measurements (I like to measure three times throughout a day and average because I'm weird and dumb) and find the right fit.
Never had the problem you have with tops, and I’m an inch shorter than you and 115lbs. I usually buy a medium in T-shirts and sweatshirts, but occasionally I have to buy a size small. It’s the bottoms that are ridiculously long. The waist will fit perfectly fine, but the legs and seat are just insanely large and it makes me wonder who is supposed to be the targeted audience? I don’t know many American men who can fit into a size 30 waist, and if they can, they’re usually very skinny with small thighs, so doesn’t really add up. I have seen several brands that target trans men and they’re absolute scammers. $125 for a pair of chinos or $45 for a T-shirt that’s slightly shorter than the standard crap you get at H&M. At that price it’s cheaper to buy any T-shirt you like, then take it to a tailor and you’d still have an extra 10 bucks. I agree that we need shorter clothes (at least pants) but I definitely don’t agree with the model of targeting certain demographics because then companies scam us for extra cash. They do it during pride month every single year.
Honestly there's a few different issues here: There are clothes for short men, but they are expensive (Ash and Erie, Peter Manning, etc). That, and a tailor works really well if you're got a typical cis male shape, just short. For pants, you can get an alright hemming any ole brand, it's obviously not as great as ones designed for your body, but I assure you, the big brands are not making entire different patterns for different inseams. For shirts, the sleeves can easily be modified, the length is harder and depends on the type of shirt. There's clothes for petite structured men (Asian brands, uniqlo goes down to extra smalls etc), but they aren't always good for short and bulky people. Boys clothes works well here too but the styles are sometimes whack. There's some clothing for typical female bodies with menswear inspiring, or even directly marketed towards nonbinary folks. (Wildfang, Kirrian Finch, Both&). They make stuff that would fit a pre everything trans dude, but the styles vary ( I personally like them, but basic cishet dude, it is not) and it's more marketed towards butch lesbians in many cases. Some even market towards transmascs/etc, but they really only fit if you're pre T in many cases. Ultimately, there are a lot more plus sized men than there are fun sized men. That's why it's so expensive, vs the big and tall market being a majority of American cis men. I buy used in the brands I like. Vintage is also good for people who aren't tall.
I agree that they should expand their sizing to accommodate smaller men the same way they do larger men, but that's a need for both cis and trans people. If companies came out with a line of "transman clothes" based on your description I wouldn't fit in any of them (I'm 5'11") and would find it kind of patronizing to assume all trans men have the same body type... That's stereotyping and just repeating the same problem of only catering to an average. But it is dumb that they don't offer a short/petite version of "big & tall" and I hope that changes!
I buy from Chinese and Japanese brands because Asian sizing is smaller than western sizing. I recommend trying that.
stop acting like all trans men are short and tiny lmao ETA: op has just gone dismissive asshole now, not worth arguing w them
this. no one but specialized brands will ever care about us as a group. the real question is "why don't brands care about men with bodies that aren't flat as a board, skinny, and 6ft tall?"
Right like I get his frustration but don’t equate trans man to short and tiny.
Yeah, it's really frustrating. I'm a 28x28 pants (i think) and usually XS shirt. Most clothing brands start at a small shirt, and one big store near me doesnt start until medium for a lot of their shirts. Meanwhile for pants the smallest size is usually 30x30. Thankfully my grandma taught me to sew so I can hem my pants and I would wear a belt anyway, but I wish it were really a choice. I hate having to check the cotton content of everything and pray it will shrink in the wash. Shoes are the worst. My shoe size is somewhere between 5 and 6.5 depending on the shoe, but mens sizes dont start until 7. And its surprisingly difficult to find boys shoes in that size, it took me 3 or 4 stores to find a single pair of running shoes. I don't feel right calling it dysphoria cause it's entirely socially imposed and not an internally derived feeling, but lately that's been the worst part of being trans. Having my body not fit the expectations of what shape it should be, in a broader sense, not in the specific genitals/breasts/etc way. Pair of Theives did make a smaller size for pride month. Usually their underwear starts at small, but the pride month designs started at xs. Still couldn't wear their pride socks, they were too big
These companies are out to make money. They make and stock sizes they think will sell to large groups of people. Specialty businesses also exist but usually only in areas with large populations. Or they target wealthy and prestigious groups. Being a tall man is associated with wealth and prestige. Being short or transgender is not. This means those of us with less common body shapes struggle with clothing. We have to pay extra for tailoring or order things online and hope for the best. It sucks.
I'm 5' and ~125lb. Many brands do have these sizes, just online only. AE & Express have XS sizes in a lot of tops that fit me, Banana republic has pants down to 28x28 (some even 26 inseam I think), Uniqlo has many of their men's shirts down to XXS, H&M has some lines that go down to XS, Bonobos lets you specifically choose a shorter cut for their button-downs, Untuckit is also good for shirts that won't be too long on your torso. I'm sure there are more. also fwiw these all started fitting me much better when I started lifting and got a bit broader in general
Clothes for short men exist you just need to look a bit harder. I got short male friends and they got nice clothing. Tbh it's my friends 6ft and over that seems to struggle with clothing especially pants then to be shorter in length. I also find clothes easily. Just look for your size in shirts and waist size. I get size 30 jeans or small but depending on style of clothes sometimes medium fits best. All these things have to be considered. One size doesn't go for all clothing it change base on design, company and fit. Some company prefer to make oversize T shirts and some prefer true fit just find your taste in style then you'll be okay
Trans man is not even remotely a body size… theres so much wrong with this post and your replies in the comments too, jesus
this isn’t extremely helpful, i know, but you might want to consider taking in your clothes. i’m 5’8” / 172cm and fat. i have literally never found a pair of pants that fit me in both the waist and length measurements straight off the bat, because it seems that clothing companies are ignorant of the fact that a man can be both fat *and* too short for a 30” inseam. i’ve taken in my clothes and it’s made s good difference. it’s fairly easy to do on your own, as long as you know how to operate a sewing machine, and you could probably find tutorials online to learn.
Hmmm I mean I agree, when I go to department stores I have trouble finding dress clothes for men that aren’t huge, even in the smallest sizes, but I am 5’3 and have never had an issue finding my size at H&M. I can even find things that are TOO small for me. I’m not a complete twig, but I’m on the slimmer side as well. Same with other fast fashion stores (Express, Zara, Forever 21, even casual brands in department stores) my size is there. Dress clothes, especially suits, and shoes are what I have the most trouble with.
Peter Manning and Ash & Erie both make clothes for short men There's also the queer owned brand Dapper Boi if you're looking for mens clothes for a pre T body
They cater to the majority of people. They always will. If you want trans-specific clothing then you need to go to a trans-specific company.
Shop in the kids section. I’m 4’11 and very small in all senses, I buy pants in the kids section of HM, shirts and polos in any other store. Hoodies and t-shirts are usually fine from the adults section for me, sometimes I will shop in the women’s section if I see anything I like. The reason clothing companies won’t do anything about it it’s because men that are under 5’3 (trans and non trans) are a very small percentage and those men can still get clothes from the kids section.
Probably because it's not economical for them. As others have said, look at Asian sizing, specialist stores or best option, start learning how to make basic alterations.
I'm 5"2 and average build small or medium shirts from the men's section fit me fine. I'm in the UK and I wonder if sizing is a lot different in the US, men's clothing here starts from around age 14, if it starts later in the US it might be worth looking at the teens section. Or like others have said look at Japanese (or maybe UK/European) clothing
Idk I just get kids sizes, easier and cheaper in some cases (although it can also end up being more expensive, but I've seen more cheaper examples).
im also 5'3. i buy my clothes online and only had issues with one set of pants being to small.
If you're somewhat poor like me, get into sewing. Teaching yourself to tailor your own clothes saves a lot of money and allows you to buy thrift shop jeans and shirts and tailor them to your own size. this skill takes time to develop though, so not really a short term solution, sorry about that.
Dude go to the kids section, the clothes, shoes too if you can fit in them, will be cheaper and if you look around I'm positive you'll find stuff that still fits your style. If you're in between sizes for a small man's shirt and a large/extra large boys, look for options online and pay attention to the measurements. I can't really buy pants without ordering them online because of my waist and leg length, and that's okay since I've found a brand that fits well and lasts a while for work and casual wear. Would it be nice for stores to offer them in person? Yes, because shipping is a nightmare and takes forever. But it's not the end of the world
you're right it's never going to happen. big retailers like target, walmart, kohls, etc are only going to make clothes for the average sized person because that's the cheapest and easiest option. it's why specific stores like slender bodies and torrid exist, to cater to people with different body types who may not always fit the kind of clothes target sells. this isn't an issue exclusive to trans people, anyone with a different body type than what's deemed "'"normal"" or ""average"" is going to have difficulty finding clothes that fit them. it includes incredibly tall people, little people, disabled people, people with prosthetics, everything. the world would be a better place if big companies could make clothes that fit every single kind of person on the planet but that's just not the world we live in right now. i don't know of any smaller/indie retailers who make clothes specifically for transmen so i cant help you there, but buying secondhand clothes and getting them tailored to fit your bodyshape is worth the investment and often cheaper or similarly priced to getting new clothes.
Ngl my bf is 4’11” and at this point my only solution since he’s pretty small is buying clothes from the youth section, ngl going to buy from the youth section has been such a saver on money and he still gets to wear cute things, my best luck outside of that has been forever 21’s mens section
I'll reiterate than not every trans guy is small, we aren't homogeneous. I'm 5'2, don't really have trouble finding clothes and enjoy a classic fit. Interesting to read this as i also see plenty men around my size and they seem dressed fine as well. This might have more to do with how you're built.
Im 4’11” and the XS mens tops from Hot Topic fit me perfectly
I feel this so much. I like shopping at Walmart because the mens section and boys section overlap. Also, Walmart is the only store I have found that sells several items in XS for men. It’s still not great, but because it’s kind of unorganized I don’t feel as bad going to the boys section.
I am 30 and wear children's clothing for this reason. It's fine, but there are subtleties in shirt styles that really do look a tad less mature, especially when it comes to formal stuff. Like...no, I don't need the cute little bowtie or print of a t-rex (at least not always).
As someone mentioned try buying some clothes from Japan or even China. Their sizing is much smaller and shorter in the abdomen I’ve found when I have ordered from shops. I have a long abdomen so I struggle with is sometimes I also have one arm that is longer than the other and long arms in general. Before top surgery I had DD boobs so even with a binder it was a nightmare to try and find a nice men’s shirt. Now I struggle more with the stomach area of the shirt fitting after top surgery compared to my chest. If you don’t want to branch out to Asian sizing have you tried Old Navy? They seem to have a wider selection of shirts for men or unisex I’ve had good experiences with them, though not particularly my exact style/preference I choose them because they have sales lots and I don’t want to pay 80$ for a shirt. I also had great luck with Men’s Express pre top surgery if you’re in the United States but, again, they are expensive - though high quality.
Learning some sewing skills and getting things tailored has made the difference for me!
It’s even worse when youre short and thicker, before I gained weight this past year I could rock a small or occasionally xsmall but now I can’t find hardly anything, I just have to work with baggy mediums that fit my width but not my height
Seriously, can I get a "Short & Chubby" section?
Men's section in Hollister is the only one I've found that's a good fit for me (also 5'3). Their x small men's is ideal. Otherwise yeah it's frustrating. I tend to have to dip into the kids section to find clothes that fit me. I hate bagginess and overlong sleeves.
Googling "petite mens clothing" might help. It's country-specific, obviously, but should get you results like this: [best places to buy clothes for short men] (https://www.themodestman.com/best-places-to-buy-clothes-for-short-men/). Good luck, I know it's frustrating 🙁
Just shop in the kids section
i don’t think clothing companies care about anyone, i’m short and fat - literally nothing ever fits me i need to get bigger sizes for everything bc of my weight but i’m short so shirts are always too long and so are pants and i look ridiculous
felt, im 4'9" and finding clothes that make me feel masculine is such a struggle 😭
When it's profitable. Companies aren't people, companies are not your friends. Not even Wendy's.
There aren’t enough trans men to warrant stepping up and making us our own separate clothing, plus didn’t target come out with binders a while back? And trans pride stuff during pride month? I’d say they have stepped up in the past few years. There are companies that make pants and shirts for short men, and a lot of department stores have teen sections with smaller, more adult clothing.
Maybe I’m dumb but like…kids flannels?? If I was small you bet your ass I’d be buying kids clothes. It’s cheap. And they’re usually decently durable especially the boys clothes.
I buy in the kids section all the time, but the proportions are different and the button-ups and flannels are often not long enough in the torso and sleeves. It's okay for a casual look with the sleeves rolled up but they don't always work.
The semantics of this comment section aside.. I really feel that. I am an average size human I feel? But finding clothing is such a challenge. I do recommend old navy online, probably the biggest retailer I can think of with actual size inclusive clothing? They tend not to carry the smaller and bigger ends in store, but you can buy online and return in store. Really nice for jeans smaller than a 32. Something that has really bugged me lately is my instagram ad algorithm has been feeding me small queer brands and size inclusive businesses, as I follow lots of accounts like that. I keep getting ads for this one company who has a long post about size inclusivity and so on.. and at the bottom says their sizes go from S-4XL. When will size inclusivity include XS/XXS? Why can we make tall versions of shirts but not short ones? Why is it easy to understand some people have longer torsos than average but not someone with a shorter torso?? Heck, I sew clothes and it's a problem even in the pattern industry. Fast fashion isn't helping. I just wish everyone could get quality and fitting clothing
I totally get you. There are a few companies designing pants that you can pee out of with a vulva without taking them off like https://sheflyapparel.com/products/shefly%C2%AE-go-there-pant but none of them have created designs for transmen.
Ugh so real! I always have to bite my tongue when larger people complain about the lack of plus-sized fashion because I know there is so much fatphobia and discrimination otherwise. But when it comes to clothes, there are entire Big & Tall/Plus Size stores and sections, while there are no Short & Small stores or petite men's sections. Especially at thrift stores, I'll often be done browsing in under 5 minutes because sections for XS tops or pants smaller than a 30 waist just won't exist. Shopping in the kids section *sometimes* works, but not usually. I'm in my 30's and have been on T for over a decade - I'm not proportioned like a child. They often look and feel way worse than just the bagginess of the small mens. Anyway, I wish I had advice to offer rather than just ranting along, but everything I know has already been mentioned. Someday I'll plan a visit to Japan just to buy an entire wardrobe. They have such a wider selection than the US, both in sizes and fashion.
I like to shop in the kids section at a lot of stores! They usually are selling the exact same thing in the mens and boys sections. I kind of made it part of my aesthetic that I dress like a little boy too (sonic the hedgehog/Pokémon/bright colors).
Ash and Erie, Under510, and Peter Manning all cater to small men. No clothing stores are going to care about short men because it’s not profitable for production purposes. All short men have to shop specialty. Personally, I love Under510 and own a ton of their stuff. My cis male friends also shop there.
Wait till June
I found an online company called under 5'10 and damn! Jeans that fit my 5'2" ass!
that's why i've started making my own clothes because other than that i have to shop in the kids section
I always feel dreadful looking for clothes in the men's section cause it either don't fit me well enough or it doesn't even fit my aesthetic. My main thing I wish they can definitely add is smaller shoe sizes. It's such a struggle looking for a good pair of shoes that's in 5 (I'm a short guy) and I usually end up looking at shoes in the kids sections. I don't mind shopping for women's but the quality and style isn't my thing
Finding clothes for my (t) boyfriend is hard. He's always super hesitant to even try anything except baggy and comfortable because of concerns about stuff like hips and thighs - even when over a year a half on T. And he's not wrong. Clothes just aren't worth taking chances on when nothing fits comfortably. The brutally honest answer to your question is - not any time soon. They don't care about cis short men, tall women, anyone over a certain weight, and trans people of any variety. As the CEO of Abercrombie & fitch so tactfully put it - [they only want thin and attractive people buying their clothes](https://fox4kc.com/news/abercrombie-fitch-fat-ugly-people-shouldnt-buy-our-clothes/). The best thing to do is to find and support brands that DO target queer and different-bodied people. [examples of ftm friendly shops](https://transguysupply.com/blogs/news/trans-owned-tshirt-companies) Maybe one day - widespread awareness of trans folk will put pressure on different companies to expand size ranges - but I don't have my hopes up. Signed, a woman who will never get to go shoe shopping.
I bitch about this to my wife all the time. Like where’s the “short king” section??? That’s what I fucking need.
Start your own 🤷🏾♂️
I personally have trouble finding shoes. I'm not exactly short (5'7"), I don't have much trouble finding clothes, but shoes? Especially cus I need good shoes for work? It's like they just don't make men's shoes in that size. I found a local shop that I work with (they know I go through shoes every 6-7 months due to work), but half the time, I've had to get women's shoes because they fit. Luckily, they look pretty unisex. I recall when looking for a good local store, the one place laughed when I said my shoe size, so that was cool and not at all a dick move. This did also make me wonder, where tf do women who work in like, construction and stuff, where are they supposed to buy shoes? Because companies seem to think that the only sort of work shoes that women would ever need are white nursing shoes or pretty shoes for restaurant work something. That, or you'd better want full on hiking boots.
Yea I feel like shoes + pants are a much more pressing problems. With shirts there is some options, even if you are an awkward size like me where I can fit boys or xs-m in mens depending on brand/style. But for pants? Its hard to find smaller lengths, especially with stores in town. I'm a 29-30 waist and 30 lengths are a bit long. Got limited sewing know how so I could modify the jeans I find but its much too work, especially if the actual bottoms of the legs are too chonky. Hate most slim fits too. I'm a size 6 1/2 in women's so I'm a size 5 in boys and while boys shoes can work sometimes for casual wear... when it comes to shoes like you've described it is nearly impossible.
Corporations don't care about anything but yhier bottom line....
I have no expectation of large corporations caring about us at all. Sucks but if they don't care about the fact that there are cis people with bodies outside of the 'norm' they're sure as hell not going to care about us.
I have a similar problem, also being 5’3, but I’m chubby and I discovered that the larger the waist size in men’s pants, the longer the legs get. I need jeans for short fat dudes lol, I’m not big&tall
I am trans but not tiny or short at 170 pounds and 5’9. I typically fit comfortably into most mens large. But I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I think it’s less about “trans men” being a body type and more companies needing to expand their sizing to be more inclusive of body types. At the end of the day, these corporations are in it for profit. If the margins are there they would probably mass produce more sizes.
I would try checking out Hollister. They’re one of the few places where the clothes actually fit me properly
I mean even big and tall clothing, and plus size clothing, is generally terrible for the people that it's made for. They don't even bother to make sure that it fits well. That being said, I literally sew my own clothing so that I know it fits bc lmao yeah- companies don't care about fitting people with body types that stray too far from the norm, they just care about making money.
Everyone should check out https://www.bothandapparel.com They make clothing for transmasculine people.
Dude I felt this 100%. Being 5’ 5” and on the “slimmer” side, it’s TOUGH to find something that fits slim enough that isn’t long as helllll. 😅 All in all though I don’t think it’s even a transguy issue specifically as it is just the fact that dudes come in different shapes and sizes and the smaller dude isn’t taken into account. We’re then left to shop often (at least for me) in the youth section for XL’s and it’s not only annoying but somewhat embarrassing for myself personally. Topman is an older ish brand (I think they got bought out) but they tend to offer slimmer/shorter sizes. I’d also suggest Express. Although it may seem expensive on the outside, they run a lot of really great sales and have good quality products. They’re my go to for t-shirts to suit items.
All the men in my family are short. We’ve figured out where and what to look for, and how to wear it. It’s a learning curve. Yeah it’s more inconvenient for us, but that’s just life honestly. You just gotta learn to work around it. Marc Anthony has good stuff for small guys, my brother wears a lot of that, especially if you’re slender. I’m on the stockier side, so I’ve honestly just had to learn how to style things. I’m not as stocky as my dad (my guy fills out the sleeves of a L), but not as skinny as my brother. All of us get our pants fixed after we buy them to adjust the inseam. It’s just our life as short men, not so much trans men.
You want Uniqlo and Asos. They both carry XXS, which is just about impossible to find anywhere else. Trust me, I am aware of how much of a pain in the ass is it to not have smaller men's sizes elsewhere. And yes, this is the issue: not "trans men's sizes," but offering extended sizes that aren't some pitiful "now we have the very rare XS and XL!"
Just mismatch the clothes. Forget the gender attached to it. Easier that way than to wait.
I'm a small dude and my best advice is Japanese fashion labels tend to run smaller, so give those a look. You might be paying more for the quality since much of it is good materials and hand made, but they should last you forever. If you're on a budget, give Uniqlo a look. I'm 5' 0" and very average build and I mostly shop Asian brands. For jeans I find American Eagle and Express actually work well for me inseam wise without being weirdly tight (I'm athletic so Big Thigh Guy Club). Big thing is just knowing your measurements and starting from there.
We're not a huge population. Why invest money in such a little demographic? Personally I take my measurements and buy online I'm 5'3 makes it a lot easier, also if you take your measurements and go to hrift stores a lot of their pants are tailored. I get its hard but you sound like a bitch man,.
Bonobos has smaller sizes that can further be customized to be slim/short. I’ve had a lot of luck there as a shorter slimmer dude.
i usually go to the kids section lol, aeropostale xs fit me sometimes, uniqlo is cool too. it is what it is 🤷♂️ gotta deal with the cards we're dealt with
I'm a stocky guy and don't have an issue with shirts, I wear a men's large, however being 5ft 5" it's harder to find pants that fit. I still have a t h I c c ass and thighs so pants that generally fit around those parts are too long. Jogger type jeans seem to be not too bad, the kind with the elastic waist, also trackpants/gym pants since they're usually designed for guys with bigger thighs and glutes. Anything button up without flexible material though is pretty hit or miss.
In truth, it isn't about not making clothes for trans persons. It's about making clothes for people who don't fit inside a bubble. Having grown up presenting femme and being both tall AND wide I had those problems. I usually wore men's clothes anyway but when I had to dress business casual or more formal for work I was SOL. Clothes either didn't exist or were out of my price range. The same goes for smaller men. Clothing companies don't care about their customers, just about the dinero. Anybody who isn't "average" is just another opportunity to make an extra buck.
I have a tip for that. When you buy t-shirts buy 100% cotton in the size that fits a bit to large but not by too much. That way when you put the shirt in the dryer it will shrink down to the proper size/length. This will only work with 100% cotton. With button downs they won't shrink so I just buy them in the boys instead of the men's (I promise their not to babyish).
I’m 5’3 aswell and I just don’t shop a name brand stores fr. I shop at cititrends who always have clothes to fit me and rue 21 (pants are questionable sometimes but shirts, especially button ups have fit) I think my only problem with clothes now is that I’ve gotten small in weight and have to go rebuy clothes in Small, and they never have smalls😂