How to Look More Masculine: Clothing Tips for Closeted Trans Men & Trans Masc People
How to Look More Masculine: Clothing Tips for Closeted Trans Men & Trans Masc People
You don't need testosterone, a men's section, or anyone's permission to present more masculine starting today.
By the time I realized I was trans, I also realized my clothes needed an upgrade so I could feel more like me. I'd moved from the small town where I grew up to a big, busy city, and for the first time, I felt like my life was actually mine. I could go where I wanted, do what I wanted, and stop worrying about what everyone else thought.
Looking back, it was a pretty great time to realize I wanted to make a big change.
Don't get me wrong, I was still nervous. What if my family didn't accept me? (Some of them didn't.) What if my friends rejected me? (Some of them did.) What if I got fired from my new job? (I didn't, but it wasn't exactly a healthy work environment.) But I knew what I felt was the truth, and I wasn't about to let fear stop me. So I jumped.
I know that not everyone's coming-out process looks like mine. A lot of people discover their truth long before they're in a position to act on it. Maybe you have unsupportive parents. Maybe you're worried about school or work. Maybe you're just not ready yet, and that's completely okay. Coming out is your choice, on your timeline, for no one but yourself.
But that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do right now to feel more like yourself. These tips are for trans men, trans masculine, and non-binary people who want to present more masculine but aren't in a place to shop openly in the men's section yet.
These aren't rules. Masculine folks can wear anything they want. Your clothes don't make you any more or less trans. These tips are just for people who want to dress more masculine but have some limits to work around right now.
- How to look more masculine without testosterone
- Tip 1: Go a size up
- Tip 2: Athletic and gender-neutral styles
- Tip 3: Lean into tartan and flannel
- Tip 4: Button-downs and thrift stores
- Tip 5: Layer strategically
- Tip 6: Use the "boyfriend" trend
- Tip 7: Cropped shirts at the hip (the longer-legs trick)
- FAQ
How to Look More Masculine Without Testosterone
Yes, by a lot. Fit, shape, layers, and patterns all change how masculine you look, no matter what your body is doing. These tips work if you're pre-T, if you're not planning to take T, or if you just can't get it right now. Fit matters most. Going one size up can change how your whole body looks.
Testosterone changes your body over time, but clothing changes how your body reads right now. You can use both. Honestly, plenty of trans men who are years into T are still figuring out what clothes work for their body. You don't have to wait for anything.
Go a Size Up
This sounds obvious, but it took me years to really get it. I was out, on T, and still buying medium shirts. Then I'd wonder why I hated how I looked. I thought it was my body. It wasn't. I just should have been buying larges.
I blame men's fashion magazines for some of this. For a while, GQ and friends kept yelling at readers to size down, ditch the baggy clothes, and dress like they owned a mirror. The message stuck, and a lot of us decided tighter was better. What nobody said is that clothes that fit loosely are not the same as clothes that clearly don't fit.
Start by going one size up from what you normally wear. Your clothes should hang easy on your body. They shouldn't hug you, and they shouldn't drown you in extra fabric. You're not being launched into space. You don't need to be cinched.
- Tighter clothes look more feminine on most bodies. Looser clothes look more masculine and play down curves you don't want to show off
- The shoulders are the most important part of a shirt's fit. If the shoulder seam is sitting where it should, the rest can be boxy and it looks like you meant it
- One size up is usually the right move; two sizes up can start looking like it doesn't fit
- Boxy T-shirts, crew necks, and straight-cut henleys are your friends. TGS carries a full range of trans masc tees including oversized and boxy cuts designed for gender expansive bodies
Shop Athletic and Gender-Neutral Styles
Athletic wear is one of the easiest ways to dress more masculine. The cuts really are gender-neutral. They're the same in every section, they mostly come in black, grey, and white, and nobody blinks at what you're buying.
- Basketball shorts and mesh shorts: there's almost no difference between men's and women's versions. Wear them off the court, styled with an oversized tee or muscle tank. TGS carries a full range of basketball-style and mesh shorts made for trans masc and gender expansive bodies, including the Wrestling Season Long Mesh Shorts, the Flamer Shorts, and the Wrestling Season Long Mesh Shorts
- Mid-thigh length shorts: this trend is worth knowing about. Shorts that end at mid-thigh make your legs look longer and give your lower half a more masculine shape. It's the same trick that works for cis guys in gym clothes. If you're worried about height, skip shorts that hit at or below the knee. Mid-thigh is the sweet spot
- Oversized basketball jerseys: wear them over a plain tee or on their own for a wide, boxy shape that looks sporty and masculine. TGS carries jerseys and muscle tanks including the I Love Tboys All Over Mesh Football Jersey, made for trans masc bodies
- Joggers and sweatpants: always gender-neutral, good in any season, and none of the awkward length issues shorts can have
- Compression shirts: these athletic tops flatten your chest a bit without being a real binder. They're an easy first step if you're not ready to bind yet
Lean Into Tartan and Flannel
Quick terminology note: tartan is the crisscrossed stripe pattern. Plaid is technically the large piece of tartan cloth that kilts are made from. In the US, most people call the pattern "plaid." We won't judge you either way.
Tartan shirts are easy to find across every section of every store, in every season. The pattern came roaring back in the nineties with grunge and never really left. It's a classic now, so you can always find it. In fall and winter, heavy flannel versions are everywhere. In summer, light cotton ones are just as easy to grab.
Tartan is great for trans masc style for two reasons. First, the crisscrossed stripes can make your chest look flatter in a way a solid shirt can't. Second, the busy pattern makes it way harder to tell a men's cut from a women's cut. A tartan shirt in a women's cut doesn't read the same way a fitted pink blouse does.
Button-down shirts come in tons of styles, fits, and colors, and they're one of the best ways to look more masculine on any body. The line of buttons pulls the eye up and down the middle of your body instead of across your chest. That's exactly what you want.
If you're just starting to redo your closet, thrift stores are a goldmine. Men's button-downs, oversized flannels, vintage denim: it's all cheap, and shopping there feels a lot less gendered than a regular store. You're not walking into a specific section. You're just sorting through racks.
A few specific button-down styles that read masculine across body types:
- Oxford shirts in blue or white: a solid classic that reads masculine in almost any fit
- Chambray shirts worn open over a crew neck tee. The extra layer adds bulk and breaks up your shape
- Flannel button-downs in size large or XL: boxy, warm, and about as gender-neutral as clothes get
- Work shirts and mechanic-style shirts. Chest pockets and tough fabric look masculine without even trying
Layer Strategically
If you're not binding yet but still want to minimize your chest, layering is one of the best tricks out there. The obvious downside is wearing more clothes when it's hot out. The fix? Plan indoor stuff in summer, like movies, bowling, the mall, or anywhere with blasting air conditioning.
- Hoodies and oversized sweatshirts: about as gender-neutral as clothing gets, and all that extra fabric softens the shape of your chest. Go one size up
- Jean jackets: people of every gender have worn these for decades, and the men's and women's versions are pretty much the same. Good for any time of year
- Flannel over a tee: worn unbuttoned over a plain white or grey tee, a flannel adds visual width to your shoulders and breaks up chest lines
- Zip-up hoodies and track jackets: easier to take off than a pullover when the weather keeps changing. The zipper down the middle also works like the buttons on a button-down
The general rule with layering: more fabric means less visible chest. Work with it, not against it.
Use the "Boyfriend" Trend
The "boyfriend" trend (boyfriend jeans, boyfriend blazers, boyfriend chinos) started over a decade ago and just won't quit. The idea is clothes with a looser, straighter, more classic masculine cut, sold in sections anyone can shop. That's really handy for us.
Boyfriend underwear has gone totally mainstream. Hanes sold it at Target, which is about as easy to find as anything gets. It's loose, sits lower, and is cut more like boxers or briefs than typical women's underwear.
- Boyfriend jeans: straight-leg, mid-rise or lower, looser through the thigh and hip than skinny or slim cuts
- Boyfriend chinos: the straight, relaxed fit reads much more masculine than tapered or fitted versions
- Boyfriend blazers: oversized and unstructured, so they soften your chest and hip lines
- Boyfriend briefs or boyshorts: for days when what's under your clothes matters too
Try Cropped Shirts at the Hip. They Make Your Legs Look Longer
This is a big trend right now, and a lot of trans masc people are sleeping on it. Crop a shirt so it ends right at your hip. Not a belly crop, just a hem that stops at your hip instead of hanging past it. It does a few things at once:
- Makes your legs look longer. When your hem stops at the hip instead of mid-thigh or lower, more leg shows. That makes you look taller and gives your lower half a more masculine shape
- Creates a boxier silhouette. A shorter shirt with room in the chest and shoulders looks sporty and put together. That's why so many trans masc style folks cut their big tees shorter instead of just sizing up
- Goes great with mid-thigh shorts. Hip-length shirt + mid-thigh shorts = the longest-looking legs you can get. This combo is everywhere right now, and it really works. The Mushroom Magic Mid-Thigh Shorts are built exactly for this
- Works with swimwear too. A cropped muscle tank or rash guard over swim shorts at the pool or beach does the same thing. Or go the singlet route. A vintage-style one-piece athletic swimsuit, worn alone or under shorts, is one of the most classic masculine swim looks out there. The Cake Bandit Reversible One-Piece is exactly this cut
You don't need to buy new for this one. Take an oversized tee two sizes up from your normal size, wash it first, and cut it to hip length. The raw hem looks like you meant it. TGS has a full guide on cropping your own shirts: Finding Your Style: A Guide for Trans Men and Non-Binary Folks →
For crop tops and tanks made for trans masc bodies, TGS carries the Loverboy Crop Top and the Loverboy Tank Top. For a full range of tees, tanks, and jerseys cut for gender expansive bodies, browse the TGS Tops Collection.
Hip-length top + mid-thigh shorts or straight-leg pants = the longest possible leg line. Your hem is where people's eyes think your legs start. The lower it sits, the shorter your legs look. Keep your hems at or above the hip and your legs do the rest.
FAQ
How do I look more masculine as a trans man or trans masc person?
The biggest changes come from fit. Go one size up in shirts, pick straight or relaxed cuts over fitted ones, and layer to break up your chest lines. Pieces that look masculine on just about any body include flannel shirts, straight-leg jeans, hoodies, button-downs with a center button line, and tartan patterns. None of this requires testosterone, a men's section, or anyone's permission.
How do I look more masculine without testosterone?
Fit and shape do a lot of the work, hormones or not. Going a size up, picking boxy cuts, layering smart, and wearing patterns like tartan to break up chest lines all change how your body looks, no hormones or surgery needed. Lots of trans men who are years into T are still learning what clothes work for their body. This isn't a waiting game. Start playing around now.
What are tips for closeted trans men at school?
Stick with pieces that are gender-neutral and easy to wear every day: hoodies, joggers, straight-leg jeans, plain crew neck tees in grey or black, and athletic wear. Basketball shorts and sports-brand clothing read masculine without being obviously "men's." Throwing a zip-up or flannel over a tee is low-key and does a lot for your chest. Most of all, you don't owe anyone an explanation. Wear what feels good and don't make up reasons for it.
How do I dress more masculine as a trans man when I can't shop in the men's section?
Sporting goods stores are the easiest workaround. The clothes really are gender-neutral, and nobody questions what you're buying. Thrift stores are another great option. You're just flipping through racks instead of picking a gendered section, and you can find men's cuts in your size at any price. Shopping online gets you every men's size without setting foot in a store. And the "boyfriend" trend means plenty of loosely cut masculine-reading clothing exists in every section of every store.
What are tips for trans masc swimmers or swimming?
For swimming, board shorts and swim trunks are easy to find everywhere, and TGS carries its own range of trans masc swim shorts designed for gender expansive bodies, including the Storm Print Athletic Swim Shorts, the Trans Bandana Swim Shorts, and the Barbed Wire Swim Shorts. A cropped muscle tank or rash guard over swim shorts covers your chest and keeps the masculine shape. The hip-length crop + mid-thigh short combo works really well at the pool or beach too.
Another underrated option: the singlet-style one-piece swimsuit. Think vintage athletic cut: high neck, short on the legs, worn on its own or under swim shorts. Wrestlers, Olympic swimmers, and water polo players have worn this classic masculine look for decades. It looks sporty and on purpose, not feminine. The Cake Bandit Reversible One-Piece Swimsuit is exactly this cut. It's made for trans masc bodies, it's reversible, and it's one of the cleanest swim options around if you want your chest covered without a rash guard.
If you're binding, do not bind and swim. Wet binders are dangerous and can restrict breathing. A tight sports bra or the singlet-style one-piece layered under swim shorts is the safer option for water.
Does binding help with masculine presentation?
Yes. Chest binding is one of the best tools for masculine style and for easing dysphoria. If you're not binding yet and want to explore it, our binding guide covers everything from first-time binder use to safer binding practices. TGS carries a range of binders and binding tape for different body types and activities.
The clothes you wear right now matter. Not because you have to put on a show for anyone. It's because feeling like yourself in your clothes is worth a lot, and you don't need anyone's permission to get there. Start with fit. Everything else follows.