How to Look More Masculine FTM: Clothing Tips for Closeted Trans Men & Trans Masc People
How to Look More Masculine FTM: 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 clothing needed an upgrade to help me feel more confident. I'd moved from the small town where I grew up to a bustling city — and for the first time in my life, 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.
In hindsight, it was the perfect time to discover I wanted to make a drastic 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 valid. 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.
None of this is prescriptive. Masculine-identified people can wear anything — your clothing choices have nothing to do with your validity as a trans person. These tips are specifically for people who want to dress in a way that reads as more masculine but need to work within constraints 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 — leg-lengthening trick
- FAQ
How to Look More Masculine Without Testosterone
Yes — significantly. Clothing fit, silhouette, layering, and fabric pattern all affect how masculine your presentation reads, entirely independently of what's happening with your body. The tips in this guide work whether you're pre-T, not planning to take T, or just in a situation where you can't access it right now. Fit is the most powerful single variable — going one size up can change how your whole body reads.
Testosterone changes your body over time, but clothing changes how your body reads right now. The two aren't in competition — and frankly, there are plenty of trans men years into T who 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 actually internalize it. I was out, on T, and still buying medium shirts — then wondering 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. There was a period when GQ and its ilk were hammering readers to size down, stop wearing baggy clothes, dress like you actually own a mirror. The message stuck — and it led a lot of us to believe that tighter was better. What nobody clarified is that there's a meaningful difference between clothing that fits loosely and clothing that clearly doesn't fit.
Start by going one size up from what you normally wear. Your clothes should move freely around your body — not hug it, not swamp you in excess fabric. You're not being launched into space. You don't need to be cinched.
- Tighter clothes read as more feminine on most body types — looser clothes read as more masculine and hide curves you don't want emphasized
- The shoulders of a shirt are the most important fit point — if the shoulder seam is sitting where it should, the rest can be boxy and it reads as intentional
- 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 most reliable routes to masculine presentation because the cuts are genuinely gender-neutral — identical across sections, defaulting to black, grey, and white, and nobody questions what you're buying.
- Basketball shorts and mesh shorts — virtually 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 designed specifically for trans masc and gender expansive bodies — including the Splash Print Basketball Style Shorts, the Puppy Hood Basketball Shorts, and the Wrestling Season Long Mesh Shorts
- Mid-thigh length shorts — this is a current trend worth knowing about. Shorts that hit at mid-thigh create the visual illusion of longer legs and a more masculine lower body proportion — the same effect that works for cis men in athletic wear. Avoid shorts that hit at or below the knee if height is a concern; mid-thigh is the sweet spot
- Oversized basketball jerseys — worn over a plain tee or on their own, these create a wide, boxy silhouette that reads athletic and masculine. TGS carries jerseys and muscle tanks including the Wrestling Season Muscle Tank — built for trans masc bodies
- Joggers and sweatpants — consistently gender-neutral, seasonally versatile, and no awkward length issues like shorts can have
- Compression shirts — compression tops designed for athletes provide some chest-flattening effect without being a dedicated binder — a lower-commitment first step for people not yet ready to bind
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're not going to judge you either way.
Tartan shirts are easy to find across every section of every store, in every season. The pattern had a major resurgence in the nineties with the grunge movement and has never really gone away — it's a fashion classic now, which means it's always available. In fall and winter you'll find heavy flannel versions everywhere; in summer, lightweight cotton versions are just as common.
Two practical reasons tartan is great for trans masc presentation: the horizontal and vertical striping can help visually flatten your chest in a way that a solid shirt can't, and the pattern makes the gendered differences in cut much less noticeable. A tartan shirt in a women's cut doesn't read the same way a fitted pink blouse does.
Button-down shirts are available in an enormous range of styles, fits, and colors — and they're one of the best tools for masculine presentation across body types. The center button line draws the eye up and down the vertical center of your body rather than across your chest, which is exactly what you want.
For people just starting to overhaul their wardrobe, thrift stores are invaluable. Men's button-downs, oversized flannels, vintage denim — all of it is available cheap, and the shopping experience is less gendered than a standard retail 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 reliable classic that reads masculine in almost any fit
- Chambray shirts worn open over a crew neck tee — the layering adds visual mass and breaks up your silhouette
- Flannel button-downs in size large or XL — boxy, warm, and one of the most consistently gender-neutral clothing items available
- Work shirts and mechanic-style shirts — functional details like chest pockets and utilitarian fabric read masculine without trying
Layer Strategically
If you're not binding yet but still want to minimize your chest, layering is one of the most effective tools available. The obvious downside: more clothes when it's hot outside. The workaround is planning indoor activities in summer — movies, bowling, the mall, anywhere with aggressive air conditioning.
- Hoodies and oversized sweatshirts — one of the most reliably gender-neutral clothing items in existence, and the added fabric layers effectively mask chest shape. Go one size up
- Jean jackets — people of all genders have worn these for decades and there is virtually zero difference between those marketed to men and those marketed to women. A reliable, seasonless option
- 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, so more practical for variable temperatures, and the zip line down the center has a similar visual effect to 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" clothing trend — boyfriend jeans, boyfriend blazers, boyfriend chinos — started over a decade ago and has been remarkably persistent. The premise is clothing cut with a looser, straighter, more traditionally masculine silhouette but sold in sections accessible to everyone. This is genuinely useful.
Boyfriend underwear in particular has become mainstream — Hanes sold it at Target, which is about as widely available as something can get. Loose-fitting, lower-rise, and cut more like boxers or briefs than the standard women's underwear cut.
- 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, which hides chest and hip lines effectively
- 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 current trend and a practical style hack a lot of trans masc people are sleeping on. A shirt cropped to hit right at the hip — not a belly crop, just ending at the natural hip rather than falling past it — does several things at once:
- Makes your legs look longer. When the hemline hits at the hip rather than mid-thigh or lower, more leg is visible — which reads as a taller, more masculine lower body proportion
- Creates a boxier silhouette. A shorter shirt with room through the chest and shoulders reads athletic and structured — the same reason oversized tees get cut down, not just sized up, in a lot of trans masc style content
- Pairs perfectly with mid-thigh shorts. Hip-length shirt + mid-thigh shorts = maximum leg-length illusion. This combo is everywhere right now and it genuinely 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 creates the same proportional effect. Or go the singlet route — a vintage-style one-piece athletic swimsuit worn solo or under shorts is one of the most legitimately masculine swim silhouettes 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 reads intentional. TGS has a full guide on cropping your own shirts: Finding Your Style: A Guide for Trans Men and Non-Binary Folks →
For purpose-built crop tops and tanks made for trans masc bodies, TGS carries the Wrestling Season Crop Top and the I ❤️ TBOYS Crop 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. The hemline creates a visual starting point for the leg — the lower that point sits, the shorter the leg reads. 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 most effective changes are fit-based: go one size up in shirts, choose straight or relaxed cuts over fitted ones, and use layering to break up chest lines. Specific pieces that consistently read masculine across body types 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?
Clothing fit and silhouette do significant work independently of hormones. Going a size up, choosing boxy cuts, layering strategically, and using patterns like tartan to break up chest lines all change how your body reads without any medical intervention. Many trans men years into T are still learning what clothing works for their body — this isn't a waiting game. Start experimenting now.
What are tips for closeted trans men at school?
Focus on pieces that are gender-neutral enough to be unremarkable: 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." Layering with a zip-up or flannel over a tee is low-commitment and effective for chest. Most importantly — you don't have to explain or justify anything to anyone. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and don't perform 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 clothing is genuinely gender-neutral and nobody questions what you're buying. Thrift stores are another strong option: you're sorting racks rather than navigating gendered sections, and you can find men's cuts in your size across all price points. Online shopping gives you full access to men's sizing with no in-store navigation required. 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 FTM swimming?
For swimming, board shorts and swim trunks are widely available 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 provides chest coverage without losing the masculine silhouette — and the hip-length crop + mid-thigh short combination works especially well at the pool or beach.
Another underrated option: the singlet-style one-piece swimsuit. Think vintage athletic cut — high neck, minimal coverage on the legs, worn as its own piece or under swim shorts. It's a classic masculine swimwear silhouette that's been worn by wrestlers, Olympic swimmers, and water polo players for decades, and it reads athletic and intentional rather than feminine. The Cake Bandit Reversible One-Piece Swimsuit is exactly this cut — built for trans masc bodies, reversible, and one of the cleanest swim options available for people who want chest coverage without a rash guard layer.
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 most effective tools for trans masculine presentation and dysphoria relief. 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 perform anything, but because feeling like yourself in what you're wearing has real value — and you don't have to wait for any external permission to get there. Start with fit. Everything else follows.