For those of you who are working toward presenting androgynously (whether you're biologically female or male) I'd like to ask what types of things you've done in order to have a more androgynous look. How successful have these things been for you? Has anything not worked out as well as you had hoped? I'm trying to do this, a bit at a time & would like to hear from others what their experiences have been. Thanks!

[kraken1851]

Hmmm, I think it depends a lot on where you're coming from, so to speak. I'm afab, and I need to tone down or emphasize different features than someone who is dmab to appear less female and more androgynous.

But for me, ironically, it means letting my hair grow a little. At the moment I look like a woman with short hair, and the features in my face are too round for my liking. I'm hoping that with a more medium-length, layered cut I can be a little more androgynous. I could imagine for a person who is dmab this might work as well (rather than going for really long hair).

Then I only wear jeans and black t-shirts pretty much. Good t-shirts, but still they're only t-shirts. Sometimes black polos. If I will ever find a black button down shirt that fits me, I'll wear that. Men's pointed shoes.
There may be a way of working with glasses - selecting a frame that gives you sharper features if you're dfab, softer ones when dmab. But there is no general rule as to which frame will have which effect - it depends on your face is what I found.

[kraken1851]

Oh and this one (it's a bit lame I admit): standing with my thumbs tucked into my pockets so that my hips appear narrower because their partly "hidden" by my arms

Originally Posted by kraken1851

Hmmm, I think it depends a lot on where you're coming from, so to speak. I'm afab, and I need to tone down or emphasize different features than someone who is dmab to appear less female and more androgynous.

But for me, ironically, it means letting my hair grow a little. At the moment I look like a woman with short hair, and the features in my face are too round for my liking. I'm hoping that with a more medium-length, layered cut I can be a little more androgynous. I could imagine for a person who is dmab this might work as well (rather than going for really long hair).

Then I only wear jeans and black t-shirts pretty much. Good t-shirts, but still they're only t-shirts. Sometimes black polos. If I will ever find a black button down shirt that fits me, I'll wear that. Men's pointed shoes.
There may be a way of working with glasses - selecting a frame that gives you sharper features if you're dfab, softer ones when dmab. But there is no general rule as to which frame will have which effect - it depends on your face is what I found.

Hi Kraken: Thanks for your rely! Would you please explain dmab & afab? Being that I'm older than dirt, I'm not familiar with most of these terms.

[kraken1851]

Apologies, they're acronyms for designated male or assigned female at birth. So I wasn't consistent: there's also dfab (designated female at birth) and amab (assigned male at birth).

[Grey Matter]

I dress how I want and let people remain confused on my existence, that or proclaim I have risen from the void.

I approach it with humor and let others do the leg work, I've got books to read!

[NanuConfused]

I just wear cargo pants and a t-shirt, and my skater shoes lol.

[LUTE20]

I really have found what doesn't work is making my body structure look anything but masculine. But I'm ok with that. If you don't see me standing up. You'd think I was a girl probably. Being androgynous comes easily to me. I have hairstyles that tend to be on the feminine side. These would be examples.

This is my current hairstyle but my hair is getting too long
http://i59.tinypic.com/25993qs.jpg
I want it something like this though and to just curl/pull it back.
http://i58.tinypic.com/213n8nc.jpg

i have really good tricks on also how to achieve cleavage despite being a skinny bio male. as a teen I had breasts A cups (not due being fat due to hormones) so I looked up basically every trick I could find. I would use two bras padding make up to appear to be a C to D cup. but I tend to just wear jeans and a blouse/t-shirt/tank top/whatever I feel like. When I get dressed I'm not really conscious of gender I look to be I just do what feels right to me. I'll wear leggings high heels and a tube top with a bra one day and people will think I'm trying to looking a woman that's not my concern. It's more just what I'm comfortable wearing. I'm tall with slimmer legs and narrow hips and broad shoulders this outfit usually accentuates the bone structure. Many of more wardrobe accentuates my shape while my face voice and hair more point in the female direction therefore I get an ambiguous perception.

I also wear make up. But not a lot. My general rules is just 2 to 3 products usually mascara and lip gloss. But I also have techniques for those as as well. But without make up people tend to see my face and think my face are too soft to be a guy's. Mainly since I have bigger lips it sets things off perception wise. I also have largish blue green eyes so when I wear make up these features tend to stand out.

Also added to everything my voice never dropped completely sound I sound childish boyish sorta my naturally voice is pretty androgynous in itself. So it makes my gender perception even more ambiguous.

Originally Posted by kraken1851

Hmmm, I think it depends a lot on where you're coming from, so to speak. I'm afab, and I need to tone down or emphasize different features than someone who is dmab to appear less female and more androgynous.

But for me, ironically, it means letting my hair grow a little. At the moment I look like a woman with short hair, and the features in my face are too round for my liking. I'm hoping that with a more medium-length, layered cut I can be a little more androgynous. I could imagine for a person who is dmab this might work as well (rather than going for really long hair).

Then I only wear jeans and black t-shirts pretty much. Good t-shirts, but still they're only t-shirts. Sometimes black polos. If I will ever find a black button down shirt that fits me, I'll wear that. Men's pointed shoes.
There may be a way of working with glasses - selecting a frame that gives you sharper features if you're dfab, softer ones when dmab. But there is no general rule as to which frame will have which effect - it depends on your face is what I found.

Thanks for your reply, Kraken. I'm curious about the men's pointed shoes. I also look for these. I look for them because I imagine that they look a bit more feminine than more round toed shoes do. May I ask what it is about men's shoes with more pointed toes that attracts you

Originally Posted by LUTE20

I really have found what doesn't work is making my body structure look anything but masculine. But I'm ok with that. If you don't see me standing up. You'd think I was a girl probably. Being androgynous comes easily to me. I have hairstyles that tend to be on the feminine side. These would be examples.

This is my current hairstyle but my hair is getting too long
http://i59.tinypic.com/25993qs.jpg
I want it something like this though and to just curl/pull it back.
http://i58.tinypic.com/213n8nc.jpg

i have really good tricks on also how to achieve cleavage despite being a skinny bio male. as a teen I had breasts A cups (not due being fat due to hormones) so I looked up basically every trick I could find. I would use two bras padding make up to appear to be a C to D cup. but I tend to just wear jeans and a blouse/t-shirt/tank top/whatever I feel like. When I get dressed I'm not really conscious of gender I look to be I just do what feels right to me. I'll wear leggings high heels and a tube top with a bra one day and people will think I'm trying to looking a woman that's not my concern. It's more just what I'm comfortable wearing. I'm tall with slimmer legs and narrow hips and broad shoulders this outfit usually accentuates the bone structure. Many of more wardrobe accentuates my shape while my face voice and hair more point in the female direction therefore I get an ambiguous perception.

I also wear make up. But not a lot. My general rules is just 2 to 3 products usually mascara and lip gloss. But I also have techniques for those as as well. But without make up people tend to see my face and think my face are too soft to be a guy's. Mainly since I have bigger lips it sets things off perception wise. I also have largish blue green eyes so when I wear make up these features tend to stand out.

Also added to everything my voice never dropped completely sound I sound childish boyish sorta my naturally voice is pretty androgynous in itself. So it makes my gender perception even more ambiguous.

Thanks so much for all of the ideas, Lute20! I loved both the hairstyles. Unfortunately for me at this point I have a high forehead & a large bald spot on the "crown" where older males typically get it. I've let my hair grown out quite a bit & I do what I can to cover the bare & thin spots. Fortunately, I do see some older women (roughly my age) whose hair is pretty thin. So this gives me comfort.

I have used clear nail hardener. I've thought about trying clear mascara as well. But so far I haven't done it. Although I shave my face daily, I still have a fairly pronounced beard. Oh, & my nose... I just HATE how big my nose is! I could have it made smaller surgically. But it's just not worth the expense at this point. I'm not a person who anyone would say looks masculine. But also no one is going to mistake me for being female either if they look at me. My voice occasionally gets mistaken for being female occasionally, especially on the phone.

[kraken1851]

Originally Posted by The Skeezyks

Thanks for your reply, Kraken. I'm curious about the men's pointed shoes. I also look for these. I look for them because I imagine that they look a bit more feminine than more round toed shoes do. May I ask what it is about men's shoes with more pointed toes that attracts you

Heh, good question. I think it's because I perceive of them as androgynous. They're men's shoes, but they're not hypermasculine (in my perception anyway). But ultimately, I just like this particular pair a lot

Originally Posted by kraken1851

Heh, good question. I think it's because I perceive of them as androgynous. They're men's shoes, but they're not hypermasculine (in my perception anyway). But ultimately, I just like this particular pair a lot

Actually, what I WANT are women's BOOTS! I love boots. Years ago (back in the stone age, when I was young ) men's boots were popular... but no longer. I do own a couple of pairs of shorter men's boots. They come up just a bit above the ankle. But unless you buy cowboy boots, you just don't see higher top boots for men anymore... at least not where I live.

[LUTE20]

Originally Posted by The Skeezyks

Thanks so much for all of the ideas, Lute20! I loved both the hairstyles. Unfortunately for me at this point I have a high forehead & a large bald spot on the "crown" where older males typically get it. I've let my hair grown out quite a bit & I do what I can to cover the bare & thin spots. Fortunately, I do see some older women (roughly my age) whose hair is pretty thin. So this gives me comfort.

I have used clear nail hardener. I've thought about trying clear mascara as well. But so far I haven't done it. Although I shave my face daily, I still have a fairly pronounced beard. Oh, & my nose... I just HATE how big my nose is! I could have it made smaller surgically. But it's just not worth the expense at this point. I'm not a person who anyone would say looks masculine. But also no one is going to mistake me for being female either if they look at me. My voice occasionally gets mistaken for being female occasionally, especially on the phone.

There are way to also make the nose appear smaller.
Here are two links idk what is actually big about your nanosecond but I used to minimize my make up through contouring my nose bump and the wideness in my nose. There are hair pieces for hair loss I've on actually used extensions and can look pretty realistic. If not there are also wigs some can appear pretty realistic.

Mascara I tend to like to make my mascara look pretty drastic but there are a lot of options one could go with there.

[TheSeamster]

I recently cut my hair, as my undercut kept giving people a distinctly female impression. And I just wear my usual clothes, graphic t's and jeans. I like baggier jeans but tighter shirts so they contrast pretty nicely with just the right touch of feminine and masculine. And there'salso my chest binder, so that helps.

[kraken1851]

Originally Posted by TheSeamster

I recently cut my hair, as my undercut kept giving people a distinctly female impression. And I just wear my usual clothes, graphic t's and jeans. I like baggier jeans but tighter shirts so they contrast pretty nicely with just the right touch of feminine and masculine. And there'salso my chest binder, so that helps.

Hiya, can I ask about the haircut, what it looks like? I'm still trying to figure out where I'll be going with mine, so I'm curious what other people are doing for haircuts