What's your favorite outfit?

[al]

What's an outfit/article of clothing/accessory that you really, really like?
What do you like about it?
Does it validate or express to your identity in some way?
How do you feel when you're wearing it?

I'd lead by example: I really, really like wearing tropical/botanical-themed loose button up shirts. Like what you might imagine a slightly embarrassing white father would wear on vacation in Hawaii. Why? I'm not entirely sure - maybe it reminds me of my slightly embarrassing white father, or it might be the sort of laid-back but kind of "quirky" vibe that they gives off. They also tend to be bigger and made of soft material like cotton, so I tend to feel a lot more comfortable in them (and less concerned about sweaty I am or whether my chest is visible). I feel like they help me express my genderqueerness, and my love for palm trees and flowers and being awkward at parties.

Okay, your turn!

[curiouskitten]

I love wearing schoolgirl type outfits. :3 They make me feel girly and smol and well behaved. I also adore anime, so that just makes me happy.

[Jacob]

As above plus dungarees/overalls!

[Sam W]

Mine is a dress that's sort of a 1950s cut, but the skirt bit is black and the top portion is a print that's these super-saturated images of monster movies. I'll pair it with very strong makeup (dark lips and eyeliner) and one of my bone necklaces. I tend to describe my ideal presentation as "hard femme" and to me that's what this dress is. I like a lot of the trappings of "femininity" but I want to look vaguely unsettling or intimidating to a certain type of person while I wear them.

[SirenSong]

I love wearing schoolgirl type outfits. :3 They make me feel girly and smol and well behaved. I also adore anime, so that just makes me happy.

That is such a mood! I'm gender fluid, but girly and smol and well behaved is definitely one of my moods. Maybe I'll try wearing schoolgirl style clothes to get that feeling.
My comfort clothing is actually a dragon necklace, it has very protective vibes.

[lilikoi]

What a fun question!

I recently discovered Palazzo pants at a thrift store. I didn't realize this type of style had a name! I feel like I have been searching for these pants my whole life. They are blue and meant as a swim cover-up but they make me feel really fancy actually! The defining characteristic of palazzo is the wide leg from top to bottom but with a swishy-sway quality, not stiff. They're also high waisted which makes me feel taller for my 5' 2 (and 3/4)'' self.

As I am approaching my mid-twenties comments about my small size and child-like appearance (especially in a professional setting) really bug me, especially since I am a black woman so I already am navigating being taken seriously. It's not the worst thing in the world since us small women are given more cred than my plus-size sisters. But I bring it up because, in these pants, I feel like a boss and think I look less like a tween.

[Alexa]

Quarantine has really cemented my love for jumpsuits. They're soo comfy but they can also look so dressy if you wear the right one with the right jewelry, makeup, etc. I found a cute black one made of jersey material that's SUPER comfy -- this has become my house outfit -- and a couple that are silkier and fancier for when, if ever, we leave the house again!

[Susan]

I've always collected band tees, but recently I've found a nice little store online that sells them cheap enough that I can afford them. I normally like 80's rock bands, but I've started to expand my horizons with other genres like rap/hiphop, pop, etc. So far, I have three Pink Floyd, tow Beatles, one Queen, one Kurt Cobain, one Freddie Mercury, one ACDC, and one Eminem.
I like to pair these with a nice pair of my favourite jeans or a pair of Lulu leggings (or, if I'm honest, a pair of pj bottoms). If I'm in the mood, I'll put a long-sleeve black top underneath (for the ultimate nineties vibes). With this, I top it off with a hair clip, headband, hair bun, scrunchie, etc.

[Mo]

Clothes can be really stressful for me, for a lot of reasons; I tend to have a very basic tshirt/skinny jeans combo almost all the time and try to make things interesting with my glasses, earrings, or makeup...but I do have one piece of clothing I'm super excited about right now, which is a neon pink denim jacket I found a couple years ago. It's as ridiculous and bright as you might imagine, and I also collect enamel pins so the front is covered in them, and it makes me so happy to wear it. I also get a lot of compliments on it from people I run into out in the world, which always feels nice.

[bikinksterboy]

my favorite as of now is probably my pink Steven Universe varsity jacket. it embodies my masculine core and bright pastel aspirations and comfort outside stereotypes of my gender. I feel super cool and self-assured when wearing it. I love the soft texture and the little white bands, and how it's like got a heft to it without being necessarily heavy. I love jackets in particular because layering is my inroad to fashion and outfit-building. Like, jacket + tee is a whole look just on its own regardless of anything else and having that keystone helps me feel more confident in exploring fashion for myself without as much of the anxiety I normally get around it. The jacket is also the brightest item of clothing I own that isn't just a generic tee, or lingerie meant only for my SO's eyes and my own, so I like that a lot. I also like how it fills out my figure without me swimming in it. Like this particular one just complements me in a really nice way where it goes along with my slim build but it's substantial in itself so it actually does change the silhouette somewhat. So like an in between of the "masculine ideal" frame and my actual build.

[Marisha]

I just looked up SU varsity jacket and I'm very jealous!

It's hard for me to say whether I have a favorite outfit right now. I'm kind of going through a style crisis. I think I need to get some new combat boots, then I'll make 'em part of my favorite outfit

[Melamyl]

I really love being in a dress. I am the type of girl who's a little bit feminine and who loves pretty dresses. Dress is considered sort of my uniform already.

[valerie4]

I LOVE a "loud" shirt tucked into some jeans or dark slacks with a belt and either boots or loafers. By "loud" I mean very colorful or standout patterns. Then I usually match it with an earring. These days wearing one long earring has felt more affirming. I recently bought a black turtle neck shirt and wore it with two gold chains necklaces and slacks and I felt POWERFUL. Since COVID, I have not been leaving my house and have been in a permanent state of sweatpants and t-shirts. It is really nice to get dressed up even if it is to just send pictures of my outfit to my friends.

SOMETIMES, I will wear makeup and do some cool eyeliner or bright colors. I am trying to move away from the makeup I used to wear to conform to my concept of what a woman was and now try to use it to express the fluidity of my gender. Recently, I have been doing drag makeup for cosplay on Tik Tok and it has been really liberating!

It is also really nice to have gender affirming clothing to try on in a household where my gender is not recognized. It is so amazing the power clothing can have on our moods and our lives.

Love this post!!

[boosterseat]

I absolutely love wearing saris, with blouses that have quirky cuts! Saris are so versatile, and quite comfortable, if a little difficult to drape. Currently trying to figure out how to pair my chunky platform boots with my mother's delicate pastel saris!

[Emily N]

I'm so excited for warmer weather soon, because then I can pull out my thrifted button up shirts (when it's safe again, I'm so excited to make a trip to Savers). Most of the time though, I just want to wear clothing that don't restrict my movement or make me feel confined, so I'm also a big fan of leggings/yoga pants.

[Melamyl]

Summer is near so yeah, there are a lot of cute-looking outfits advertised as ideal summer outfits, but if you don’t have the figure, budget, or cooperation of your body/the weather to wear, it won’t matter.

My favorite outfit this coming summer will be a lot of maxi skirts as dresses (I don’t care if you see my bra straps either, see above), and flip flops or sandals.

[Emily N]

I hear you, Melamyl! It can be super frustrating to find affordable clothes that fit and make me feel confident - especially when I'm relying on online shopping because of covid! But it's been helpful for me to remember that "summer clothes" can look like a lot of things and that every body looks good in "summer clothes" (however you define them). No one should feel pressure to wear clothes that make them uncomfortable just because they are widely advertised. For example, I don't feel good wearing many types of shorts, so I have found some longer skirts I feel more comfortable in for warm days.

[Carly]

I! Love! Jumpsuits! These are very trendy at the moment where I live, but I'll be wearing these for the rest of my life. Sometimes I get really overwhelmed by getting dressed and choosing what to wear, and I find that articles of clothing that are nearly a complete outfit with just one piece (like dresses, jumpsuits, and rompers) relax my anxiety and help me move along with my day. My favorite outfit right now when I'm at home is a soft, orange jumpsuit with dots all over it. My favorite accessories are earrings (the bigger the better!) and lipstick (the bolder the better!). It's been a little hard to wear both of these due to the need to wear a mask. I don't feel like myself without them. Even if I can't wear them outside, I make sure I wear both indoors at home to reconnect with myself.

[Susan]

OOHHH Carly, I love that! I find I love outfits like that too, but it's not super popular here, so I find that I don't wear them as much as I'd like.

[Heather]

I, too, am long a member of the jumpsuit fan club.

But on the whole, my enduring uniform that seems to stick around and make me feel comfortable in my skin over decades tends to be a white or black t-shirt and black jeans. A blazer or nice shirt over it if I need to be fancy, something silk under that if I need to be extra fancy. Alas, the older I get the less comfortable jeans become, so that's starting to become an issue, but black joggers can also do in a pinch.

Valerie: Black turtlenecks were long part of my uniform and I agree, there's a power to them! Alas, turtlenecks are a freaking iron maiden in menopause, so until I'm on the other side, mine are sadly relegated to the back of the closet.