One thing that shouldn’t be a challenge to most people, but that is a challenge to nonbinary or genderfluid people, is maintaining a wardrobe.
Most people have some struggle with finding clothes that fit, look good, are cost effective, and serve the purpose for which they are bought. But by and large, we don’t give too much thought to this.
But for transgender and genderfluid people, it’s not uncommon to give lots of thought to our clothes.
The clothes we wear help us to align ourselves physically and visually with our self-perception and identity.
This can result in a lot of trial and error trying different clothes from different brands in different sizes marketed towards different genders. And for folks who love fashion, this can be a fun thing amidst the frustration.
But it’s also costly and results in having a huge wardrobe full of clothes you may never wear.
The value of minimalism
As an entrepreneur and someone who generally favors simplicity, I am drawn to minimalism as a lifestyle and as an aesthetic. So, I’ve had a focus on having a simple wardrobe for some time now. But there still exists a number of roles my clothing has had to fill. And simplifying that has been tough.
Some clothes are useful for work, and as a personal trainer, shorts and t-shirts are ideal. They’re also arguably very masculine. And sometimes that really sucks for dysphoria. And sometimes it’s a bit TOO casual for those days when you need to feel like someone who has their shit together.
And then there’s clothes that look good. And typically these also carry very strong gender overtones. As a genderfluid person, the degree to which I feel gender can shift, sometimes quickly. So, putting the effort into casual clothes that are also stylish can sometimes not be worth it.
It’s cliche’ among minimalists at this point that having the same outfit from day to day frees up brain space. And since transgender people spend so much time thinking about clothes to begin with, freeing up that brain space is beneficial in so many ways.
So I’ve always been on the lookout for an outfit that works for fitness, and casual wear, and is stylish, but not overtly gendered. And I think I’ve finally got it worked out.
Of course it’s black
Here’s what I’ve settled on. Plain black leggings, and a black t-shirt dress.
This is terribly comfy, and can serve different roles depending on how it’s accessorized.
For fitness coaching, it’s essentially leggings and a t-shirt. This is something common enough to see in a gym being worn by folks regardless of gender. If I really need to make it more functional, I just swap out the t-shirt dress for an actual t-shirt. Boom! Instant personal trainer.
For feeling like a professional adult, basic black does the trick. It’s comfy, but not too frumpy. It’s fairly adrogynous, and not distracting. It’s great for productivity.
For a more casual, and masculine vibe, heavy jewelry gives it a more of a “guy in a tunic” look.
And other accessories or shoes femme it right up for days where that seems to be the gender I rolled on the random gender of the day table. (I really wish that were a little more predictable).
Either way, the style can be simple, functional, or goth’d the fuck out.
Capsule Wardrobe FTW
A capsule wardrobe is a concept in minimalism and personal style that basically states that you have very few staple pieces of clothing. But each is very versatile and all of your tops work with all of your bottoms, for example. You should be able to reach blindly into your closet, dress yourself, and have it work.
That is essentially what I’ve settled in with this wardrobe. I have a few black t-shirt dresses, a few plain t-shirts, and some leggings. That’s pretty much all I need. I’m going to keep a pair of shorts for when needed, and a pair of pants for when pockets and something less form fitting is necessary. But, that’s it.
Dysphoria and Weight Loss Considerations.
During the pandemic, I gained about 40 pounds. That’s about what many people gained during the pandemic. But now, it’s time to lose that extra weight.
Unfortunately, losing weight is a slow and erratic process if done correctly. Clothes fit weird when you find yourself in between sizes. And buying clothes to fit the new body size every step of the way is neither minimalist, nor convenient.
So the added benefit of this outfit, which I wear daily now, is that regardless of my current body shape, it fits comfortably.
This serves to keep attention from being drawn to clothing, or the body. And on days when dysphoria is present, the last thing you want to be thinking about is your clothing or your body. So this really helps with that.
I’m interested to know if other transgender or genderfluid people have successfully created a capsule wardrobe or a minimalist personal style. For me, it wasn’t easy. So if you’ve pulled it off leave a comment below and a pic of your own personal style!