As someone who shops in the men’s section of retail stores as often as the women’s section, having men’s clothes in my wardrobe is nothing new. In fact, the oversized and masculine look of men’s clothes on my smaller frame fit perfectly with my own personal style, making each menswear garment in my wardrobe a go-to almost every single day.
However, if you are unlike me and feel strange donning clothes meant for our gender counterpart, including men’s clothes in your outfit might seem tricky. How are you supposed to make the big flannel shirt work on you without making you look like you are drowning in fabric? Will you look like a little girl playing dress up in her father’s clothes? How do you balance the masculine and feminine vibes in your outfit?
If these questions and more are stopping you from experimenting with your outfit-of-the-days, well then don’t worry because that is what we are here for! Whether you raid your significant other’s wardrobe or plan to hit up the menswear department during your next shopping trip, get some style inspiration from our tips below.
White Shirt
Every guy owns a white shirt (or two) and lucky for you, this essential piece of garment is an easy one to pull off. For a classic and minimal look perfect for the office, wear it with a pair of slim-fit, tapered trousers and complete your outfit with a pair of heels to maintain a chic and professional appearance. You can even top off your look with a similarly oversized blazer to up the ante on your masculine outfit.
If you work in a creative industry that allows you more freedom in what you can wear to the office, another outfit idea you can try out is pairing the white shirt with a leather pencil skirt. Opt for one that goes past the knees and ends somewhere in the middle of your calves. Leave the bottom half of your shirt unbuttoned and tuck in one side into your skirt. Fold the sleeves of your shirt all the way to just above your elbows and complete your look with gold jewellery like a stack of rings or small hoop earrings.
For a casual vibe, dress down the white shirt with a pair of denim jeans. The style of jeans is completely up to you — skinny ones will create a nice contrasting fit with the shirt, boyfriend ones will provide you with an uber-casual look, while a distressed pair of jeans will lend you an edgy vibe worthy of a Fashion Week street style shot.
T-Shirt
If your significant other owns a bunch of slogan or band tees, grab the opportunity to include them in your outfits whenever you can. You can rock the cool and casual look just by wearing the t-shirt with a pair of denim jeans and topping off the outfit with a fitted leather jacket and ankle boots. Don this ensemble in a monochromatic colour and you will be adding some height while taking off a few pounds off of your figure too.
Another alternative is to channel your inner French girl by tucking the t-shirt into a pair of high-waisted trousers or jeans and finish off your look with a bright red lipstick.
Bomber Jacket
If you want to add an effortlessly cool and casual look to your OOTD, a bomber jacket is the way to go. Bomber jackets made for women are usually produced in a slimmer fit and shorter length, giving them a more feminine appearance. However, if you want a more masculine vibe in your outfit, opt for the oversized fit of a men’s bomber jacket. The great thing about this garment is you can throw it over anything and it will instantly add a touch of cool streetwear vibe to your appearance.
Want to macho up your flowy floral dress? Layer a bomber jacket over and top off your look with a pair of sneakers or ankle boots. Heading for a night out with your gal pals after work and need to dress down your officewear into something more casual? Just throw on a bomber jacket. This will look especially great with a pencil skirt as the oversized fit of the jacket against the figure-hugging skirt will create a nice silhouette.
Jumper
Throwing on a jumper two or three times your size sounds like the cosiest outfit ever, doesn’t it? Lucky for you, this look is not only appropriate for a night-in with Netflix, but also for a hang-out with your best buds. If the jumper goes all the way down to your thighs, you might be able to get away with just wearing a pair of leggings (or jeggings for something slightly less casual) and sneakers.
If you do not fancy looking like you just got out of a yoga session, wear the jumper with ankle-length, slim-fit trousers. Go for printed ones if the jumper is in a solid block of colour, and complete your outfit with oxfords or brogues.
For an outfit appropriate for a casual evening party, pair the jumper with a pleated midi skirt and top off with a pair of kitten heels or pointed-toe stilettos.