gender neutral clothing question

[carfreak]

Hello all. I am wondering what exactly is gender neutral clothing. I am not sure and wondering. Sorry is it sounds stupid just want to learn

[Normal boobs1]

Basically any item of clothing that is not pigeon holed by Joe Public as male or female by what it is, style, colour or cut of the design.
Many on here long for the day when clothes are just regarded as functional items that anyone can wear by choice or necessity without negative judgement regardless of what it is or what shop or department it is bought in. If we get to that situation all clothes will be seen as gender neutral.

[aboywithgirls]

Hello all. I am wondering what exactly is gender neutral clothing. I am not sure and wondering. Sorry is it sounds stupid just want to learn

I can only speak for myself, but I wore clothing designed for a typical woman's figure for almost 20 years before I transitioned. I wore women's slacks and jeans on the lower half. Ladies Oxford blouses were my go-to for work with a blazer in a woman's cut and Ladies slacks is what I wore to work for about 10 years prior to transitioning. Some of the ladies in the office noticed but they also admittedly said that they had several articles of men's clothing because it fit better. 
❤️Sophie❤️

[42CSurprise!]

Hello all. I am wondering what exactly is gender neutral clothing. I am not sure and wondering. Sorry is it sounds stupid just want to learn

We understand that a frilly blouse is likely going to be found in the women's section of a store.  Lingerie will be thought of a women's apparel.  But both men and women wear turtlenecks, tee shirts, slacks, jackets, jeans, socks, loafers, running shoes, hiking boots.  A button down shirt will be worn by both men and women, though they typically have buttons on opposite sides of the shirt opening.  Men here often wear women's jeans or shirts because they are cut to accommodate curves men with developing breasts also have.  I doubt anyone would conclude seeing a man in a pair of jeans designed for a woman would think he was dressed inappropriately.  They'd have no idea where he bought those jeans.

Both men and women enjoy "androgynous" articles of clothing.  Of course, in wearing a brassiere men are going across the aisle... understandably if they're contending with breasts of their own.  Some of us would be happy if brassieres were available in men's departments, but all of us are happy they are available to us.  I honestly don't care where I find a brassiere that fits my bosom.

There is no such think as a stupid question when exploring this important topic.  Thanks for asking.

[Evolver]

Carfreak - the most obvious example i can think of is t-shirts. It seems very common nowadays while shopping for them online that they are either sold as womens, or mens/unisex. I assume that the mens/unisex moniker attracts women to buy them for themselves if they are a bit overweight and find that the traditional fitted women's shirts don't fit properly. All without stigma.

Unfortunately we don't seem to see t-shirts marketed as womens/unisex to suit slim men with breasts, but realistically, the market for that would be small, even though on this forum we think it is universal!

To me, gender neutral means something that looks good on either assigned gender person. I buy v-neck t-shirts nowadays and my latest purchases look good on my wife too!

[Brdy64]

All my 'purchased' shorts are bought 'across the isle' at Torrid now. They are the only shorts that fit me without making my own.
No one would know that they are women's just by seeing them on me. Maybe think they were a bit 'short' (3.5" inseam), but not women's. Nothing on the design stands out a 'made for women'.
I also added a few blouses to my cart. Not the frilly lace v-neck types, but blouses all the same.
I can't wear a button down shirt "off the rack' in men's, but the blouses will be cut to accommodate my curves.
Even t-shirts and polo shirts in men's clothing needs to be purchased much larger than my size to fit my chest and keep them from 'riding up' my hips to my waist. Buying clothes cut to fit just makes more sense.
Women like men's clothing sometimes, and clothing manufacturers are designing women's clothes with that in mind.
There are many options in women's attire that don't scream feminine.

[Brdy64]

 Jeans and shirts often have signature details that say male or female. Jeans with the stitching in the pocket or flared tapered legs. 

Grandma bought me a pair of girls Jeans at the second hand store when I was a teenager.
I was amazed at the fit and finally having a pair of jeans that didn't need to be cinched in at the waist. 
I wore them to school the next day only to be laughed at. 
They were designer jeans with the fancy flowery pattern on the back pockets. They also really highlighted my hips and butt apparently. 😳
Needless to say I never wore them to school again. I did wear them out around the house because they were so comfortable. 

[Brdy64]

It is funny looking back at years and moments when things happened that seemed so innocent and we’re and our brains went this is nice and I enjoy this and then society says the f are you doing take that shhh off lol whether it be friends or just general conscience of something saying this is right but it isnt right. So we take it off and enjoy it in our own time.

The nice thing about this forum is it gives us the opportunity to bring up those moments from our past and finally 'talk about them'. Gets things off my chest about feelings that have been repressed for decades.
My love for my first pair of girls jeans, even though I wouldn't wear them to school. Even the time I dressed in my cousins skirt, bra, panties, and blouse.
I can think of no other place where I would feel safe speaking about such things.
But these items of clothes just felt 'so right'. Much better than the ones society chose for me.
Am I going to jump into a skirt tomorrow, most likely not. I don't however see a problem with it either. 'To each his own' so to speak.
Sure feels good to finally be able to talk about it. 🤔

[Upfront]

I think t shirts in mens departments are unisex. 

Those in the ladies aisles are often quite different. Softer, often thinner fabric, Scoop, wider or slash necks and are usually of a closer fit. They are available in proper fittings rather than the vague, variable small, medium, large.
Then there are fitted, regular or relaxed fit variants. There are also those that have 3-5% elastene for stretch. I have even come across some with darts to fit boobs.
This is before those with built in support.

I will happily wear any of these but I have to point out that most will not bear close scrutiny as being unisex

[taxmapper]

Clothing especially the template cut from times past were designed to be obvious. 
In the late 1800's and through the 1920's there was in fact a "neuter" clothing trend and if one researches it, also came from the outlier groups (typ. the precursor to the modern LGB crowd). 

There are many facets to what happened post WWII and the resulting of trying to re-establish a "norm" amongst the more conservative groups. 

If you pay attention, women's clothing was designed to be form fitting, and thus have the material cut to fit the hourglass shape of the female body. 
little consideration was given to body shape after the fact. And "fat clothes" were designed to make someone look frompy to shame then to loose weight. 
(Corporate agriculture had other plans). 

I personally don't have a problem with women designed clothing for the enhancement of the curves. Men's clothing more boxy and straight. (Look at the cuts on jeans). 

Men typically don't have hips and women's cut jeans are built for the conforming of curves. 
Women's swimsuits are designed for no bulge in the crotch, but the bulge up top. 
Men need a pouch for modesty and support sake down below. 
It looks a bit odd on a one piece with high cut him lines. (Anyone born before 1970 know what I am talking about.) 

So androgynous removes the emphasis of curves, but allows for the straight shaped body without the "frompy" intent. 

Because this crowd has the "junk" but also a top heavy set of mamary projections, such clothing would be more akin to allow for being what we are without specific aligning. 

[Brdy64]

I think t shirts in mens departments are unisex.

Those in the ladies aisles are often quite different. Softer, often thinner fabric, Scoop, wider or slash necks and are usually of a closer fit. They are available in proper fittings rather than the vague, variable small, medium, large.
Then there are fitted, regular or relaxed fit variants. There are also those that have 3-5% elastene for stretch. I have even come across some with darts to fit boobs.
This is before those with built in support.

I will happily wear any of these but I have to point out that most will not bear close scrutiny as being unisex

Several shirts I made myself are more of a 'fitted' cut. I really get tired of wearing t shirts and polos way oversized top keep them from riding up my hips and pull over my chest. 
Buying across the isle seems to remedy the problem. 

[Brdy64]

My sister is a year older than me. In the 70s men’s and women’s jeans were very close to the same. High rise and tight. Look at pics of rock stars back then. My mother would get our jeans mixed up after washing them. And as for t shirts....my brother was a body builder. A lot of them bought women’s tees because of the smaller cuts in the arms and waist with the small percentage of Elastic type material. Showed off their muscles and shape better.

Hmm, my 70's jeans were quite different. Our community had Levi's 501 as the standard men's jeans used by just about everyone. I did make most of my own jeans back then because grandma insisted that we did. Those did fit well because we took in the waist too remove extra fabric. 
I did however get one new outfit a year, and stuff off the second hand shelf. 
I guess it depends on where you grew up. 🤔

[taxmapper]

In 1974 I was in elementary school. My grandmother was taking care of us when my mother was "out on vacation." 

She was ADAMIT, that I could not wear ANY jeans!   That was Werboten!


But my sister loved the bell bottoms with elevator shoes she had. 

But today...

SPANDEX is our friend!

[carfreak]

I have quite a few jeans and shirts also. I wear the jeans on weekends and just got a few shorts but not sure is wear all out in public (a little shorter than like) I have shirts but so far just wear in apartment or under a make shirts. I have 1 shirt fits like a male but its purple and another one thats a darker purple but the neck is a little bigger and not v shape. The sleeves are shorter than like also. I have not really found a unisex clothing that i know of. If i can find some shirts that like i would wear. I did see some pull over shirts this pass winter but they are for jrs. I need at least xxl

[oldguy]

I believe I learned something from this conversation. 

While going to the community center to exercise after knee surgery, I noticed a lot of guys who were wearing leggings while exercising.  I am 5'5", so my wife has always shortened my slacks and exercise pants.  I found women's yoga pants, in petite, and they fit perfect and no one notices.

The same thing goes with my arms.  All my dress shirts, were custom made to 31".  My sweat shirts, exercise tops, and long sleeve causal shirts, all need to be shortened.  I'm thinking I need purchase tops for shorter arms.  Not feminine. 

Does anyone have any suggestions?