How to dress more manly/"butch"?

[JMusic]

So I moved to Los Angeles three years ago and I guess over time my fashion sense unknowngly became more in tune with the other "metro" guys that live here.

Anyway, my family is forcing me to go back to college in January (I turn 21 on the 5th). A conservative college that's basically in the middle of nowhere.

Problem is... I didn't think about my clothing style ever being an issue until this winter break, when I visited some cousins I hadn't seen for a few years and was teased about "how queer I dress now". The thing is, I'm not that up and up on fashion to begin with. And while I do have a few items from Dolce and Versace, there's nothing in my wardrobe that I would consider flamboyant at all.

So the question is, what brands/styles are considered more "bro" and less "metro"? The most I've been able to get out of non-LA-based friends is "wear Ed Hardy" or "wear Abercrombie", but I was hoping for a more in depth idea of what seperates these ways of dressing.

 

[F475]

Flannel shirts, steel-toed boots, "dungarees", lots of sports team logos and a baseball cap?
Oh, wife-beater too..

 

[X-Calibre]

Originally Posted by F475

Flannel shirts, steel-toed boots, "dungarees", lots of sports team logos and a baseball cap?
Oh, wife-beater too..

Here on Style forum we prefer Domestic Partner Beater, thank you.

 

[holymadness]

You can't be serious and I therefore conclude that you are actually gay. The trick to dressing straight is to not think about what you're wearing at all.

Since you must disguise this fact, I'd suggest some jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. Hiking boots or dark sneakers for footwear. Lose any scarves and jewellery.

 

[Eccentric]

You seem to have an image problem, not wanting to be viewed as a "queer". Changing your clothing is one way to change this image, but I doubt it will make you happy if you post here. Your best bet is going to be finding another way to tweak your image.

Take up pipe smoking and be something of an eccentric. Then you are just weird. Another way to right your image would be to sleep with a lot of women. I mean enough women so as to have a reputation for being most definately straight. Either of those should correct your problem.

 

[FidelCashflow]

These guys know how to dress manly. There's even an episode about the one with the moustache teaching a gay guy how to be and dress manly.

 

[JMusic]

Originally Posted by holymadness

You can't be serious and I therefore conclude that you are actually gay. The trick to dressing straight is to not think about what you're wearing at all.

Since you must disguise this fact, I'd suggest some jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. Hiking boots or dark sneakers for footwear. Lose any scarves and jewellery.

Figured someone would say something about that. I'm not. To clarify (grew up with 3 older brothers): when something's queer, it's girly/effeminate. So if anything, they were being demasculating towards me; not questioning my sexuality.

Thing is, I never really DID think about what I was wearing. Hence the reason this family reunion was so surprising. I don't wear scarves or jewelry. In fact, the two days that I spent with them, I wore a Versace t-shirt and True Religion jeans the first day, and a Christian Audigier t-shirt and 7 jeans the second day (and I only know that because I just posted the pictures on Facebook).

Hence the reason I posted here; I want to know what makes an outfit more masculine without going to the extreme of flannel shirts and steal-toed boots.

Originally Posted by Eccentric

You seem to have an image problem, not wanting to be viewed as a "queer".

Like I said above, when something's queer, it's girly/effeminate. So if anything, they were being demasculating towards me; not questioning my sexuality. Two totally different things.

 

[Eccentric]

Honestly, more masculine generaly means looking poorly put together, which is why I still think you should look for alternatives. If you bang a lot of women, then there will be no more room to question.

 

[voxsartoria]

- B

 

[grimslade]

Gah! Stop scaring the children, Uncle Bill, or we'll put you back in the basement until the holidays are over.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Gah! Stop scaring the children, Uncle Bill, or we'll put you back in the basement until the holidays are over.

Well, technically speaking, dungeon rather than basement is the right term.

- B

 

[holymadness]

Originally Posted by JMusic

Figured someone would say something about that. I'm not. To clarify (grew up with 3 older brothers): when something's queer, it's girly/effeminate. So if anything, they were being demasculating towards me; not questioning my sexuality.

Thing is, I never really DID think about what I was wearing. Hence the reason this family reunion was so surprising. I don't wear scarves or jewelry. In fact, the two days that I spent with them, I wore a Versace t-shirt and True Religion jeans the first day, and a Christian Audigier t-shirt and 7 jeans the second day (and I only know that because I just posted the pictures on Facebook).

Hence the reason I posted here; I want to know what makes an outfit more masculine without going to the extreme of flannel shirts and steal-toed boots.
As effeminacy and homosexuality tend to go hand in hand in popular perception, your distinction really isn't one.

Post the pictures if you have them, although given what you're wearing you'd probably be better served by the street forum.

 

[dbtbandit67]

looking for brands that are "manly and butch" defeats the purpose of trying to look "manly and butch." i think the entire mindset is this marlon brando, "i'm going to do what i want, when i want."

so if you really wanted to tone down your clothes (cause i guess you want less attention?) is the buy cheaper brands from more generic stores. like target or walmart. the key is not to overthink it. plain shirts, plain sweaters.

and in no way are ed hardy and abercrombie considered "mainly and butch."

 

[Tumbleweed]

Originally Posted by F475

Flannel shirts, steel-toed boots, "dungarees", lots of sports team logos and a baseball cap?
Oh, wife-beater too..

He didn't say he wanted to dress like a dykey lesbian.

Also I know a few homosexualists who dress like, and are attracted to, the My Name Is Earl look.

 

[underwearer]

I'd start with not wearing True religion jeans.