School Boy Summers
This outfit is right back from last September, and in fact is one I wore to a job interview. I know what you’re all thinking, that does not look like an outfit for a job interview, it’s a bit, let’s say quirky, but that is actually the point.
I use my clothes as a way of giving myself confidence. If I’m having a really good day, I’ll dress weird, I always dress weird – unless I’m having a truly awful day; those are the days for jeans and hoodies and hiding away – but on days when I need to boost my confidence, or just give myself a little more strength to face the day, I go for the quirkier side of my wardrobe. I found a long time ago, when I first started combatting my dysphoria, that could use clothes as armour.
I don’t necessarily mean this as in previous posts, a way too physically hide your shape, that knowledge actually came a lot later, I mean it as in creating an appearance and an identity that made me feel stronger and less afraid of what other people thought of me. I started looking for clothes that would make me look and feel like my favourite characters, and characters I admired. If those characters could feel strong and safe and courageous, then so could I.
This is where the slightly wacky clothing started. I wanted to be the Doctor, Bilbo Baggins, Tintin, Indiana Jones, the list goes on. I started buying and making pieces that let me feel like I was about to run out of the door into adventure. Just little things at first but then as my confidence and my wardrobe grew, it became bigger items and then whole outfits. Doing this let me own my gender. I stopped having to define my appearance as male or female or anything other than “today I am a time traveller” or “today I am crime solving reporter” or whatever. It became less about gender and all about personality, because that’s what these clothes were, they were the fragments of things that made up who I was, who I am.
The Eleventh Doctor – It’s a great look
I guess that this is a little less about nonbinary in some ways, but in others I think it’s closer to the heart of it. Your presentation of being nonbinary should be about you, and your strength, your loves, your personality, not about presenting your gender in a way that makes other people happy.
Outfit breakdown
I really love this outfit. It’s really kind of charming. It makes me think of 1930s school boys, a sort of idyllic youth I guess.
From Loveday Lemon
There’s a very autumnal colour palette to this look, it was late September, just warm enough to wear shorts, but cool enough to have a jumper and blazer and the idea of mixing up reds and browns to match that seasonal change felt perfect. I love brown and burgundy together anyway, but it’s definitely a look for later in the year. Wouldn’t really rock this in spring, but that’s just me.
Shorts and long socks are one of my favourite clothing combinations. It’s so adorable. Possibly I had too much of a love for Just William and Dennis the Menace as a child but whatever the reason, it looks cute and quirky and makes me feel like I’m going to catch fireflies or play pooh sticks. And there is nothing wrong with that. The shorts have black leather piped down the side seams just for an added touch of interest, and that ties into the black socks nicely as well as.
I would say for this look you want to keep the shorts a bit on the longer side, just above the knees is the best length, but as long as they aren’t too short you’ll be ok. Also try and avoid denim. It’s a smarter look, and that’s what makes it fun and interesting so go for a more fun and interesting fabric. These shorts are in fact corduroy.
Do you know what goes well with corduroy? Honestly, nothing, but that doesn’t matter because jumpers and shirts look good all the time. I love this jumper and shirt pairing. Keeping the top the same colour but with two distinct textures and styles creates effortless cool. You’re not trying too hard, but also you aren’t a slob who can’t match their clothes together. Also both the shirt and the jumper were super cheap, so you don’t have to spend the Earth to get a clean look. Promise.
Moving onto the jacket. I actually made this jacket, the first one I ever made, and I love it. Scummy brown wool, lined with a Liberty William Morris print fabric – which you can’t see but is lovely. I love the wool blazers, be they are plain wool like this, or a tweed or tartan, they all look amazing. They automatically make you look dapper. How can you say no to that? Why not look dapper on a daily basis rather than just at special occasions?
You can actually get decent enough blazers for not too much on the high street if you don’t mind having a slightly ill fit (too long in the sleeve normally). Topman, H&M and Burton all have great selections. Marks and Spencers do too for a little bit more. Obviously you can go to tailors or hand make yourself if you are a crazy perfectionist like me, or have more money than the rest of us.
The accessories are my favourite part of this outfit, they bring the whole thing together so well, even if I do say so myself. Without them this outfit could have looked a little plain and unfinished but the stag collar pins on the jacket and the acorn pendant cement the look as a whole. They really clarify the autumnal feel of the look, both items invoking nature, but also by using gold it reflects the autumn light both literally and figuratively.
Last but not least my boots, which are older than I could possibly know as they belonged to my mother before they belonged to me. They are scuffed and the soles have been replaced so many times, but they work. Not only are they comfy, but they also keep that whole school boy feel. They look like I could go running off into the woods at any given moment and I like that about a pair of shoes. They should be as ready for adventure as I am.
I would suggest any good charity shop for boots. You can find some great ones. Or get new ones and wear them to death. Both options work fine. Ebay is also a winner. You probably already have a good pair of boots, you’re all sensible human beings.
So that’s today’s look. Hope you liked.
‘Olly out.
Lil Prince Says 
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