#testoster

It’s often the clothes that count most for validation and passing.

This tip, though primarily a clothing, touches on many other subjects. Feel free to send an ask if you’d like more information on something. I do intend to circle back around with some other posts addressing the other stuff. The idea with these posts is to give you info in small bites.

So— A major thing that comes along with starting T is… sweat. Your face, your back, and anywhere skin touches skin (or when skin touches a medical device, such as a feeding tube, insulin patch, prosthetic silicone sleeve, etc.).

When purchasing a new wardrobe, focusing on light fabrics, wick-away materials, and affordable quality goods is the way to go.

Here are my shopping secrets:

Cotton t-shirts—you will need a ton of them, even if your closet is already stocked. Changing shirts multiple times a day is not only ok, but also beneficial to keeping your body bacteria/acne free. I know I’m a little high-brow when it comes to labels, but I put my trust in Abercrombie and it’s brother-brand Hollister. Quality is great, most basic T-shirts are 100% cotton, and there are numerous basic fits (crew, v-neck, henley…) to suit your preferences. The basics frequently appear in the clearance section at about half price from the new collection, so they’re often surprisingly affordable. You can order up to 10 of the same item at a time, so if you find your wonder-fit, you can stock up.

Shorts and sweats— I recommend wearing shorts as often as possible. If they’re not your thing, consider at least wearing them at home for the sake of comfort. Old Navy’s Breathe On collection is my go-to for shorts and athletic pants. The athletic pants fall like Addidas new material trousers (the ones with the side stripes). The shorts are a 9” inseam (I think, based on how they fall on me), set with an elastic waist with a drawstring, and made of the softest blend of new materials I have ever felt in my life. Seriously, their quality rivals LuluLemon and other high end brands. Not only is the fabric soft as a cloud, but it’s incredibly thin, and still extremely opaque. A couple caveats: These are definitely athletic style. The price and color availability varies wildly depending on the season (up to $30 regular price and as low as under $10 when on sale). Be careful to purchase from the adult men’s section; the children’s section also has Breathe On items, but they are extremely poor quality. No idea why.

Hoodies— The best I’ve found is the Alternative Eco Zip Lightweight Hoodie, which is available on Amazon at this link: Alternative Men's Eco Zip Lightweight Hoodie https://a.co/d/dUCmpwt . They vary in price from $40 to under $20, depending on the size and color availability, but these hoodies are absolute life savers. They’re a cotton and new material blend that is both super soft and very thin, making them a go-to for fall and spring weather. They’re so light and comfy that they can be worn in hot weather too, for buildings with extreme air conditioning and situations with a lot of sunlight exposure (they’re not UPF, but opaque enough to keep you covered).

Socks— I’m a stickler about quality and fit, so I turn to Bombas for all my sock needs. They are a bit pricey and rarely on sale, but they’re also very charitable— one pair bought is one pair donated to folks lacking clothing resources. They have about a million styles and fits, but the athletic styles (running, golfing, sports, etc.) are quite thin and sweat-absorbing, regardless of the material blend. Bombas socks do live up to their reputation as the “perfect sock.” They don’t slip down your foot with wear, the arch support is amazing, and they last forever (seriously, I’ve have a few pairs I bought six years ago that are still in circulation.).

Underwear— As all the internet buzz claims, MeUndies does make quality and fun products. Now, you do have to start a subscription in order to make them affordable, but once you’ve been on for ~ 7 months, you’ll have plenty ( just mind how long you compile laundry and you’ll be fine). The undies are super soft (new material blend), and the color and pattern choices are extremely amusing. If this is the first time you’re wearing men’s underwear, I recommend going with briefs (boxers are a little tough to wrangle with jeans and such, and boxer briefs can lead to an unfortunate cameltoe if you’re not wearing something underneath (however, if you have incontinence issues or use a catheter, the boxer briefs are great for holding everything in place). Additionally, briefs with an open fly make packing more comfortable (definitely more on that in a different tip post).

Pajamas— I highly recommend 100% cotton poplin pajama pants and shorts. The Gap makes great quality products, and they’re frequently on sale due to seasonal releases. For shorts, browse the men’s boxer section (just to be clear, I recommend wearing these as pajama bottoms, not actually as underwear.) They refresh the prints regularly, so more often than not, you can find some in the clearance section. The pants fall loosely with a straight leg cut, so no need to worry about curves (especially if you just wear them at home). They also have an elastic waist and a drawstring. The boxers also have an elastic waist. The one downside is that the pants and shorts can get super wrinkly in the wash, so you may want to fluff them after they’ve been in the washer and before they go in the dryer.