It’s no secret women shop in the men’s department, especially at thrift stores. There is a reason women steal their significant other’s clothing. It’s quite simple: men’s clothing is better.
There could be a men’s t-shirt the same size and price as a women’s t-shirt, but somehow, that men’s t-shirt will feel more comfortable, especially if it’s already been worn.
Several women I know take their significant other’s clothes (i.e. hoodies) because their partner’s scent is all over it, and they love the way their lover smells. Makes sense. For me, I purchase worn men’s clothing because it physically feels better than some women’s clothing. When I do go shopping in the men’s department, there are really only two things I look for:
Sweatshirts
Am I reusing images from previous SJ writings? Absolutely. If I’m not in a good mental space, I do not have the energy to set up a camera and pretend to be a model.
Anyway, the black sweatshirt is from Rue 21, and my absolute fave gray sweatshirt is from Goodwill (where I no longer shop). I own a Barbie pink sweatshirt dress from the women’s department at H&M, but these two sweatshirts pictured feel so much better than the dress. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s like they put the more authentic material in the men’s sweat clothing.
A men’s sweatshirt is the equivalent of a men’s hoodie; it’s literally just missing the hood. You can crop anything, but I love cropping men’s sweatshirts. I feel covered but sexy at the same time.
Though men’s clothing hides a lot more of your body, there is something about it that makes you feel super sexy. I don’t know if that’s the weirdness in my mind, or if it’s simply a fact. If you don’t feel sexy, you at least feel like you’re getting a beautiful bear hug, especially if the article of clothing is twice your size. No matter what, men’s sweatshirts are comforting.
T-Shirts
Looking at this picture has me a little emo. If only emotional mess Jamilah from then knew how much her life would change for the better, that there is life beyond the corrupted corporation of Lowe’s (hardware).
Moving on, I live in this dress. I literally just included it in my writing about the wardrobe of a 24-year-old because this large t-shirt is my go to. It’s great for throwing on if I’m spending the day at home and need to be productive (because I’m the most productive if I’m not wearing pants). However, like in the picture above, it’s perfect with a belt and chunky sneakers for a casual outing with friends.
Even when you buy a men’s t-shirt new, it feels worn. On the other hand, women’s t-shirts always feel stiff, and if they don’t feel stiff, you can feel the fake, cheap, chemical materials of the shirt.
The wornness of the shirt feels like a hug. In my case, it feels like there is a significant other in my life who simply does not exist. There’s something so comforting about the loose, flimsy, on-the-verge-of-holes material of men’s t-shirts. Plus, they are incredibly inexpensive, and I feel like they’re easier to find compared to sweatshirts.
Sweatshirts and large t-shirts are the main two things I look for, but sometimes I luck out with a nice $2 blazer or a perfectly fitting oversized piece of outerwear from the men’s department.
If you’re scared to shop in the men’s department because the men who shop those sections at secondhand stores are intimidating, I get it, but don’t let them keep you from the beautiful blessing that is their comfortable, used clothes.
