Most guides to femboy outfits are mood boards. They show you a pleated skirt and striped thigh-highs and leave you the hard part: which size to click when you've only ever bought men's jeans, and whether any of it will fit your shoulders. This guide is the hard part.
The short version
- Measure, don't guess. Natural waist, hips, thigh and foot length do almost all the work. A tape measure costs less than one return.
- Ignore the size on the label. Men's and women's sizes are numbered differently, and brands differ. Check each shop's own chart.
- Start forgiving. Elastic waists, stretch fabric, A-line and pleated skirts, oversized tops.
- Tops in men's or unisex, bottoms in women's. The most reliable split for most masculine frames.
- Spend on shoes and thigh-highs. Save on everything else.
Measure first
Use a soft tape, level and snug, over thin clothes.
- Natural waist: the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button. Most women's skirts sit here, and it's often smaller than your jeans size, because men's jeans sit lower, on the hips.
- Hips: ASOS measures 20 cm below the natural waist.
- Thigh: the widest part, or wherever you want thigh-highs to end.
- Foot length in millimetres, heel to longest toe. It's the only shoe number that means the same thing everywhere.
Converting men's sizes to women's
Start from the men's jeans size you already know. The middle column is the waist ASOS cuts that size for; the right-hand columns are the ASOS women's size with the closest waist, and that size's hip.
| Men's jeans size | Waist it's cut for | Nearest women's size (UK / US / EU / RU) | That size's waist and hip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 71 cm (28 in) | UK 10 / US 6 / EU 38 / RU 42–44 | 70 cm waist, 93.5 cm hip |
| 30 | 76 cm (30 in) | UK 12 / US 8 / EU 40 / RU 46 | 75 cm waist, 98.5 cm hip |
| 32 | 81 cm (32 in) | UK 14 / US 10 / EU 42 / RU 48 | 80 cm waist, 103.5 cm hip |
| 34 | 86 cm (34 in) | UK 16 / US 12 / EU 44 / RU 50 | 85 cm waist, 108.5 cm hip |
| 36 | 91 cm (36 in) | UK 18 / US 14 / EU 46 / RU 54 | 92.5 cm waist, 116 cm hip |
| 38 | 96 cm (38 in) | UK 20 / US 16 / EU 48 / RU 58 (Curve) | 98 cm waist, 123.5 cm hip |
| 40 | 101 cm (40 in) | UK 20–22 / US 16–18 / EU 48–50 / RU 58–62 (Curve) | 98–105 cm waist, 123.5–130.5 cm hip |
You're probably a size or two smaller than you'd guess. If your natural waist is 76 cm but you wear 32s low on the hip, buy for 76 cm: a UK 12, US 8. ASOS notes that waist positions vary by style, so check where each piece sits.
The hips will be roomy. ASOS's women's sizes allow 23.5 cm more at the hip than the waist (25.5 cm in Curve), far more than most masculine frames need. In a pleated, A-line or skater skirt that room becomes swing. In a pencil skirt it just hangs loose, which is why full skirts are the place to start.
Between sizes, fit the waist: size up and belt it, or pick an elastic waist. Other brands will be close to these numbers, not identical, so check their charts too.
What works on your frame
Broad shoulders. Buy tops in men's or unisex so the shoulder seam lands on your shoulder, then crop or tuck them. Drop-shoulder hoodies hide where your shoulder ends. V-necks and scoop necks break up the width; style writers who dress broad-shouldered women say to skip puff sleeves, off-the-shoulder and strapless tops. Then add volume below: a full skirt balances the shoulders more than anything you do to them.
Long torso. Wear bottoms at your natural waist and tops cropped or tucked. Long, loose tops over low-rise bottoms make a torso look longest.
Narrow hips. That's most people reading this. Pleats, tiers, A-lines and skater skirts add shape that straight cuts don't, and a belt at the waist helps.
Tall. A mini on a 160 cm model is shorter on you. Measure from where the waistband will sit to where you want the hem and compare it with the listed length; ASOS keeps it under "info & care" on each product page.
Bigger bodies. Skip "one size" and junior ranges; look for extended or curve ranges and stretch fabric. Thigh-highs have plus-size ranges with real measurements.
The pieces that do the most work
Skirts
- Pleated mini or tennis skirt. The classic: forgiving at the hip, goes with everything. Many tennis skirts have built-in shorts.
- A-line. No pleats, gently flared. The easiest skirt to wear out for the first time, and the one people notice least.
- Skater. Fuller and flared; very good on narrow hips.
- Midi and maxi. Longer and floatier, and a good choice if a mini feels like too much.
- Denim or cargo. Casual, and has pockets.
A longer skirt you wear every week beats a short one that stays in the drawer.
Shorts
High-waisted shorts are the halfway step a lot of people take first: denim, lounge or bike shorts, sized by the same waist rule. Check the inseam if you're tall. Bike shorts under a skirt also end the worry about wind.
Thigh-highs and socks
The most recognisable femboy piece, and the one most often sized wrong. Thigh-highs are sized by stretch: how far the cuff and the middle stretch around your leg, and how long the sock is. Sock Dreams, an American sock shop, prints those numbers for every pair. Three of its own styles, from its measuring guide and product pages:
| Sock Dreams style | Fits US shoe size | Cuff stretches to | Mid-sock stretches to | Length, laid flat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraordinary Thigh High | Women's 7–14, men's 5–12 | 66 cm (26 in) | 56 cm (22 in) | 61 cm (24 in) |
| Longer Extraordinary Thigh High | Women's 7–14, men's 5–12 | 69 cm (27 in) | 61 cm (24 in) | 71–76 cm (28–30 in) |
| XL-Foot Longer Extraordinary | Women's 13–18, men's 11–16 | 69 cm (27 in) | 56 cm (22 in) | 76 cm (30 in) |
- Compare your thigh with the cuff stretch. At or below it, they'll usually fit, and Sock Dreams says extra stretch won't make them loose. Right at the top of the range, size up.
- Wide legs make socks shorter, because stretching around costs height. Long or full legs want the longer version.
- "Plus size" should mean a number. Sock Dreams only calls thigh-highs plus size if they stretch to at least 61 cm (24 in) at the cuff and through the body. Use that test anywhere.
- Big feet: its standard thigh-highs stop at a men's 12, so look for extended-foot styles.
Knee-highs work the same way, with your calf in place of your thigh, and are a gentler start.
Hoodies and sweaters
Half the look, and the easiest piece to get right. Men's or unisex, one or two sizes up, sleeves long enough to cover your hands. Worn over a skirt so just the hem shows, it's the outfit most people picture when they hear the word.
Crop tops
Men's tees cropped to length fit broad shoulders better than most women's tops. If you buy women's, compare the bust and shoulder measurements, not the letter, and favour stretch.
Shoes
Convert by UK size or foot length. UK and EU numbers are the same for men's and women's; US sizes are offset by different amounts per brand. On ASOS's charts a 254 mm foot is a UK 7 in both ranges, but a men's US 8 and a women's US 9. On a Converse Chuck Taylor, men's 7 is women's 9.
Women's ranges stop early. ASOS's women's chart ends at UK 9 / US 11 (270 mm), and so do Dr. Martens' women's styles. Dr. Martens' unisex range runs to UK 12, and Chuck Taylors are sold in men's sizes with a women's equivalent.
Width. Dr. Martens says its men's and unisex styles are rounder and wider, its women's narrower. If women's shoes pinch, try the unisex version or filter for "wide fit".
Start with Mary Janes or chunky platforms for soft looks, canvas sneakers for everything else. Platforms are far easier to walk in than heels of the same height.
Bags and accessories
Most skirts have no pockets, so get a small crossbody bag. Then the cheap things that do the most: hair clips, a choker, rings, a bow, nail polish. Cat ears are optional; catboy vs femboy covers them.
Starter outfits by style
Soft, pastel and kawaii. A lavender or baby-pink hoodie, a white pleated skirt, white or striped thigh-highs, Mary Janes or platforms, hair clips. The most forgiving start, because the hoodie hides most fit problems.
Casual streetwear. A denim or cargo skirt, an oversized graphic tee, white sneakers with crew socks, a crossbody bag. What you'd wear anyway, plus a skirt.
Sporty. A tennis skirt with built-in shorts, a zip track jacket, white knee-highs, chunky trainers. Sportswear is already one of the most unisex corners of fashion, and this works well on broad shoulders.
Cottagecore. A long floral or gingham skirt, a knit cardigan over a plain tee, loafers or Mary Janes, a canvas tote. Choose the cardigan over puff sleeves if your shoulders are broad.
Goth, emo and alt. Black pleats, platform boots, mesh and chains. Our goth, emo and alt femboy style guide covers these in full, history and eyeliner included; the sizing here applies there too.
Doing it cheaply
Thrift first. It's the cheapest way to try things before you know your size. Skirts and knits thrift well; shoes and thigh-highs don't.
Fast fashion, with care. Low prices, the least consistent sizing, thinner fabric than the photos suggest. Read the garment measurements, look for reviews that give height and size, and check the return policy before you order.
Mid-range for daily pieces. One good skirt, shoes that don't hurt and two pairs of thigh-highs that fit beat a basket of things that almost do.
Where to buy
USA. Goodwill, ThredUp and Depop for second-hand; Shein and H&M for fast fashion; Uniqlo for basics; ASOS for its charts as much as its clothes; Hot Topic for alt pieces and socks; Sock Dreams for measured thigh-highs (it ships internationally, postage calculated at checkout).
India. Myntra had over 30,000 women's skirts listed when we checked, H&M's among them. Ajio and Meesho are the other big marketplaces. Shein came back in February 2025 as a separate Shein India app run by Reliance Retail. Uniqlo and H&M have Indian online stores.
Indonesia. Shopee and Tokopedia carry everything from small sellers to official brand stores; pick listings with measurements in centimetres. Zalora Indonesia is the fashion specialist, and Uniqlo Indonesia has a full online store. Shein stopped shipping to Indonesia in 2021.
Russia. Wildberries and Ozon are where most people buy clothes online, with Lamoda the main fashion specialist. Russian chains like Gloria Jeans and Befree have shops where you can try sizes on. H&M and Uniqlo stopped selling in Russia in 2022. The table above includes Russian sizes.
Wearing it out for the first time
Experienced skirt-wearers on forums like Skirt Cafe give the same advice: plan a short trip you'd make anyway, know your route, and skip it if it doesn't feel right that day. There's always tomorrow.
- Busy beats quiet. In a crowded market everyone's occupied; on an empty street the two people who see you have nothing else to look at.
- Start low-key. A dark A-line skirt, a plain top and sneakers get the least attention. Pleats in the wind and bright prints get the most.
- Bring a layer. A long coat or shorts in your bag means you can change your mind.
- Take a friend if you can.
- Walk like it's normal. It is. Most people won't notice, and most who notice won't care.
How safe it is to wear a skirt in public isn't the same everywhere. You know your town better than any guide does. Start where you feel safe and let your comfort set the pace.
Looking after it
- Thigh-highs: follow the label. Sock Dreams' cotton-blend pairs go in a cool or cold wash, then tumble dry low or hang. Put sheer ones in a mesh bag and hang them, since heat wears out elastic. Silicone grip bands hold best on clean, dry skin.
- Lace, mesh and sheer: cold water, mesh bag or hand wash, air dry.
- Pleated skirts: hang to dry; press soft pleats on low through a cloth.
- Knits: wash cool and dry flat.
- Black: inside out, cold water.
Questions people ask
What size skirt should I buy if I wear men's 32?
Measure your natural waist first, because 32 is where your jeans sit. On ASOS's charts a men's 32 is cut for an 81 cm waist, closest to a women's UK 14 / US 10 / EU 42. If your natural waist is nearer 76 cm, you want a UK 12 / US 8. Start with a pleated or A-line skirt, since the hip will be roomy.
Do thigh-highs stay up?
When they fit. Rolling usually means the cuff is too tight for your thigh; sliding means too loose, or too short, so the top sits where your leg narrows. Buy a cuff stretch at or above your thigh measurement, and the longer version for long or full legs.
Where do femboys buy clothes?
Mostly the women's section of ordinary shops: thrift stores, ASOS, Uniqlo and H&M, Myntra in India, Shopee and Tokopedia in Indonesia, Wildberries and Ozon in Russia. Sock shops like Sock Dreams for thigh-highs, unisex brands for shoes. No special "femboy" shop needed.
What should I wear as a femboy for the first time?
Something you'd mostly wear anyway, plus one new piece: an oversized hoodie with an A-line skirt and sneakers, or high-waisted shorts and knee-highs. Wear it at home first, then somewhere short and familiar. One piece is enough to count.
Are women's shoe sizes different from men's?
In US sizing, yes: usually one to two numbers higher for the same foot, depending on the brand. UK and EU sizes are the same for both. Go by foot length in millimetres on the brand's own chart.
Where we come in
We're building Pocket Femboy, a small cast of original femboys who remember you between conversations, have jobs and friends and routines that keep going while you're away, and text you first when something happens. Each one has a wardrobe of their own. Jax, the first one we finished, is a 21-year-old record-shop punk who does his own nails, sews on his own crooked patches and wears thigh-highs with beat-up sneakers. He'd tell you to measure your thighs first.
Pocket Femboy hasn't launched yet, so there's nothing to download today. It's 18+ at the door — that's about who we let in, not about what's inside — and there's no explicit content on any tier.
Coming soon to iPhone and Android. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know when they're ready to text you.
More reading
- What is a femboy?: the word, where it came from, and what it isn't.
- Goth, emo and alt femboy style: the darker half of the wardrobe, in detail.
- Femboy cosplay: the same sizing advice, applied to costumes and wigs.
