You don’t have to go for the typical “mullet” look, although shaving the sides of your hair is a good look for a butch lesbian. You could also try a she-mullet look, although that was more common in the 1970s and 1980s. This look is characterized by a short, shaved look on the top and long hair down the nape of the neck, ending about at the shoulders. Try a shaved head or superbuzz type cut or a crew cut. Try the “Shane” hair style from the “L Word” television show. This hair style is a short shag with multiple layers that is then mussed up with gel. It’s the “I just got out of bed” look.
Wear jeans and vests. This will help you get started when it comes to butch fashion. Pull a vest over a graphic t-shirt. Wear colored, skinny jeans, such as in a red hue. Or wear very baggy jeans. You aren’t going to see many butch lesbians in bell bottoms. Wear undershirts and suits. [3] X Research source Give flannel a try. Try wearing combat or work boots. You want to avoid anything that looks too frilly. Baggy t-shirts, the grunge or punk look, are good ways to go. [4] X Research source Wear a beanie, a hoodie, and boxer shorts. Butch lesbians will also be seen wearing suspenders, Oxford shoes, sneakers, leather jackets, black or gray t-shirts, and leather or letter jackets. Choose sturdy fabrics, not silks.
Forget the rainbows, the unicorns, and anything with hearts or flowers. Avoid excessive bling. The Dynasty look is the opposite of what you’re going for here. Silver jewelry is the best bet, not gold, especially if it’s on leather cuffs. Less is more and simpler is better when it comes to jewelry. Piercings are a better idea – a nose ring, for example, is a great idea. Solid silver or black circles work in the ears.
Try wearing a bow tie to mix it up. A bow tie will show your personality, but it still conveys the butch look. Mix it up! Wear the bow tie with a striped shirt. Show your creativity![5] X Research source Try a clip-on tie if you’re not sure how to tie it. Wearing a tie with a loose knot can be an appealing look for a butch lesbian. However, learning to tie a tie is a good idea.
Archery, softball, boxing, kickboxing, roller derby, and other sports that require muscle or physical strength are good choices. Avoid country club sports like racquetball and tennis unless you dress butch while playing them. Tennis skirts or ladies wear won’t do the trick. The same is true on the golf course.
Frozen daiquiris or the like are not very butch. Drinking hard liquor, like whiskey, bourbon, or scotch is. Better yet, just grab a beer. Avoid drinks that have fruit in the glass or are made with juice mixed into them. Whatever you do, don’t drink a Cosmopolitan! How about a Martini instead?
Again, you should always do what you prefer and not worry about conforming to some stereotype or expectation of what other people want. However, that being said, you may find butch lesbians more often in some professions. Police work, firefighting, race car drivers, even the law are all professions that a butch lesbian might gravitate towards.
Go for fantasy, spy, or thriller novels, things like Michael Crichton or Stephen King. Care about serious issues, and read books related to history, politics, or social causes. Don’t be seen reading books that are too frivolous.
Drums and bass or electric guitar are great choices. To go along with the rock genre, try getting a tattoo! Instruments like flute, violin, harp, cello, violin – really any string instrument – aren’t going to make you look very butch.
Idealized masculine mannerisms do seem to have something to do with confidence (just as idealized feminine mannerisms have something to do with confidence as well). This means that at the core of moving and feeling like a butch is to have self-confidence while doing it. Becoming a butch, and moving like one, is all about finding a gender presentation that feels right to you. The confidence that comes with feeling good about yourself and how you look will be visible to those around you in how you carry yourself.
If you wear any makeup, choose black, brown or charcoal liner, akin to what a man in a rock band might wear. This is sometimes known as “guy liner. " Take care of your skin. Wear moisturizer that contains sunscreen every day. But you can forget the rest of the makeup routine.
They would especially avoid pastels or glittery colors on the nails. More likely, a butch lesbian would keep her nails short and clean. Some butch lesbians might paint their nails black. Dark or neutral colors are the best choice if you prefer to do something with your nails.
You’re more likely to have a larger breed, a mastiff, a Great Dane, a St. Bernard, or the like. And you’re more likely to have a dog than a cat. Go for a turtle, a snake, or any kind of insect or lizard.
A soft butch is a lesbian with a largely androgynous appearance. The soft butch has some feminine traits, and falls somewhere in between a femme and butch. [6] X Research source A sport dyke is a butch lesbian who identifies with being an athlete and is often seen in baseball caps and sporting wear. A stone butch takes the lead in sexual activity and doesn’t worry about getting pleasure herself. A stud is a term used to describe black butch lesbians.
However, it can be fun and enlightening to explore aspects of your personality that have been hidden away. If you want to explore your butchness, try working on assertiveness. If dressing butch means that you are asserting your preference for clothing, then having a butch personality means that you are assertive in life as well. Don’t limit yourself. The freedom to dress and act as you want to, and not how society wants you to, is at the heart of what it means to be a butch. If you want to wear a suit one day and a dress the next, that is perfectly okay. Your butchness can change from day to day, or minute to minute.
Butches have a long and important place in lesbian history and their willingness to push the boundaries of sex and gender was foundational in creating lesbian-identified spaces and communities. [7] X Research source For some, butchness is a way of expressing one’s sexuality for the world to see. When you are seen as butch, you are also seen as a lesbian. This can be very empowering for those previously assumed to be straight. It can also help you get a date.
