Winter Trend Spotting: Androgynous Fashion
Winter fashion trends have come out in full force--and gender-neutral dressing seems to be at the center of the storm. Considering the contemporary gender equality movement, men and women alike have found pieces that allow them to embrace wherever they view themselves on the spectrum of gender identification.
Androgynous fashion dates back to the beginning of the 1900s during the women’s suffrage movement when females fought for economic, political, and social equality. During this period, women were just starting to leave the Victorian concept of feminity behind, one that included uncomfortable lace necklines and petticoats, allowing androgynous fashion to be introduced. Coco Chanel was passionate about this inclusive trend: she could not afford fashionable clothes of the time—including puffed blouses and hobble skirts—so she decided to make garments on her own by using everyday male attire. “I gave women a sense of freedom. It gave them back their bodies: bodies that were drenched in sweat, due to fashion’s finery, lace, corsets, underclothes, padding,” Chanel has said. Thanks to the designer, constricted Victorian clothes began to be replaced by sweaters, loosely-belted jackets, and more comfortable garments.
Fast forward to 2019, androgynous dressing is making the ultimate comeback. “Gender-neutral clothing is becoming increasingly popular as societal norms are shifting to become more inclusive,” says celebrity stylist Samantha Brown. “Currently, my favorite designers in this category are the two behind Feign. It’s important for all communities to be represented in the fashion industry, and I’m happy to see that brands like Feign are widening the spectrum of what’s available.” Indeed, many designers are dabbling in gender-neutral dressing: Rad Hourani, Sharpe Suiting, VEEA, and more labels feature oversized suits, loosely-fitted denim jackets, and men’s shirts. ASOS features COLLUSION, an inclusive brand exclusive to their site that features a myriad of unisex garments—both male and female models are shown wearing the items.
To adopt the trend in your everyday wardrobe, former Project Runway: Junior contestant Hawwaa Ibrahim asserts that you can interpret androgynous clothing in numerous ways. “Androgynous fashion could mean wearing more loosely fitted clothing or layering your garments for a nice, relaxed look,” Ibrahim explains. “If you’re more femme presenting, try to steal from masculinity and if you’re more masc, take from femininity. And never be afraid to experiment with color. Androgynous fashion is not solely about munted tones and bland colors. It’s an empowering fashion choice, and people should wear it as such.”
Androgyny is all about flexibility, rebellion and keeping it sleek, which is why celebrities such as Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Tilda Swinton, Ellen Page, and Andrej Pejic have begun to rock gender-bending looks. A risk? Perhaps. But with New Year’s Day right around the corner, there’s no better time than now to experiment with your style.
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Additional reporting by Ashley Havecker.