Gender Swap: Fashion Transcending Gender
October 15, 2011 by Arash Mazinani
Filed under All Content, Gentlemen, Trends
I’ve touched on this topic before, but recently I’ve noticed a lot more similarity between the womenswear and menswear trends. It’s something that seems to become more prevalent as each season passes. In this post I want to highlight some of the similarities in the trends for both men and women and what implications that actually has on the average guy when it comes to fashion.
Why is it happening?
Well society has come a long way, the gender divide is a lot more vague than in years gone by. I mean we now have make up for guys, the popularity and rise of the ‘meterosexual’ man means that as a designer you have more freedom to explore and push the envelope with what is considered ‘mens’ fashion. It also allows the fashion house to have more continuity between it’s collections, similar prints, materials and cuts can then be used amongst both collections. But this can be traced back even further, Gaultier in the 80′s with the male skirt, the flared cut of trousers, remember earlier this decade when all of a sudden it became ‘cool’ for guys to wear pink?
Examples
So let’s have a look at some of the current autumn winter 2011 collections just to highlight what I’m talking about.
Implications
Well I guess this can only benefit us guys for years girls have been able to get away with wearing mens clothes. This sort of merging of trends will result in ultimately more choice for ourselves, it will also help designers continue to push the envelope and question what menswear actually consists of. I’ve often talked about how stylish men are sometimes looked down upon as effeminate as it’s not masculine to experiment with clothes. Anything too ‘dandy’ is considered a no no, the transcending of fashion ultimately means trends will filter down to the high street and become mainstream. And for those of us that don’t care, then now we have more options to experiment with fashion; be it vibrant colours, prints or the choice of fabrics this gives us a whole new world to explore.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your opinions on the transcending of fashion?
It’s always a tricky style, both for men and women. For us girls it’s probably easier to pull off. Well done it can be extremely sexy and feminine, funnily enough. On the other hand I love when men go out of the safety zone and choose vibrant colours or shades that are considered more feminine. Done properly they go that extra mile that makes them extremely stylish, like in the post you did about being stylish, that kind of dressing that makes them stand out, turn heads.
Thanks for commenting Jessie, great points and I totally agree, it’s about getting it right.
This is true, I know that sometimes when I’m working at a fashion show the make-up artists definitely put liner, blush, bronzers, and sometimes liner on the male models. I remember the Gaultier skirt, he’s known for envelope pushing… Like I’ve stated before I LOVE influence from men’s wear for my style at times, and for men if done not directly in a lliteral way it can translate tastefully, i.e. in colour choices (bold linings), shirting, or prints that may have normally been said to be “feminine.” Happy weekend to you.
Thanks for commenting, I agree again colour choices, lining details and prints are all great ways where it can be done and pulled off with out being OTT.
I wear a men’s size Extra Slim, Extra Small… a whole new world has opened up now that I’ve started seeing a tailor… she has told me that you don’t usually see a lot of shaping and seams on men’s shirts, which frankly is why they so often look like baggy disasters in the back. I’m having her add seams to my shirts anyway, I’d rather have something that fits than follow along gender norms that don’t make any sense.
Frankly, I dont think it is about blurring gender, I think it is about expanding it for both. When you have men wearing a wider range of attractive clothing, and women wearing suits and/or ties, it isnt about men becoming feminine or women becoming less so. It is about growing ourselves through fashion in ways that highlight the beauty that some of the duller mores of Western culture have sought to supress. When I dress in vests/suits/sport coats and other items that would be traditionally viewed as menswear, I am expressing a certain degree of refinement with which I wish to express a facet of my personality. It is isn’t about power for me, it is about looking sharp and smart, and that can be very sexy (and ultra-feminine) if you can walk the walk. Is it harder for men to want to look attractive and polished? I dont care; I wish the world had more men “Pretty Boy Swag”ging it about!
lol at the concept of ‘pretty boy swagging’ I love it ha ha!