Closing the Gap Between Men and Women’s Fashion
Genderless Fashion has reinvented the industry
By Rachel Reingold, Contributing Writer
Through red carpet fashion and runway shows, designer brands are bending the rules of fashion. This movement is genderless fashion, and it no longer allows a divide between men’s and women's clothing.
You may be wondering why the divide occurred in the first place. The simple answer: cultural norms. There is a huge correlation between cultural norms and the meaning of gender, being a man or woman, with relation to appearance (Michelman & Miller-Spillman, n.d.). The norms of society promote the idea that women must look feminine by wearing dresses and skirts, and men must look masculine by wearing pants and suits.
In the early 20th century, trousers were directly linked to men and if women wore them, it was seen as scandalous. Wearing a dress symbolized frivolousness for women. For men, suits show “serious and practical” attire (Bain, 2015).
A classic example of a celebrity that revolutionized the fashion industry is Billy Porter. His red carpet debuts never disappoint as he usually pairs masculine and feminine aesthetics in one outfit. Porter wore a velvet gown with a tuxedo jacket layered overtop to the 91st Academy Awards (Allaire, 2019).
Another event show stopper is Lil Nas X, who always steps out making a bold statement, from fishnet shirts to gowns to a lot of pinks. His 2021 VMA’s attire consisted of a lilac suit with a side train designed by Versace (White, 2021). The elaborate top consisted of asymmetrical off-the-shoulder sleeves with crystal embroidery.
Billie Eilish is known for her classic oversized t-shirt and matching shorts or sweatpants. Recently, she has stepped outside of her comfort zone, adding accents of masculine pieces paired with more feminine silhouettes.
These red carpet looks are over the top and extravagant—but that's the point. These celebrities intend to make statements through their clothing choices.
Celebrities also defy norms in their everyday street style clothing decisions. These off-duty outfits are more subtle and less of a shock factor but still exhibit genderless clothing mindsets. Ruby Rose is an icon when it comes to gender-neutral street style, wearing oversized pants and tee shirts with big jackets.
Jaden Smith confidently wears dresses on a normal basis and defends his choices by stating "If I Wanna Wear A Dress, Then I Will, And That Will Set The New Wave... -JADEN SMITH #ICON" on Twitter (Griffiths, 2018). Some celebrities chose extravagant ways to challenge gender norms while others chose more subtle ways to make a statement. All show confidence in whatever attire they choose to wear that day because they believe staying true to themselves is more important than conforming to society.
Genderless clothing will soon be less of a trend and will become a staple in the fashion industry. As celebrities publicize their androgynous outfit choices more, less controversy will arise from the media. Gender-fluid fashion further opens up to the idea that fashion has no limits. Ultimately, functionality and comfort are key when it comes to clothing and allowing people to gain a sense of individuality.
In more recent years, Gen Z consumers have the ability to vocalize their opinions and have a higher spending power than ever before. Gen Z is the true reason why gender-fluid fashion is here to stay in the industry. More brands have opened up about incorporating diversity, inclusion and equality with all business decisions.
It is clear that high-end designers are early adopters in making this transition and incorporating genderless clothing. In 2015, Prada blended both men’s and women’s apparel into a fall menswear runway show. Miuccia Prada stated “‘Gender is a context and context is often gendered’” (Blanks, 2015). The looks converged classic menswear, button-up shirts and blazers, with hints of feminine styles, belts at the waist and long shirt dresses. Both men and women walked in this show, demonstrating androgyny. Additionally, Gucci’s Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear runway show displayed men in sheer tops and pussy-bow blouses, and women in blazers and trousers (Phelps, 2015).
Luxury fashion brands invent the industry through ready-to-wear runway shows, while consumer brands tend to lag behind. Abercrombie and Fitch partnered with The Trevor Project to release a gender-inclusive collection in July 2021, with 24 adult pieces and 11 children’s pieces (Thomas, 2021). Old Navy released gender-neutral t-shirts and sweatshirts with both male and female models on display. Pacsun explains through their new collection, The Gender-Neutral Shop, that “this genderless way to shop rids the noise of who should be wearing what and grants you the freedom to pick and choose what’s right for you” (The Gender-Neutral Shop, n.d.).
While more brands are making an effort, is this enough? Are these collections a one-time thing? We have to wonder if these releases are just for the time being because they are the right path for these brand images or if they are here to stay and expand.
While brands have initiated a movement, these are only the first couple of steps. The Gen Z generation must continue to fight to ensure that brands are being held accountable to continue the release of collections that are inclusive for everyone. It’s time to dress how you want to dress because, at the end of the day, fashion is about wearing what makes you most comfortable in your own skin.
Sources:
Allaire, C. (2019, Feb 24). Billy Porter on Why He Wore a Gown, Not a Tuxedo, to the Oscars. Vogue.
Bain, M. (2015, April 26). Sex and gender aren’t perfectly binary. Why should clothes be? Quartz.
Blanks, T. (2015, Jan 18). Prada Fall 2015 Menswear. Vogue.
The Gender-Neutral Shop. (n.d.). PacSun.
Griffiths, E. (2018, March 28). Jaden Smith defends decision to wear dresses. Hello Magazine.
Michelman, S., & Miller-Spillman, K. (n.d.). Fashion Gender and Dress. Love to Know.
Phelps, N. (2015, Feb 25). Gucci Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear. Vogue.
Thomas, L. (2021, June 9). Lines between men’s and women’s fashion are blurring as more retailers embrace gender-fluid style. CNBC.
White, B. (2021, September 13). Lil Nas X Wore Versace For The 2021 MTV VMAs. Essence.