Making its first appearance in the 40’s, post world war, androgyny in women’s wear came up due to a necessity, for the busy working lives of the women then demanded more practical clothes than was worn at that time. The trend made its appearance in mainstream fashion in the 2000’s, and today, it’s a raging trend for women with an edgier style statement, who like to dress up outside the conditioned ideals that make a woman feminine. With labels like J. Crew, H&M, Forever 21, Zara, Unable, GAP, American Apparel, Alexander Wang, Old Navy, Thom Browne, and Band of Outsiders selling their apparel on the same lines, the masculine fixation in women’s clothing is not a passing phase, but is here to stay…
The phrase “boy meets girl” is today not a love story in books and novels; it is a fashion revolution taking place on ramps and retail stores throughout the world, as designers and retailers are banking on the gaining grounds of the blurring line between feminine and masculine trends. Primarily adapted by the fashion conscious, the trend has gradually trickled down to the high street retailers and thus to the mass market.
The rise and reason of the trend…
The spread of the androgyny and the increase in the trend was initially fuelled by the economic transformation of the workforce in countries. As the working scenario changed, greater amount of energy was required for production, and thus businesses demanded a larger number of workers, with which the status of women elevated in male-oriented societies. Women along with working with the men started adapting styles and clothes that made them look more powerful and confident. The rise of the metro-sexual in the 2000’s has also been described as a related phenomenon associated with the rise of the trend. Often, confused with the same, androgyny in garments doesn’t depict metro-sexuality and is rather a style statement for independent women who believe in thinking outside the box. Trendsetters in the entertainment and fashion industries played an influential role as well, in increasing the popularity of the look, now a global phenomenon. Designers such as Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier and Rick Owens were amongst the first people that started experimenting with the look and since then designers and mass retailers have adapted the emerging trend in their collections.
Though some might believe it is an emerging trend, but, the fact is that one of the most sought-after items from the Fall/Winter 2007 collections was a blazer, now, a common wardrobe staple for all women, done with a modern udated twist, androgyny was a strong theme at the women’s wear spring 2011 pre-collections, particularly at Chanel. From runway shows like these, the trend was passed on to celebrities and finally met retailers serving to the pockets of the common man. With the success of the trend with known brands, retailers came up with brands completely dedicated to the look and creating garments for the theme.
The style…
Since lapping up the realms of menswear two decades ago, the “fairer sex” has never turned back and has taken the style further by adapting masculine elements to feminine clothing, like pockets in dresses, looser shirts for women, etc. Born from traditional menswear, the trend works across a range of styles that can be adapted by women of any shape and size. Androgynous garments sell on the very concept that everything doesn’t need to be skin fit to look feminine and thus cater to a huge mass of buyers out there to buy garments and create their own unique style. Even traditional masculine fabrics such as herringbone, tweed, plaid, check, pinstripe and flannel are now an important part of the women’s wardrobes and the classic gentlemen silhouettes are cropped and tailored to create conservative yet sexy styles that appreciates a woman’s body. Even though the styles incorporate masculine fabrics, yet head-to-toe patterns of the opposite sex are not borrowed in the style, the pieces are feminine silhouettes featuring details that are anything but masculine.
The trend is still somewhat controversial for some, who believe that a woman’s refusal to adhere to the stereotypical look of a woman says a lot about their personality and not just their fashion sense, but then, there have always been two sides to every trend, those who embrace it and those who loathe it. Androgynous fashion is becoming more popular as more women have started entering professional life and are asserting themselves in positions of power. Androgynous women are re-defining the meanings of appearing confident, fashionable and most importantly comfortable all at the same time.
