There is no questioning it. Androgyny is the aesthetic of the year, and we honestly, could not love anything more. From icons like David Bowie, Emma D’Arcy, Harry Styles, and even Marlene Dietrich, androgyny has been making its mark on fashion for years. It also doesn’t seem to going anywhere anytime soon.
First and foremost, let’s talk about what exactly androgyny is. Wikipedia defines androgynous fashion as, “the combination of feminine and masculine characteristics” in an ensemble. Oftentimes people think that androgynous fashion is a more modern trend when in reality, the androgynous look dates back to the 17th century.
via Teen Vogue
The surge of androgynous fashion took its stride in the 1800s during the Industrial Revolution and only accelerated more once women took a step into the limelight. As the years passed by, more and more women felt that their clothing was too limiting and so they debuted their new attire comprising of trousers and men’s shirts. However, this fashion did not become what we know it as today until the 60s and 70s amid the women's liberation movement. As more women gained a voice, the concept of fashion drastically shifted. Women shed the conventional female uniform and accompanying stereotypes and quickly embraced their new digs. As a way of breaking free from the sexualization of the female body and mind, women started wearing more formless, straight pieces and shifted the fashion world towards more unisex styles.
This now leads us to our next question. What is the difference between unisex and androgyny? Many people often believe the two terms to be synonymous, and while they are similar, they are not the same. Unisex clothing strives towards accommodating sizes and styles of all genders whereas androgynous clothing is a middle ground between gender and design. The goal of androgynous clothing is to combine any and all inspiration from gender whereas unisex tries to remove the gender from the clothes. That’s why when you are given a uniform at a day job like a restaurant or a convenience store, it is often plain with no intent of highlighting or accentuating any features. It makes the wearer a clean slate. This differs from androgynous outfits because, in this style, the goal is to highlight both the masculine and feminine aspects of the wearer.
via @justmelines on Instagram
The beautiful thing about this aesthetic is that anyone can wake up one day and choose to dress androgynously, and for that, we have a few key people to thank. One of the first true androgynous icons was, feminist, Luisa Capetillo, who was the first woman to ever wear a men’s suit and tie in public in the 1800s. Following her, making a pivotal mark in history was the Hollywood classic, Marlene Dietrich, who did not dress for man or woman, but dressed for the image. She rocked the old Hollywood scene when she debuted her iconic tuxedo photos, sending a ripple effect throughout the famed hills. However, women were not the only ones who turned fashion on its side. 1970 rockstar, David Bowie, shook men’s fashion when he coined his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, and completely tossed aside the traditional uniform of male performers. He frequently graced the stage in feminine silhouettes and a made-up face that accentuated his unique, skeletal facial features. He was photographed in sequined and floral outfits because he didn’t want to have to “climb out of [his] fantasies in order to go up on stage — [he] wanted to take them on stage with [him],” said Bowie in an interview with John Mendelson.
But who today is bringing this energy to the mainstream media? Musical sensation Harry Styles has often been likened to Bowie for his similar draw to androgyny. Styles broke the internet when he was photographed on the cover of Vogue in 2020, not just because he was the first solo male cover star in the magazine’s history, but because he was seen modeling a long, Gucci gown as well.
via Vogue
While many took great umbrage to the gender-breaking style, many commended him and welcomed back what seemed to be the missing key in modern-day Hollywood fashion. Similarly, Game of Thrones star, Emma D’Arcy has also made headlines with their chic sense of style. While they play a strong feminine character in the hit series, D’Arcy embraces the gender fluidity of androgynous fashion and has been seen rocking a tailored suit and a blunt pixie haircut on many an occasion. They have been quoted saying, “Clothes are armor for me. They’re essential to who I am, and I feel different in different outfits” (HighSnobiety). The actor embraces the path their predecessors have set concerning androgynous fashion and has rocked every look they have put out.
The beauty of androgyny is that there is no one label for it. Any one person can wear a skirt, while someone else wears a baggy suit or sharply tailored pair of trousers. Androgyny highlights what fashion is at its core: a means of expression. The whole meaning behind fashion is that it knows no bounds, and we certainly hope to see more of this aesthetic as we enter the second half of the year.
By Abigail Moynihan
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