Androgyny: Menswear for All Bodies, or Truly Gender-Fluid?
"With men's shows in Europe in full swing, many of the week's best-dressed women leaned into a more androgynous look," said Janelle Okwodu in her Vogue US article "Last Week, Goodlooking Menswear was the Order of the Day". Gender-bending style seems to be a common definition of what is generally considered androgynous: menswear on all bodies. The female celebrities featured in the article, whether it's Bella Hadid in a black and white pinstripe suit or Yara Shahidi in a deep red oversized utilitarian matching jacket and pant, all women are dressed in strong menswear-adjacent looks.
rokh ss19 showroom, image credit: Linnea Wingerup
Whether it be women wearing power suits, or Zara's 2016 drop of an 'ungendered' clothing line, it's evident that the terms of androgynous fashion are commonly perceived by the industry as generally shapeless silhouettes, or silhouettes traditionally tailored to men's bodies, featured on all bodies. However, the concept of androgyny demands the simultaneous presence of both traditional femininity and masculinity.
Angelique De Raffaele, studio assistant at the fashion label rokh, spoke to Peacock Plume and noted that the reverse of men in more feminine looks, is often recognized as a threat to their masculinity. "I feel like men losing their masculinity to the general public is perceived as the worst thing in the world", she mentioned, commenting further on how women are often perceived as "confident and ambitious" in menswear.
masculine and feminine details, image credit: Linnea Wingerup
Male gender-fluid style icons such as Billy Porter, Harry Styles, and the late David Bowie emphasize that femininity is not a threat to their masculinity. Embracing an androgynous look becomes a part of their visual identities.
Therefore, androgyny is a celebration of both the characteristics of femininity and masculinity, in one expressive ensemble. Devon Armogeda, rokh showroom assistant and architecture masters student, talked to me about the importance of androgyny in fashion. "Living in Europe, everything kind of blends together... which is very exciting to see. As a woman, it gives me more options of what I can wear basically. I can put on, say, a pair of trousers, with a hoodie, and still be feminine. And this is amazing,"
Yes, androgyny can be menswear, but it can also be a man in a dress paired with a blazer, or a woman wearing Oxford-style loafers with a skirt and an oversized t-shirt. The concept asks us to play with both sides of the feminine and masculine spectrum while honoring and revering everything in between. So break out the glitter and put on your bow tie, because gender is a social construct, and those shoes look damn good on you.
