it still has a long way to go, sis Gender expectations have troubled me throughout my life. I was an else would brands care about de-gendering products that they incredibly tomboyish child, and my seeming inability to reach hy- market as “menswear” and “womenswear?” All you have to do is per-feminine societal standards has caused me much gut-churning look at New York Fashion Week’s “unisex/non-binary” category turmoil. Now-a-days I rock a super sick pixie cut and am comfort-
that was added in February 2018 and the refreshing cross-gen-
able with the fact that I have very little idea of what the hell I’m sup- der playfulness present in designs by those such as Telfar Cleposed to do with eyeshadow. But there are days when I see editorial mens, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, and Vivienne Westwood. models effortlessly hit sexy on one page and gently beautiful on the next, and my stomach knots up again. However, in recent years, However, many often become afraid of including bright colors and some key players in the fashion industry such as Calvin Klein’s Raf
garments traditionally worn by women in their gender neutral
Simons and Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière have begun to take
designs for fear that they may feminize the work, and instead use
a turn toward non-conforming gender expression. Many brands other techniques to achieve a level of gender neutrality. Fast-fashhave even stated that the future of fashion is genderless, but it is ion giant Zara’s collection “Ungendered” was plain and androgyimportant to note that their exemplified “gender neutral” clothing
nous, not genderless—a distinction brands must strive to make.
is often characterized by bagginess, abstraction, and the absence of
Additionally, this collection, like many gender neutral lines, was
stereotypical feminine aesthetics. In other words, these lines tend to “one style fits all.” While the “one style fits all” philosophy does, be boringly masculine or exceptionally weird, and I am tired of it.
in function, make itself wearable for various people by being baggy enough that differences in proportions shouldn’t matter, it also
This dissatisfaction might seem out of place considering the polit- reveals a lack of thought and purposefulness while designing for ical realm’s conflict over gender expression and identity, but if the many body types. In a similar vein, abstracted designs by people fashion industry is going to flex, they may as well do it right. This like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto are often dubbed gendermeans genuinely listening to LGBTQ+ people like activists Chella
less as a result of being so unusual or avant-garde that they simply
Man and Alok Menon, who advocate for breaking out of the gen-
do not fit a stereotype. However, there is no real intent to make
der binary all the while posting images of themselves in clothing these designs genderless but rather to create a more artistic form ranging from blazers to slip dresses to garishly pink turtlenecks.
of fashion, and calling these abstract collections gender neutral
Perhaps a near-complete cultural change is needed in order to fully
perpetuates the thought that gender non-comformity is strange or
convince the world that women do not have a monopoly on skirts, incomprehensible. Brands must be more intentional in their work but until that happens, designers would do well to pursue their next and learn that they do not need to eliminate feminine aesthetics best option: actually listening to what people want. Brands began in order to de-gender clothing—they need only market it as such. making gender neutral clothing lines due to the influence of queer people, and while it is incredibly important for GNC designers like The most comprehensive, effective way for brands to improve is by the fantastic up-and-coming Harris Reed to be recognized in this being more free with their fashion choices and marketing stratemovement toward fluidity, it is valuable for all designers to strive
gies. Many of these brands have incredible influence and resourc-
to stay more in touch with the needs and wants of the community. es; there is absolutely no reason for them to balk at including female gender stereotypes into all-gender fashion, especially when This isn’t to say that big brands do everything wrong. As sensitiv-
they already include male ones. It is definitely more socially ac-
ity has grown towards transgender and gender non-conforming ceptable for a woman to wear pants than for a man to wear heels, people, so has the fashion industry’s interest in providing gen- but isn’t the point to propel the idea that clothing has no gender? derless clothing and space for genderqueer individuals. And it is
All it takes is for one high-powered designer to stand up and say
simply ignorant to think that the movement toward gender neu-
“enough is enough—heels are for anyone who dares to wear them.”
trality is not a direct result of the LGBTQ+ community—why
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