Fashion: Something Which is Not Gender Biased
The title is enough to tell you the summary. Our main reason for this topic was the recently found rise in unisex fashion. Unisex clothes are smartly designed for both sexes, so that both men and women can wear in a similar way without looking awkward or insane. It has its roots from history, but a drastic change or evolution has been found in the present scenario.
Let’s began from beginning
Jumping on the bandwagon, we picked up many interesting examples from history, which would tell you the amazing facts of unisex fashion.
Started in the nineteenth century, the attempt was taken by England and the United states. During the women’s movement, the members offended the use of corsets and clumsy outfits and promoted trousers. However, very few of the women’s hold their hands and fight for the right, others were all orthodox with the same mentality that women’s has different identity and they cannot compete men’s. So, they should wear clothes according to their identity.
The ideology was so harsh that men’s role is considered as active and women’s are considered as the passive community of the society. But they don’t know that women’s can do anything even the things which a man could never do.
The mentality was like men’s and women’s cannot be on the same path. Mathematically they are asymmetrical or two lines which cannot be parallel, biologically they have different chromosomes, illogically, one is weak and another is strong and logically they are both human’s.
Women were able to wear divided skirts and knee-length bloomers for bicycling. So, basically this is where women started matching shoulders with men’s. A bicycle can be ‘symbols of liberation’ that has changed the way towards women’s outfit for sports.
It was 1960s when ‘unisex fashion’ started spreading all over the world. This is the same era of the ‘Youth Revolution’ or the ‘Hippie Movement’ who believes in equality between men and women.
Androgynous Society to Androgynous Fashion
An androgynous is a person with both characteristics of men and women. It is difficult to identify whether they are male or female. Well, we are not here to distract you from the topic. The reason to talk about androgynous is the trending theme of androgynous fashion or a fashion which couldn’t be identified whether it is for men or for the women. Despite of being a country known for its religion and culture, Indian Designer’s have been also focused a lot on androgynous fashion. Even the Bollywood has a great impact on androgynous fashion.
During the promotions of ‘Bajirao Mastani’, actor Ranveer Singh gave a bold gesture by breaking the stereotype and wearing a skirt designed by Anju Modi, a well known fashion designer. And the trend takes its place at everybody’s mouth. Ranveer Singh is the one who popularized unisex style in India. This man is currently the face behind the increase in current Cultural Revolution.
We can identify the evolution on men’s clothing; they started replacing chambray for soft and smooth. They are more liking light weight fabrics, semi sheer fabrics like mulmul, voile and sometimes linen. Even the man’s started adorning their looks with accessories and experimenting with colours.
It was in March 2013 at India’s biggest fashion week LFW, one of the emerging fashion designers, Dhruv Kapur come on stage with his long tunics and side slits. These outfits’ fits brilliantly into the wardrobe of both men and women and influenced the evolution of unisex fashion. And from then we can see a high rise of Unisex fashion under fashion designers.
Let’s take an example from everyday, ‘baggy’ jeans are high on the trend and is also called boyfriend jeans. The name of the trend is same as the origin. It began when girls started wearing their actual boyfriend’s jeans and the style started getting viral. Now, a boyfriend jean is a jeans category which you will get easily in stores. Most women own the baggy one without knowing its androgynous concept.
Impact of Transgender
Transgender is someone whose sex identity is different from their gender at birth. Coming to the point an observance has found the increase in acceptance of different gender and it has a big impact on fashion movement.
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If you believe that your clothes define you as a man or a woman, then you may keep competing for explaining people what you are actually by gender. But what matters is not your gender identity, but your personal identity, that what you are as a person. Fashion is not to exploit the gender, it is to express you. The inner you are the real you.
The Gender Neutral Concept
The word is enough to explain the meaning, the term gender neutral means a person not identified with any one sex.
Not only is the gender neutral fashion, gender neutral language widespread in public areas. For example, instead of referring to an individual as a policeman you can call them as a police officer. Just a little difference, but big meaning.
The gender neutrality results in girls wearing pants, boys grew their hair long, girls preferring sometimes short hairs and the popularity of unisex outfits.
Fashion Designer Diane Von Furstenberg in the 1970’s introduced a feminine wrap dress. Her idea behind the concept was to make women feel bold, beautiful and empowered. Rather than gender neutral she believes women are best when she is a woman. She wanted women to explore the feminist inside them. So, this idea again promoted gender differences in 1970s.
Gender fluid: Your birth doesn’t define gender
Many celebrities have found from the past till present sporting the gender fluid fashion. They are more focusing on the fashion statement, but it is becoming the evolution of both unisex fashion and unisex society.
The short video of Ruby rose ‘Break Free’ tells a lot about gender fluid. In the start of the video she looks very feminine with long hair, full makeup, covered tattoos, a sexy short dress and high heels.
When she looks at herself in the mirror, she is not happy with her identity or with her fashion statement. She starts removing all the things which make her feminine. Starting from cutting her hairs, removing heels, then washes her makeup, her body and reveals her real body all tattooed and ended up dressed in a masculine way or the way men dress. She got a complete makeover. The overall conclusion of the video was your gender is what you want, not what your birth decide.
Transgender clothing doesn’t define gender, it defines the mood or the likes of the person.
Let’s take the example from James Charles, who has become Cover Girl’s new Cover Boy. He still wears makeup, but identifies as male. This was a huge step towards supporting or encouraging the Trans community and the society appreciated James very well.
Later on Sharmila Nair, an Indian fashion designer took inspiration from transgender women for her collection of saris, and also stepped forward to take them as a model for her photo shoot. This step of Sharmila went viral over the internet.
Impact on the Modern Contemporary Fashion
Coming on today, let’s pick out the most common life of both men and women. It is their professional life. The basic clothing which matches is the shirt and the pant, although it will be designed differently but are of the same type. Despite of feminine clothing, women’s are focusing on neutral clothing which helps them to concentrate more on work.
Apart from Dhruv Kapoor, a man who has given a great rise in Unisex fashion. Pranav Mishra, the man behind the fashion label Huemn, illuminate the theory of androgyny in a different way. He believes that unisex fashion is more than a trend, it is the mood of the person or this fashion adaptation depends upon the psychology of the person. They can change their style according to their mood. Fashion is something which makes you free, you are not bound with fashion.
Even the top Indian designers like Shantanu and Nikhil, Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya have worked on unisex silhouettes for men. They focus more on adorning the outfit with shawls, floral motifs and androgynous silhouettes. We also hope this evolution of unisex fashion would come out in a positive and best possible way. View Source: http://apnadesign.com/inspiration/fashion-something-not-gender-biased/
