Men in Dresses Women in Blazers
Men In Dresses Women In Blazers
“Unisex”, an old fashioned term used by the fashion industry as a buzzword and a symbol for inclusion and diversity, has now become customary considering the increase in using both male and female models in equal numbers and a wider gender spectrum used in showcases by renowned brands. Nevertheless, there still are numerous questions that arise with the advent of unisex collections:
- What makes a collection unisex?
- Which section should they be placed in stores? Men or Women?
- Does unisex fashion allow an equal and independent characterization of individuals?
With these questions in mind, it is impossible not to question if really need Unisex Fashion?
Gender fluidity in fashion isn’t just a temporary phase; it is a movement, a step towards people expressing themselves more accurately and freely. People are more comfortable than ever with their true self regardless of their gender, defining themselves without obeying an idea, a culture, or a stereotype. The concepts of masculinity and femininity no longer determine our apparel. Therefore, whether society needs unisex fashion is not an ambiguous issue. The fact that people can characterize themselves as they wish, is much more than just “a movement”.
Throughout time, society has tried to categorize individuals based on their gender by dictating certain stereotypes and ideologies. It often starts in school with uniforms tailored for particular genders; trousers and shorts for boys, skirts for girls but unisex fashion does more than rebelling against society, it does away with the restraints that society enforces on the individual.
For some, gender-neutral fashion represents more than just clothing. Harry Styles, an English singer, and songwriter became one of the names that left their mark on gender-neutral clothing after shooting for Vogue last year. His idea of fashion and feminism came a long way since his days back in One Direction. Styles’ fashion evolution abreast his solo career in music has given him the reputation as a pioneer in the movement toward gender-neutral fashion. On November 13, Styles made history as the first male solo cover star of Vogue. Although this success was of paramount importance to him, it was Styles’ clothing that actually caught the attention of the media. He was dressed in Gucci’s Alessandro Michele’s blue lace-trimmed dress with a black double-breasted tuxedo jacket and his signature chunky gold rings. Photographing Styles in dresses and jewelry, Vogue garnered both reaction and praise from both critics and readers. Dressing a man in feminine clothes and putting him on the cover of a popular and influential magazine such as Vogue, as if it was the right thing, has been seen by some as a reaction to society’s concept of “gender”. On the other hand, Styles’ large fanbase and Vogue’s readers stated that thanks to this magazine cover, their self-confidence improved and they were able to express themselves more comfortably.
A famous and admired role model such as Harry Style taking a step forward and expressing himself as he is, encouraged an overly self-conscious younger generation constantly trying to keep up with society’s norms in order to be at peace with themselves. He showed youngsters that they are actually more than an individual in this society and they have their own unique ideas and manners.
Despite the positivity, the publication received severe criticism on social media. Candace Owens, an American author, and an activist was disparaged by Styles’ fans and many social media influencers after criticizing Styles. “There is no society that can survive without strong men,” Owens tweeted. “The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back, manly men.”
Although Style’s action was a movement that can carry society forward and maybe even revolutionize the fashion world, today's masses think gender should determine what we wear, which raises the question “Do we really need Unisex Fashion?” to “Do we really deserve it?”
