Gender Fluid Fashion / Androgynous Style: How to Style and Wear a Man’s Suit or an Over-Sized Men’s Jacket
Gender-fluid fashion is a creative form of self-expression that goes beyond the concept of men's and women's clothing. There is no cookie-cutter way to approach this style, and there is certainly no rulebook. Gender-fluid style is entirely dependent on you and what makes you feel good, which is why we love it!
Dressing in a gender-fluid fashion can exhibit both the masculine and feminine or neither. The individual person dressing knows what sorts of clothes feel best on their body, and isn’t concerned whether the clothing’s original intention was for women or men. The point being, with gender-fluid fashion, clothing is not gendered. The beauty of dressing in this way is that you create an androgynous look that presents you as neither strictly male nor female. Androgynous style is nothing new, it’s been around for centuries, and yet there is surprisingly little guidance available providing tips and tricks on how to pull this look off. We figured we’d get to work fixing this.
One of the best parts about gender fluidity is you can’t get it wrong, as long as you are true to yourself. There is great freedom in dressing for yourself and your ultimate comfort. We’ve created a few outfits to provide some inspiration for the next time you are assembling a look that you’d like to give off an androgynous vibe.
How to Make the Classic Men’s Suit Your Own
The first piece we’d like to showcase is a true winner when it comes to gender-fluid clothing: the mens’ suit or an oversized mens' jacket . In contrast to a women’s suit, mens’ tend to be less tailored, more squared at the shoulders, and more straight up and down, all of which contribute to an androgynous look. The men’s suit can be used in a number of different ways depending on the desired look. For example, if you want to a suit to look a bit more masculine, looser-fitting men’s pants, especially around the hips and waist area, will be important in order to give a straighter leg. This outfit paired with a nice belt and mens’ dress shoes will provide a strong androgynous look. In spring and fall weather, cuff both pant legs to show off some trendy socks with either dress shoes or boots. In contrast, if you want to wear a men’s suit but have it feel more feminine, you might try a slimmer fitting pant with a tank top or fitted dress shirt. It’s totally about what makes you feel most authentic and happy.
Work With Neutral Color Palates (or Not)
Neutral color palates are a good way to go when it comes to dressing androgynously because these colors are prevalent in both men's and women's styles. Meeting somewhere in the middle, androgynous styles involving neutral colors like beige, tan, grey, and black provide a gender-neutral look. We love a monochrome outfit such as black shirt, pants, and shoes. With this black outfit, add one of our favorite gender-fluid pieces - the dress vest - in a grey accent color, for example. Paired with our solid-colored men’s button-down shirts, the dress vest will give you a business casual that will have you looking smart and feeling sharp. That being said, neutrals are not required to achieve gender fluidity in your wardrobe. Non-neutral colors can add an exciting accent, and no color is off-limits.
Accessorize Your Outfits
Jewelry can add a lot to an outfit, as we will exemplify with our men's suit example. A heftier watch will add a touch of the masculine, whereas a dainty necklace will add a pinch of the feminine. Hats, scarves, earrings, and rings will give the outfit a different feel. Nail color is also a great way to contribute to an outfit, and not only as a feminine statement, as our brain may be used to associating. Black nail polish can add to the ruggedness of a monochrome black outfit.
A Well-Known Androgynous Hero
When it comes to gender-fluid attire, preconceived notions about color (ie. women can wear pink but men cannot) are out the door. David Bowie was an excellent example of a gender-fluid fashion icon. His outfits frequently featured aspects of both feminine and masculine energy. He would often wear bright colors, makeup, color his hair, and dress in clothing that played with the masculine and feminine. In other words, he dressed however he wanted. He did not subscribe to cultural exceptions of gender, but rather chose to define his own way of dress. To this day, Bowie’s unique style continues to be an inspiration for many. And that’s the beauty of androgynous style. When dressing androgynously, no longer is clothing gendered; in fact, it’s all up for grabs.
Remember, the rule for gender-fluid fashion is that there are no rules, and everyone can express it differently because gender-fluid fashion is completely dependent on the person. It’s truly about what makes you feel good.