The Gender Blur

photo creds

style.com

Wishlist Pieces: oversized blazer/coat, trench coat, laced brogues, waistoat, fitted trousers, silk blouse

The gender blur is a real thing, not just a super-catchy name. Prada, Givenchy, Michael Kors, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent are purposefully breaking down and blurring the giant gap between men’s and women’s clothing. Since the 1990’s – when supermodels were like modern day princesses – designers have always targeted their collections towards the current desired ‘ideal body’. Collections have always been split into a men’s collection and a women’s collection. Models of that specific gender have then carried the pieces down the runway, and the pieces have then mainly been sold to only people of that gender.

“The whole perception of sexual orientation is being challenged by the millenials,” said Lucie Greene, the worldwide director of JWT Intelligence (nytimes.com)

Selfridges are merging men’s and women’s departments into one unified unisex department. I love this. If I walked into a shop, found something, and then realised it was actually from the men’s section, chances are I would put it back. No more, my friends!

Women have always cavorted in oversized shirts, business shirts, trouser suits and femininely-cut tuxedos. A few years ago, everyone was walking around in appalling (really really bad) ‘geek-chic’ glasses, wearing brogues and braces. There has always been the fear, however, of doing something too brash, something that wasn’t first photographed in Vogue – the untouched grey area. I think this is why dressing for you, actually how you want, has never really become mainstream. Unisex dressing has only been a thing if it is the in thing.

So say, if you now decided that the whole Where's Wally look was the one best suited to you - go for it + introducing the male comfort bra. Never mind.

Unisex is now an outdated concept. Now it’s more about comfort and people genuinely not caring any more. So many designers are now designing purely garments for garments sake. Leather jackets, trouser suits, brogues, sweatshirts, jeans, tweed jackets – it’s all the same thing, regardless of whether a man or a woman is wearing it.

"Clothes are becoming trans-seasonal and lines are rapidly starting to blur. For instance, we sold a lot of Givenchy girls' sweaters to boys because they liked the graphics." – Judd Crane, director of womenswear and accessories at Selfridges"

"This season, clothing takes a boundary-breaking unisex turn, as Miuccia Prada - fittingly dressed in a baggy, men's-style sweater - declared backstage: "I think to people, not to gender." While the tradition for fashion brands is to show menswear and womenswear on gender- specific catwalks, with this Prada show she fused the two on one runway. "I think the combination is more real," she continued. "It's more 'today', otherwise it looks like we are in classes, in the time of my grandfather, when women were divided from men." - Vogue

I love the masculine lines, styles and shapes that were on the runways for autumn/winter. I am in love with Michael Kors’ new collection – so much loveliness.

I can finally get wear out of my beret. The only way to go is the beret. Relentless enthusiasm.

I need to buy an oversized blazer and jumper. Very definitely.

PS. I wrote and edited this seven times, with the help of juicy peaches and fig and ginger tea - buy it, try it, don't hate it.

PPS. Must reads 1/2/3