Blurred Lines
Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times
This morning, The New York Times published a fairly interesting article by Ruth La Ferla on fashion’s new lean towards androgynous dressing, called “It’s All a Blur to Them”. The article argued that
“Women have been incorporating trousers, biker jackets and combat boots into their wardrobes since Amelia Earhart swapped her pearls for a flight suit. But increasingly, it is men who are making unabashed forays into mom’s closet, some for fashion’s sake, others for fit.”
As far as I can tell, this is pretty much fact – although historicaly speaking Amelia Earhart may be getting a little too much credit. A ride on the L train could provide you with plenty of proof when it comes to the Androgynous lean in fashion but I would argue that it’s really a more specific look than something that is happening EVERYWHERE. Class, race, culture, and sexuality are all influencing factors. And before anyone misunderstands me, I am not suggesting that this trend neatly belongs to one specific group of people – because it certainly doesn’t. I believe that there are particular silhouettes that are popular right now that are naturally androgynous but that these silhouettes, while appearing globally, are not yet mass market – they still belong to the hipsters of the world.
Thank you for taking into account about class, race, culture, and sexuality! I felt like that was something this article didn’t want to broach, but just saying it’s something characteristic of the “youth” is such an easy way out.
To that also, I think androgyny – well at least as it framed here – is more acceptable or seen maybe as still connoting “straightness” when it’s on slim bodies. Being fat and being androgynous seems to complicate the argument. Maybe it’s because the silhouettes are so body conscious – with the skinny pants – but I think fatness brings into this a queer element, beyond just some gender mixing, where what women wear and what men wear are some sealed of heterosexist defined categories.
Thanks for precisely locating the “youth” androgyny – holler at the L!
Linde, I think you make a very important point about body shape/size and how it complicates this trend. Are some people prevented, by their bodies, from participating in it – meaning, do we recognize those who are not slim as being a part of this trend or do we automatically view them, regardless of the composition of their outfits, as being “other”.
After reading this article, I checked out “Dress, Gender And Cultural Change: Asian American and African American Rites of Passage” from the library. Haven’t cracked it open yet but will be curious to see what’s addressed in it.