Has Gender-Fluid Fashion Redefined Masculinity?

Fashion trends both reflect current social standards and foreshadow new waves of expression.

The long, shapeless flapper dress of the 1920s was a direct reaction to the corseted, more traditional era prior. The colorful, patterned shirts of the 1970s was a shift from the mono-chromatic, clean-cut styles of the preceding post-war decades. These trademarks of style open a window to cultural patterns of the time—and it’s often how, today, we understand past eras.

The height of a woman’s skirt in period films. The width of man’s lapel in old Vogue magazines. The cut-off length on a pair of denim jeans in our parents’ closets. When we piece together the changing fashion trends of the last 100 years, we unravel a story of progressive cultural expression. So where has that led us? Where are we at today?

In 2020, fashion designer Stella McCartney told Hero Magazine:

“Today’s youth are naturally open-minded and fluid with gender … I think it’s beautiful how they inclusively celebrate individuality and diversity, and are using their self-expression to affect social change – to create the world they want to see.”

In the same year, Gucci launched Gucci Mx, a section on their ready-to-wear website featuring gender neutral clothing and accessories.

In 2021, Louis Vuitton’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière, designed a couture collection that, according to his show notes, “erases gender and promises exponential creative possibilities.”

And a 2022 headline in The Business of Fashion stated:

“Gender-fluid fashion will gain greater traction in mainstream markets as brands and retailers reflect changing consumer attitudes towards gender.”

While gender identity (your pronouns) and gender expression (your clothing choices) are different truths entirely, they oftentimes inform each other, especially in today’s widening range of personal style.

The non-cisgender community have and continue to overcome an unfair share of societal obstacles to be seen and respected.  Now, thanks to their boldness and bravery, the current phase of the gender revolution is breaking down the gender binary for everybody, making it more socially acceptable to express yourself — for cisgender, non-binary, and trans folks alike.

And the opportunity to blend masculinity and femininity through fashion choices has never been more available.

“Clothing is becoming more and more androgynous because style has always been about confidence, not labels,” says Los Angeles fashion designer Kimia Arya. “I love to see an oversized two-piece suit on a woman . . . [or] a sequins-adorned shirt for men. For me, it’s about the silhouette, and the quality and craftsmanship of the garment itself.”

From luxury houses to vintage shops and all the local ateliers in between, fashion brands are doing away with men’s and women’s sections altogether. When it comes to a good pair of jeans, for example, why does the gender of the individual wearing them matter? Isn’t it about how the jeans hug your waist, how they fall on the roof of your shoe?

Femininity has welcomed masculine influence for some time. Look no further than a girl wearing her boyfriend’s oversized sweatshirts, or Hillary Clinton’s ample pantsuits. Masculinity, on the more toxic side of things, has had its troubles infusing feminine influence. It’s safe to say that the looks of a tomboy have historically been more culturally accepted than those of a tomgirl.

Independent writer Joseph Bobowicz states:

“For a masterclass in masculinity, look no further than the red carpet.”

In decades past, looks pulled by celebrities like David Bowie, Prince, and Steven Tyler were feminine exceptions to the otherwise hyper-masculine box of fashion choices culturally available for men. Today, it’s more accepted (and, in some cities, encouraged) for masculinity to be femininely-explored.

Bobowicz goes on to say:

“Whether it’s Harry Styles in a Gucci diamante-studded jumpsuit, Billy Porter in a Christian Siriano gowned tuxedo, or Timothée Chalamet in an Haider Ackermann backless crimson suit, looks that brush against gender are now par for the course alongside a brand’s more classic displays of elegance.”

These feminine choices could be showcases of authentic gender expression, at long last deemed desirable by the public. They could also just be stylish ploys for good press. Perhaps both, perhaps neither.

Regardless, Hollywood’s most recent gender-fluid looks have set the cultural tone for fashion brands around the world. More and more, we see designers embracing unisex clothing. And, as a result, people will be embracing more authentic, gender-free forms of expression for the years to come.

Time to go shopping?