Hey all, hows you?
I was inspired by Zoe London's post to write this because it really got me thinking about androgyny and gender-fluidity and gender-conformity.
Fashion, as a general rule, is very gender normative. Which is something I don't really understand since fashion is meant to be one of the best ways to express yourself, yet on the flip side it's very selective in how to express yourself.
I like dressing androgynously. I enjoy it. Some days I feel like dressing like a guy, and it's for no other reason than that I like dressing in clothes that are generally made for men because I don't believe that there should be a restriction.
I was inspired by Zoe London's post to write this because it really got me thinking about androgyny and gender-fluidity and gender-conformity.
Fashion, as a general rule, is very gender normative. Which is something I don't really understand since fashion is meant to be one of the best ways to express yourself, yet on the flip side it's very selective in how to express yourself.
I enjoy looking like a boy and dressing in boy's clothes, yet somehow I'll seem odd for wearing guy's jeans because they're "not made for girls" or because they're not "lady like" enough, which is always something that has bugged me/.
I feel like people are a little bit bias towards women. Okay that's a weird sentence (especially given all the inequality) but let me explain: Generally, people don't mind lesbians. But gays are seen even worse. I mean, homophobes are homophobes but some people find it worse if two guys kiss than if two girls were to kiss. You know what I mean? People let women off with a lot more than they would men. It's the same in fashion. If girls wear trousers then people don’t look twice, but if a man wears a dress to go shopping people are like "WHAT OKAY THATS WEIRD”.
I like dressing androgynously. I enjoy it. Some days I feel like dressing like a guy, and it's for no other reason than that I like dressing in clothes that are generally made for men because I don't believe that there should be a restriction.
Zara launched a unisex collection a while back and at first I thought it was great and I was all for it, but I was wrong. Really it's just male loungewear branded as "unisex". Lovely. Call me the day you see a unisex dress or skirt or something that isn't that. Granted, it's a step in the right direction, but it's just that I wish they'd have done more research or made more of an effort to go further out of the box of what they know and have dared a bit more to go out of their comfort zone.
This is a constant battle. Liberty of expression is a supposed thing, but even though you’re free to express your opinion, you still do it at your own peril. And that’s kind of what irritates me. You can be open about it, but most people don’t dare because you don’t know if you’ll get roasted and everyone will be on your back, cursing your very existence. Is that what it’s come to? People being too scared to speak their mind, out of fear that the rest of the world will turn against them in the space of a tweet or an outfit or a song? If so, we're all fucked and personally you'll find me running in the opposite direction.
What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks to Dreast for looking so goddamn hot. It helps.
What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks to Dreast for looking so goddamn hot. It helps.
Matti x
