If we take a look at all the newest trends out there, we can conclude that humanity is slowly moving towards gender-fluidness. We are talking about a more open-minded existence. Men are trying to use some feminine aspects in their clothing, and females are trying to undertake a more masculine approach. We can see that there are numerous genders out there.
However, twelve of them can be considered as the main ones. But this idea was not popularized until the last couple of decades. When we are talking about this concept’s influence on many elements and features, we can see that fashion is the one where we can see these. The influence is manifested in an approach that has the name androgynous fashion.
In case you are interested in taking a look at some of the most important points you need to know about this concept, be sure to visit weareyugen.com. Even though this is not a new trend, we can see that a lot of people are still unaware of its existence and meaning. Therefore, we would like to talk about this fashion movement in greater detail. Plus, we will take a look at some things that caused it to become so popular these days. Without further ado, let’s take a look at what we’ve been able to gather.
What Does it Mean?
The term “androgynous” is a term that means masculine and feminine. It is a combination of two Greek words, andre, which means man, and gune, which means woman. The term is used to define a person that doesn’t have clear gender identification. So, the person who identifies himself with these terms is a person who doesn’t have a gender identity. Sure, this kind of identification has translated to fashion, and this approach has become one of the most followed ones in this world.
How is it Used in Fashion?
As we’ve mentioned, androgynous fashion means that the style worn by people doesn’t point out any kind of elements characteristic of gender. It results in a style that cannot be affiliated with any gender. The pieces represent a combination of clothes worn by both genders. It has a goal of pushing above the traditional understanding of genders and make people feel free of any of these characteristics.
There are a couple of traits that are characteristic of this approach. We are talking about classic cuts, minimalistic prints, straight lines, subdued colors, etc. Even though these are the commonest characteristics, that doesn’t mean that they are mandatory. The whole point is feeling free with whatever you are wearing. You can wear practically anything you want, as long as it doesn’t have any gender characteristics.
The Origins
Many people make the mistake of thinking that this is a new approach. However, we can see that the earliest signs of this trend have started in the 1920s in the United States. If you remember some older movies, you will see that women who worked in nightclubs were often dressed in tuxedos and they wore cylinders. But the earliest signs of this fashion have started in the 1800s in England and France. However, it wasn’t until the beginning of the 21st century when this trend has become widely popular.
Throughout history, we can see that the style of dressing was often imposed by social constructs, like gender. Even in this day and age, we can see that there are some traits of traditional social constructs in fashion. However, these boundaries are fading away slowly and new trends are starting to emerge. Even though the androgynous approach is something that exists for more than 20 years, you will see that it is still being developed by the most famous designers from all over the world.
Who Were the Pioneers?
Now, we would like to talk about a couple of pioneers that have started this fashion.
1. Marlene Dietrich
The first popular face in the world of unisex fashion we would like to talk about is Marlene Dietrich. We’ve mentioned that there were many women who were wearing tuxedos and cylinders in the 1920s and 1930, Marlene Dietrich was one of the those who heavily popularized this style. If you take a look at some movies where she starred, you will see what we are talking about. Also, he was frequently dressed like this during her appearances in nightclubs where she sang.
2. Chevalier d’Eon
We’ve mentioned that androgynous fashion has its roots back in the 19th century. Probably the first person ever to appear dressed like this in public was Chevalier d’Eon. We are talking about a French diplomat and spy. When this man was in his fifties, he started living as a woman, he wore women’s clothing in public, and he was open about it. When he died, doctors who performed an autopsy have discovered that the male organs were perfectly formed. However, he did have some female characteristics.
3. James Dean
Along with Elvis Presley, James Dean is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of this approach. The reason is that these two actors were known for wearing makeup in their everyday life. If you Google for some images where James Dean was wearing it in public, you will find numerous examples. Plus, there are numerous interviews where he openly talked about this topic. Certainly, he is today considered to be one of the most popular androgynous figures ever.
That’s a Wrap
When you take a look at all the important points that surround androgynous fashion, you will see that the story about this trend is really interesting. There are a lot of the aspects that have gathered over the years and now we have a significantly popular approach in front of us.
Here, you can find all about the history of this trend, what it means, what are its goals, and who are people who popularized it in the past. Understanding this kind of trend before you decide to use it is an absolute must. Therefore, we believe you will find all the information useful.
