The Evolution of Gender in Clothing
Good morning, afternoon, or evening to you depending on when you’re reading this!
Today, we are here to talk about fashion and clothing. Specifically, I’d like to talk about how clothing and gender have gone together for years. Did you know that originally the color blue was assigned to girls while the color pink was assigned to boys?
These days though, gender and clothing are changing once again! Everywhere, the standards of what each gender is ‘supposed to wear’ is becoming more flexible. Women are seen wearing things that are typically created by clothing companies for the opposite gender such as thicker chains, men’s vests, pant styles, etc. Along with this, men are seen wearing many styles recently that, for years, have been geared toward women! This involves skirts, dresses, blouses, and have even been seen trying out feminine makeup styles.
Some brands, one being H&M, have begun clothing lines specifically for unisex clothing or clothing for all. These styles have a mixture of femininity and masculinity in them, giving the person the freedom to find comfort in both styles. While this trend could potentially put a hurting on the revenue clothing companies bring in, they are keeping people happy by promoting inclusivity and equality.
From what I have seen, many people in younger generations have been known to participate in both gender-neutral fashion as well as gender-fluid fashion. The two differ in the sense that gender-fluid fashion supports the transgender community by wearing pieces that oppose each gender such as wearing a skirt and blouse one day and sporting a ‘men’s’ button down and basketball shorts the next. It is about embracing the clothing as they come rather than making different clothes that put both genders together in the way that gender-neutral fashion does.
Personally, I think that both of these things are a progressive step in the right direction. People should be able to wear whatever they want without being judged regardless of their gender-identity, sexual orientation, body type, etc. It is just clothing! Clothing should be what you use to dress your body up or down. It is fun, it is expressive, and it is vital to our identity. I would encourage everyone to wear what makes you feel good in your own skin.
Wear what makes you feel like you. It doesn’t matter what someone else thinks of it because overall you are the person who should be happy! If you are, you’ve won already.
Have a great week everyone!
Strike Out,
Writer: Macie Hebert
Editors: Lauren Cich & Marissa DeMaio
St. Augustine
