These blurred lines

Androgyny is a trend that has always interested me: challenging and resetting traditional gender stereotypes. In basic terms, ‘Androgyny’ means a male with female features or a woman with male features. In fashion, however, it can simply mean blurring the lines between genders. The androgynous trend, most commonly for women, hones in on the boyish silhouette with overlarge coats and straight leg trousers.

Androgyny is rife on the catwalk for both men and women’s fashion with labels such as Burberry, YSL, Topman Design and a huge majority of other fashion designers in both High Fashion and High-Street showing off the trend. Often androgyny is labelled and marketed as ‘metrosexual’ for males. In 2011 H&M launched a unisex clothing line for the Fashion Against AIDS campaign “This edition is a unisex collection to point out that the HIV/AIDS message is as important for young women as for young men.” – Ann-Sofie Johansson, Head of Design at H&M. Another fashion brand well known for the androgyny trend is The Kooples, encouraging mix-matching clothes and showing how their individual styles complement each other.

Androgyny today is largely conventional after well-known artists like David Bowie, Boy George, Prince, and Annie Lennox challenged what was ‘normal’ in the 1970s leading to elaborate cross- gender wardrobes in the 1980s. During the 1990s, Marilyn Manson also reinforced the culture by appearing genderless on the album cover ‘Mechanical Animals’.

Zara ‘Pictures’ show an adaption of the androgynous trend by Roy on the Street.  A one-size-up jacket to ooze mannish tailoring over a basic top are the key items to pull of this trend.  Notably, for this style it is vital that you get a straight-cut set of trousers! Pair with tights and brogues, and you will have this look down.

Jacket: 79.99 GBP. Crop T-Shirt: 15.99 GBP Both Zara.

Image: JayeKayeTV

Andrej Pejic has walked the catwalk for both Gaultier and Marc Jacobs.However, unusually, he models as a woman, taking androgyny quite literally.

Image: sol-sol-stree.tmblr.com

2013 Seoul Fashion Week. The purity of a white coat should never be underestimated- especially on a guy. The unusual sight of a man in tights (not in the ballet) is actually one of the best outfit ensembles I have seen- he looks effortlessly stylish!