Sex, punk and politics are what Vivienne Westwood has always been known for. She designed for the Sex Pistols, is always making political statements via fashion and has a distinct design style that cannot be mistaken for anyone else. Every bit of shock that we expect from Vivienne Westwood is found in her fall 2015 ready-to-wear collection, called Unisex. This collection is a myriad of madness, reminding me of an androgynous dimension of Alice in Wonderland. The men modeled dresses and the women sported oversized suits. The gender lines were definitely blurred, while the suit lines were crisp and angular. I had not tampered with androgyny yet, but this collection inspired me to follow the unisex trend.
The line has a vintage feel with a multitude of bleak patterns and textures (resembling furniture in your Grandma’s living room), paired with metallics and Westwood’s signature red hue that bring in the magic from Alice in Wonderland. I chose to wear a vintage oversized button-up as a dress paired with a vintage blazer. Both pieces exhibit a sense of gender ambiguity, especially the blazer with shoulder pads and a boxy shape. My shoes are chunky, just like the shoes the women wore in the show. With an all black outfit, I used a shade of orangey-red lip balm imitating Westwood’s signature pops of color. To show a little more masculinity, I filled in and around my eyebrows heavily. Brooke Shields would be proud.
This collection was meant to be thought provoking, confusing and magical, but it was also used as a platform for activism. Whether you feel more comfortable in clothing that is marked for the opposite sex, or you just want to try out a different trend, don’t be scared of existing gender roles and styles. Being yourself will never go out of style.
Get My Look: 1. Deena & Ozzy shoes. 2. Sonia Kashuk lip balm. 3. Sinful Colors nail polish.
