Our style defines we see how ourselves—it is expressing our inner self in physical forms. One of those forms is clothing. The idea of clothing comes with many rules and ideas on what you are allowed to wear and how you are allowed to wear it. Fashion freedom is hidden behind gender binaries and obligations to “dress like your sex is supposed to.” Femininity and masculinity are constructs that restrict people from dressing in the way they wish to dress. Style is and should be gender neutral. Everyone should be able to be experimental in their dress.
Menswear, or what is considered menswear, has always been a love of mine. I appreciate the ease of slipping into a loose pant with pockets that can actually house my massive phone. Moreover, there is something seamless and stylish about women in menswear. The ability to mix pieces seen as both feminine and masculine is truly a skill.
Inspiration for this look struck me as I was casually scrolling through some of the shows from New York Fashion Week. Monse, whose first show was last year, flooded the runway with chic looks from their spring ’17 line that featured a plethora of pinstripe, poplin, silk and sequins. The first look that caught my eye was this androgynous pinstripe trouser and off-the-shoulder poplin top outfit. The look was sophisticated, yet daring. As of late, I have been really feeling a classic trouser pant look, so I knew I had to create my own Monse inspired look!
In my version of the look, I stayed true to myself and paired my pinstripe pant with my beat up adidas Superstars. Sneakers and trousers are an enormous menswear trend and I find that my trouser outfits seem to be more modern and comfortable when I throw on a pair of sneakers with them. I’ve found that basic, low-top sneakers, like Adidas, pair best with trousers. Be that as it may, a high-top sneaker, like Vans Sk8 Hi, is very ’90s reminiscent and majorly stylish too.
As for my top, I wanted something dainty to balance out my bold “masculine” look. The sheer top allows for visual ease and adds another texture to the overall look. It also allows for a layering option. If I wanted, I could add another layer on top, such as a silk cami, or I could unbutton my shirt a bit and have another layer underneath.
Overall, when thinking about clothes, try to be open to gender neutrality. Androgyny is not something new. Designers and people have been doing it for years! So, next time you go shopping, wander over to the “other side.” You never know what gems you might find!
