Tag Archives: Androgyny fashion

The Gaze & Other Stories: Broadening The View On Gender In Fashion

H&M sister brand & Other Stories this week launched a transgender inclusive advertising campaign.

The video includes models Valentijn de Hugh and Hari Nef taking part in a photo shoot for their new capsule collection.

All those involved with the shoot are also transgender: photographer Amos Mac (editor of trans magazine Original Plumbing), stylist Love Bailey and make-up artists Nina Poon.

De Hugh says

I think it’s so weird that when we are born the first thing that we are, even before we have a name, or an identity, we are either male or female, before you even know anything about the person who was just born.

Being born male or being born female decides so much about who you are allowed to be in life. And I just don’t want to live under those constraints. I want to break free from those.”

Hari Nef added

Fashion has played a huge role in my process of constructing my identity. Fashion can apply to a wider audience of people and maybe it will lose its reputation as the scary, esoteric club where if you’re not skinny, white, thin, cis-gender, able-bodied and rich, you can’t participate.”

In a press statement about the campaign, & Other Stories’ creative director Sara Hildén Bengtson said:

The fashion world is embracing transgender models and we think that’s great. But we couldn’t help to ask ourselves how the traditional fashion gaze can change if we keep the same normative crew behind the camera. So we invited five amazing creatives, all transgender, to make our latest story.”

The advert has been praised by the Human Rights Campaign, who applauded the fact that H&M have become a transgender-inclusive workplace.

H&M earned a 70 [out of 100] on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index, HRC’s survey and report benchmarking corporate policies, practices and benefits related to LGBT inclusion. H&M’s transgender specific workplace initiatives include non-discrimination protection based on gender identity and the company offers transgender inclusive healthcare coverage.”

Maternity Wear Company Caters to LGBTQ Bodies

If you do a quick Google search of ‘maternity wear’, you’ll be greeted with a plethora of similar images. Almost all of the suggestions of clothes to fit a pregnant body will be some sort of dress, be it professional and sleek or maxi and ready for the summer. Many of the maternity clothes are also typically ‘feminine’ colours or have floral prints on them too. And while this may suit some, for many pregnant people, this is exclusionary.

This is an issue that very often leaves pregnant LGBTQ people in a dilemma. For example, pregnant trans men may struggle to find clothes that suit their bodies due to the fact that it’s uncommon that maternity lines will make clothes for pregnant men. Non-binary or genderqueer bodies also aren’t catered to and neither are lesbians who prefer more masculine clothes.

This is a problem that Butchbaby & Co. would like to solve, and later this year the company will release a line of “alternity wear for pregnant masculine, transgender, and queer individuals” that includes sweaters, jeans, hoodies and boxer briefs.

The company’s vision statement explains that:

The vision of Butchbaby & Co. is to create a world where pregnant individuals’ identities don’t have to change just because one’s body does. Alternity wear is the alternative to the hyperfeminine, heteronormative, eurocentric maternity wear that only exists today.”

What is also positive is that Butchbaby is part of a growing, inclusive trend. As profiled by ABC News, there are also companies like Bluestockings Boutique which offers a range of queer-owned and designer underwear brands and there is also the Los Angeles-based company Sharpe Suiting which makes bespoke suits without making assumptions about the wearer’s gender or identity.

We may still be a long way away from clothing retailers doing away with ‘male’ and ‘female’ sections in their stores, but hopefully this trend continues.

Evan Rachel Wood Stars in New Video For Queer Fashion Brand Wildfang

Evan Rachel Wood is the new face Portland-based clothing brand Wildfang – fronting their latest campaign, in this fantastic video.

In the short film, the Emmy-nominated actress is also joined by Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon, singer Beth Ditto and NBA star Robin Lopez, which is titled with the clever hashtag #EvanRachelWould.

Directed by James Westby and the video begs the question: ‘What would happen if you stopped saying no and started saying yes?’

“It’s a super funny piece that encourages you to find adventure in the ordinary, push yourself to take on the unknown, and have the ladyballs to say ‘yes’ to the opportunities life presents us – big or small.”

Evan Rachel Wood

In addition to the short clip, Wildfang’s team created a special “Evan Rachel Would” t-shirt with all proceeds going to the Friends Of Children charity.

“This charity helps the most vulnerable kids in our communities. It’s the perfect opportunity to shine some light on a yes-worthy cause. It’s my new favourite tee.”

Evan Rachel Wood

Wood has been teasing the release of the campaign video for weeks using the hashtag #EvanRachelWould.

https://twitter.com/evanrachelwood/status/579155001248907264

So if #EvanRachelWould. Would you?

David Beckham’s New H&M Range Clearly Has Queer Appeal

Will the new David Beckham’s H&M collection be entering your wardrobe the season?

Well, I have to say yes. Why, because the new collection is made up of key and essential pieces for spring, including a classic poplin white shirt, linen bomber jacket, white chalk-washed denim jacket and a sharp linen blazer – ideal for a queer tomboy edge or dapper style.

This week David Beckham announced he would be extending his role at H&M beyond his body-wear range with a new collection of his favourite pieces.

The new range is called Modern Essentials by David Beckham, which has been specially curated from his favourite pieces for the season.

Speaking about the campaign and new collection – which will be launched in stores and online worldwide on March 5, 2015 – he enthused:

“I am thrilled to continue and extend my collaboration with H&M by selecting my favourite pieces from this spring’s Modern Essentials collection. Each piece is a new wardrobe classic that will update every man’s spring wardrobe with great style. Marc Forster is one of my favourite directors – I can’t wait to reveal the new campaign with H&M”

David Beckham

Watch H&M’s behind the scenes film with David Beckham and Marc Forster below:

Addicted to Taylor Swift’s New Androgynous Look For Wonderland Magazine.

Taylor Swift has unveiled a brand new look for the latest edition of Wonderland magazine, and I love the androgynous style she is pulling off.

This is a brand new Taylor, which shows the versatility to her wardrobe and look. The chart-topper is seen sporting a retro inspired style – 80s in feel.

Queer Fashion: Doing Male Fashion the Butch Way

Queer Fashion | Doing Male Fashion Style the Butch Way – When it comes to looking good, in any type of clothing whether it’s a dress or a 3-piece suit, fit is everything.

Wearing male fashion and looking good doing it is all about fit. If you can afford to buy a custom-made suit, consider yourself lucky. That’s pretty much the pinnacle of dapper butch fashion. Buying a suit or men’s clothing off-the-rack can be tough, you never want to look like you just grabbed your dad’s suit right? A possible solution is to have that purchase altered to fit your body. Finding a good tailor you can always go to takes a lot of time, money, and resources on your part. But believe me, it’ll be well worth it. Remember that when it comes to looking good, in any type of clothing whether it’s a dress or a 3-piece suit, fit is everything.

Here are some quick tips on how to do butch wear in style:

Avoid bulky cuts. Always aspire to look sleek.
Personalize your menswear look. Whether it’s a pair of colourful socks or antique cuff links, these little details are what make your outfit stand out.
Don’t write off the women’s wear department. There has been an influx of menswear-inspired pieces on the runway as of late. Take advantage of this and open your mind to the possibilities of tailoring that is more suited to your body.
The same goes for shoes too, there are so many colour options in the women’s shoe department that you won’t see in men’s.

On that note, here are some stores that fit your needs to a T, and will provide stylish butch fashion that goes beyond traditional suiting.

KitschKandy – A real mix of fashion, homeware, and everything in between

Androgyny – This store makes button down shirts in different fabrications that’ll fit your perfectly. The shirt length is just right, and the conspicuous darting in women’s shirt is absent from their designs.

Marimacho – The most noteworthy section is their swimwear. The swim separates are utilitarian and athletic.

Wildfang – For a sportier tomboy style, look no further than Wildfang’s T-shirt, hoodies, and cardigans.

5 Tomboy Fashion Bloggers to Follow

Tomboy fashionistas and fashion brands have taken internet by storm with their well crafted fashions blogs. Here is our run-down of the 5 top profiles online.

But I’m a Tomboy

Menswear, androgynous wear and tomboy chic – these are the passions of Sunny, an art student from New York whose site also deals with non-fashion issues.

Website: www.but-im-a-tomboy.com

Wild Fang

Self-described Robin Hoods, Wild Fang are busy reinventing menswear for tomboys all over the world. Check out their amazing designs, some of which are modelled by Kate Moenning and Casey Legler.

Website: www.wearewildfang.tumblr.com and www.wildfang.com

Switch Teams

Never has someone looked so good with dyed blue hair. A beautiful blend of very personal work and more referential stuff.

Website: www.switchteams.tumblr.com

Qwear

Boston’s best LGBT style blog, Qwear began life in 2011. Founder Sonny Oram continues to wow the crowds with not only lovely images but enlightening op-eds and news reports.

Website: www.qwearfashion.com

Queering Style

Personal advice for LGBTS meets sartorial elegance. Alexa, who describes herself as “a queer with big hair”has used her Tumblr profile to promote her own sense of dapper style.

Website: www.queeringstyle.tumblr.com

I heart Grace Jones – May Disco Live On

Some iconic celebrities remain set in their era, or reinvent themselves as they grow into the next. The compelling, iconic draw of Grace Jones is by no means subject to time or to passing fads. She was a striking presence as a model, with her angular face and her lithe body, she radiated self-possession. Jones embraced her androgynous beauty, wearing both women’s and men’s fashion alike so well and so distinctively that the influence of her image continues from the 1980’s and lasts until today. While widespread and much imitated, the style of Grace Jones remains unmistakable.

Jones’ celebrity status was not only a matter of looks. The multi-talented Grace Jones also had a memorable singing voice. Her silken belt could breathe life into disco and lounge jazz tunes alike. The diversity and versatility of her talents, in addition to her adventurous style, made her the right fit as a performance regular in New York’s famous Studio 54 multimedia night club. Well into her fourth decade of performance art, Jones continues to perform and tour the world.

When it came to action films with challenging stunts, Jones proved that she could hold her own amongst Hollywood werewolves, vampires, barbarians of sword-and-sorcery fantasy, and even James Bond himself. For the Saturn Awards, Jones had been nominated numerous times for her supporting roles in Conan the Destroyer and View to a Kill.

An autobiography of Grace Jones is currently in the works, slated for release in the autumn of 2014. Fans of the iconic Grace Jones can look forward to her fond memories of collaborating with famous artist Andy Warhol and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. New fans can come to a deeper appreciation of the influential and irrepressible Grace Jones, and be taken back to a time where aesthetics and expression blossomed into a kaleidoscope of life. We can thank icons such as Grace Jones for both preserving this zeitgeist and keeping it alive—perhaps, even, creating it.

Casey Legler | The Male Role Model

Casey Legler, is a woman model currently earning her keep working as a male model. Although androgyny has often been celebrated by the fashion world; with women playing male roles, and men playing female; there are not many making their living exclusively from such an act.

Yet, recently the trend has shifted. We have Andrej Pejic, a young male model, making a splash with his femininity, and now Legler who two years-ago signed a contract with Ford Models.

This new play on gender identity is one that is being embraced by both females and males across the global. However, Legler doesn’t want to be the poster boy for “gender identity” and “gender expression”. She labels her look an expression of ‘freedom’.

“I understand signifiers. We’re social creatures and we have a physical language of communicating with each other…”

Casey Legler

Standing 6’2, Legler clear defines her self as a female, but her close-cropped hair, neck tattoos and lanky frame give her just enough of a masculine look to model suits and baggy jeans as convincingly as the next male model.

“… it would be a really beautiful thing if we could all just wear what we wanted, without it meaning something.”

Casey Legler

Queer Fashion | Welcome to the Boys’ Club – How to Wear a Youthful Spin on Androgyny

Androgyny and high fashion have long been the best of friends—think all the way back to boyish haircuts and shapeless dresses of the 1920s. Fashion refuses to conform to the heternormative roles of society, and this rejection is damn exciting. It’s too bad that the general public is too busy dragging its feet in judgment to catch up.

This year, androgyny is hitting the runways in a major way, but it’s breaking away from sources of inspiration we’ve seen in recent years, like military jackets and lumberjack plaids. Instead, 2014 is ageing in reverse by way of Benjamin Button; it’s more boyish than masculine.

This season’s androgynous trends are heavy with a youthful, devil-may-care attitude. The slouchy, oversized pieces are for creating outfits that are both effortless and cool. Designers are taking us back to secondary school, but this time, we’re leaving the insecurities behind and embracing the easygoing confidence that we wish we had in our adolescent years.

To pull off this year’s androgynous style, go for baggy silhouettes that obscure any defining masculinity or femininity. Remember those calf-skimming cropped trousers called culottes that made in appearance circa mid-2000s? Well, they’ve made something of a comeback this year, which is a great trend for the more daring. If you’ve sworn off culottes after experimenting with them in 2004, no worries! Wide-leg trousers are laid back this year, which makes the easy and relaxed rather than stuffy.

For tops, consider slouchy and relaxed layers. Keep jackets unzipped over oversized tees as spring turns into summer, or layer oversized vests and unbuttoned shirts. Keep tops untucked, or consider tucking them in the front of your trousers to give your outfit that “can’t be bothered” touch. Don’t overdo the layers, though; minimalism balances the baggy shape of the clothes. Put the finishing touch on your outfit with masculine shoes, either with sporty trainers or lived-in Oxfords, loafers, or biker boots.

Once your outfit is complete, take a look at yourself in the mirror. Dude. You look good.