Fashion’s Double Standard: When Women Wear it Better http://www.mnswr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/201500065_F-800x533.jpg
I don’t know about you, but I get a little bit annoyed when women wear men’s clothing. And it’s not because I don’t think women should dress that way or that it’s rather inappropriate for a respectable woman to don a pair of trousers.
It’s because women wear it better.
Don’t get me wrong; I love it when women take a page out of menswear. The Rake’s Sarah-Ann Murray, singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe and many others come to mind. When done well –and by well, I mean in very a thoughtful, unique and personal way–, it’s a refreshing take on a woman’s sense of style. It is not, in any way, a deliberate attempt to look more masculine (unless of course, that’s exactly what it is), but it does bring out a certain edginess, strength and personality in a woman. And it is, in many ways, very sexy.
It might not be the same for other guys, but to me, a woman looks sexy when she’s wearing a man’s shirt (and only a shirt). And not just any old shirt, but my shirt. Yes, I know it’s cliché, but it’s also very, very true. In fact, the same can be said for other pieces of clothing.
Sadly, somewhere in a lonely corner, tucked away behind the rows of chiffon dresses, the way too-cropped tops and short shorts, and the floor-to-ceiling accessories is the tiny Menswear Department.
Giorgio Armani got it dead right when he designed his first women’s suit. Prompted and prodded by his sister Rosanna –who constantly raided his closet when they were younger–, Mr. Armani used the same fabrics and deconstructed silhouette as he did for men to create a suit for women, ushering in the era of “Power dressing”.
It appeared that was definitely on to something. His suits were masculine yet feminine at the same time, and not so much in androgynous way. Armani knew that women look sexy in a suit, which is why he’s regarded as a genius.
And that’s also why I’m a little bit annoyed.
See, it’s no secret that womenswear dominates the fashion world. Simply enter a mega fashion retail store on any high street and you’ll understand why. Sadly, somewhere in a lonely corner, tucked away behind the rows of chiffon dresses, the way too-cropped tops and short shorts, and the floor-to-ceiling accessories is the tiny Menswear Department. It’s filled with the all the mundane menswear staples like plaid button-down shirts, generic hoodies and various cuts of denim. For men who pay attention (or want to pay attention) to what the way they dress, it’s a soul-crushing sight.
Menswear too, for some odd reason, is almost always more expensive. There are those who say it’s due to the garments’ complicated construction (more steps in the process) and the amount of fabric used in making them, which, in my opinion, is complete nonsense. Big brands figured early on that men’s shopping habits differ largely from women. Men buy less and less often. As a result, womenswear profits from volume, menswear from price.
With an infinite amount of choice available at considerably lower prices, why then would women want to appropriate men’s clothing?
To stand out, obviously.
Why wear skinny jeans when you can wear “boyfriend” jeans? Why wear a blouse when you can put on a “boyfriend” shirt (take note: a boyfriend shirt, not your boyfriend’s shirt) over shiny black leggings? Why wear heels when you can wear Jordans?
To be unique. to be original. To not look like everyone else.
Women often say that men have it easy when it comes to picking out an outfit. We can just throw on a pair of jeans and a twice-worn tee, and walk right out the door. At the office, wearing a suit is a no-brainer. Just pick a tie to match your shirt and that’s it. Simple, right?
Well, not quite.
You see that’s exactly why it’s so difficult. Like women, we — and by we, I mean men who care about how they dress — don’t want to look like everyone else. We want to stand out. We want to dress up. We want to accessorize and invest in looking (and feeling) good.
Regrettably, men are expected to conform when it comes to the way we dress. When we try to be different, we get singled out or even worse, ridiculed. We are labelled as arrogant (Check out Mr Big Shot in his fancy suit!) or queer (Why can’t you dress more like normal guys?) or a phony (It’s Saturday, what are you wearing a tie for!?!).
Women, on the other hand, have the freedom to play with their personal style (at least in certain parts of the world). They can be empowered, I-do-what-I-want, suit-wearing vixens one day and free-spirited, boho-chic, indie princesses the next. Just. Like. That.
And again, I don’t think it’s wrong. I just think it’s unfair.
Allow me to explain. The one item that really got my goat (and led me to go on this admittedly childish, envious and downright self-righteous tirade) was a pair of women’s brogues. They weren’t particularly eye-catching or of good quality and they were actually dirt cheap, which is besides the point.
The point is, they were brogues. You read it right. Brogues.
Traditionally, brogues were considered a gentleman’s outdoor or countryside footwear of choice, distinguished by handmade, decorative perforations (or “broguing”) along its edges. Nowadays, they serve as a hallmark of craftsmanship and centuries-old tradition, of masculine elegance and gentleman flair. To me, they represent what menswear truly stands for.
But then, just when the menswear movement was gaining traction, just when men all over the world were starting to care about how they look and what they wear, just when we began to respect how much time, skill and effort it takes to make anything bespoke, women took over. They took what was unique, what was elegant, what was definitive of menswear (and I’m not just talking about the brogues here), what was supposed to be ours and made it their own.
Why, you ask? Because they can.
Because, at the end of the day, women wear it better.
Illustration by Mr. Hilbrand Bos
Written by Phillip Gangan for MNSWR Magazine Read the original article on MNSWR.com: http://www.mnswr.com/fashions-double-standard-women-wear-better/
