EXPLORING GENDER FLUIDITY AND FASHION IN THE GEN-Z ERA
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Gender is often used to categorize fashion, but in a world where the line of gender is blurring by the day, what does that mean for consumers? Living in New York and attending the Fashion Institute, I see tons of eclectic fashion as a means to express oneself.
The trends buzzing in Gen-Z are overwhelmingly genderless. Guys are wearing skirts over pants, gals are wearing sports jerseys and vice versa. The movement towards gender fluid fashion is about creating an inclusive society as much as it is about breaking down barriers through stylistic choices. Removing the bounds of gender has created space for more creativity in exploring new silhouettes and fabrics leading to robust fashion choices.
The values of Gen-Z towards sustainability, social justice, and equality have heavily influenced our generation's buying habits. Second-hand fashion, like thrift stores, consignment shops, and online platforms like Depop and Poshmark, in my eyes, have played a big role in genderless fashion. Retailers like Zara and H&M, who historically have reigned king over the late teen to early 30s demographic, organize their stores by the binary while thrift stores are a lot more forgiving.
The internet brought fashion from the world's stage to the palm of your hand. Fashion has progressed rapidly as the decision on what to wear isn’t made by retailers anymore. Individuals have access to previously exclusive archives through Instagram. Legendary runway shows are plastered on YouTube. Not to mention, editorials are stacked on Pinterest. The access to fashion has created niche fashion scenes as a way to find community. Those who appreciate the designer’s contribution to the fashion landscape nod to one another no matter their gender.
What does a truly androgynous world look like though? Does this imply a drab and colorless world that's depicted in sci-fi? What about sizing? What about shape? All valid questions worth discussing, but variety is what makes the world go round. We assign attributes to the objects we interact with that coincide with our societal values. High heels, handbags, and the color pink were all associated with masculinity worn by warriors and aristocrats. Fast forward to today, we have made a full 180 on the way we perceive these items. The Barbie movie was marketed to women as a pink girl power movie. Heels are required for women to get into clubs. And Jacob Elordi is the only straight man still wearing handbags.
As Gen-Z, I am hopeful our generation will continue to push the envelope to change our societal norms. Our openness allows for creativity to lead the way. The world will most likely never be completely androgynous or uniform, but that’s what makes it beautiful. The balance between masculinity and femininity. The black cat and the golden retriever. Yin and Yang. You cannot have one without the other, but you don’t have to be either or you have both within. Clothing doesn’t have gender; we assign one to it.
