Androgynous: having the characteristics or nature of both male and female. (Merriam-Webster dictionary.)
A woman wearing a tailored Savile Row suit, vest, slim tie, crisp white collared shirt, cufflinks, Oxfords, black rimmed eyeglasses and a hat. Hot or not?? If you say NOT, please STOP reading any further and return to your generic, white-bread life.
There is nothing cooler, hotter, more seductive and captivating than a woman wearing an androgynous look. Women probably are attracted to the look as it stems from the deep seated desire to usurp the century old power vested in men; it is role reversal; it is gender bending; it is rule breaking; it has shock value. On the other hand men find women sensual in the look (or should) as it is fantasy; it is kinky; it is confusing; it is intriguing.
Women dressed as men have been historically seen in performance arts and mythology. The Greeks and Hindus are examples of such.
In modern times, fashion designers and Avant-garde celebrities have utilized the look to shatter the traditional fashion norms and invade new fashion territories. From the YSL suit, to the Church’s Oxford; from the boyfriend shirt by the Olsen twins to the boyfriend blazer by Stella McCartney; from the latest collection of Dries Van Noten inspired by the “handsome woman” to the Chloe loafers.
http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/81159
From the past who can forget Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich, and the oh so lovely Isabella Rossellini who has given a whole new meaning to wearing a suit. From the modern times the poster girl and representative of androgyny is Agyness Deyn. She is the epitome of style and glamour in men’s wear while still retaining her femininity and sexuality.
My advice to the rule breakers and the fashion-forward dressers is that if you are bold enough to take the risk of dabbling with the androgynous look, dare to go ALL the way! Do it with style so that it does not look “costumey.” Don the flat Oxfords, wear the vest, tie the tie, (I am not a smoker, so will not promote a cigarette dangling from your lips.) I WILL recommend wearing make-up as we do not want to go for the grunge-man look. Keep femininity and sexiness alive. And most importantly, if you have long hair please pull it back. The cascading hair is not befitting for this look. It makes it to be a “Stripper ready to Spin on the Pole” look. We are not going for such an effect….maybe another day, another time, but not now.
So, do it with confidence and panache and I assure you, never before will you have received as much attention as you will now. So, ladies empower yourselves and reverse the roles!
