Advertisement and Gender

This is a cover shoot for Vogue Magazine. Shown here presumably is a man and a woman both wearing a similar suit. This cover shoot for Vogue is showcasing both men and women can wear the same types of garments. Susan Kaiser explains, “gender is actually not who we are; it is what we do or perform as we participate in an embodied way with cultural discourses” (123). The gender performance being shown here is both a man and a woman being seen wearing clothing that is culturally excepted as menswear. The suit historically has been known to be worn strictly by men, and the appropriated by women. I find that showing the “masculine” garments on both men and women is Vogue’s attempt to showcase a more accepting attitude towards gender fluidity. I still find this add to be very gendered. Yes the woman is wearing similar, if not the same garments as the man, but she is positioned behind him making it harder for you to see that she is wearing the same clothing. This add still is highlighting the fact that culturally suits are for men. I would find that this add would say more to gender neutrality and fluidity if the woman was posed as an equal to the man in the same garment. The gender performance being showcased in this Vogue cover is suits are for men, but women can wear them too.

 

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