Androgyny
‘Androgyny is the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics into an ambiguous form. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual identity.’
What are some clothing items, accessories, or colors that are heavily associated with either a masculine or feminine look?
(Below) Table showing, in my opinion, which clothing which I associate with either gender (keeping in mind that I have grown up in Western culture therefore that has influenced my preconceptions of gender/clothing whereas in other cultures this list might look very different.
| Female | Male | Gender Neutral | |
| Undergarments | Bra, thong, lingerie, | boxers/briefs | |
| outerwear | shawl | Aviator jacket, | Hoodie, sweater, coats, jackets |
| tops | Blouse, cami, crop top, | Dress shirt, polo shirt, | T-shirt, Tanktop |
| Bottoms | Skirts, leggings, | Dress trousers | Shorts, Jeans, kilt |
| Headwear | Headband, | Top hat | Baseball cap |
| Footwear | High heels, pumps, knee-high boots, Chelsea boots, | Loafers, | Boots, sneakers, trainers, sandals, flip flops |
| accessories | Earrings, | Tie, cufflinks, | Necklace, wedding bands, watch, sunglasses, scarves, hats, gloves, |
| Other | Romper
Dress |
Dress suit |
In your opinion, who decides who wears what—and why? Consider fashion from a cultural as well as a social perspective:
My opinion on this topic I feel is somewhat bias, seeing as I grew up in a household where I was encouraged to express myself and do what I wanted to be who I wanted to be; it turns out I wanted to dress in a more feminine way- but if I had told my Dad I wanted to wear suits and polo shirts I’m confident he would be just as happy to accept me.
My best friend is a drag queen and watching him and how he approaches clothing and society is so inspiring. I’ve seen the hate he has gotten for challenging gender norms associated with dress sense and clothing/styling such as wearing makeup as a 17-year old boy. But it is also refreshing to see these toxic comments have become less frequent and his confidence has overpowered them. I feel as though growing up with him meant that my opinion on dress and stereotypes is very different than it would be if I was brought up in, for example, a more conservative and politically rigid area.
I think fashion has evolved alongside the times. Clothing ha has gone from being something that covers us and serves as pure protection from the elements and provides us with comfort and practical use- to something which represents status and wealth, a visual representation of your position amongst the hierarchy of social class. To now, where of course fashion (certain fashion styling) implies a sense of class and status but overall is more a form of personal expression and opinion. In my opinion, current fashion trends revolve around aesthetic appeal and reflect the world of today and the issues within it (gender inclusivity, sustainability, body positivity, etc..)
I am lucky to have grown up in a world where gender and fashion have started to blur together and I am excited to see where the industry goes and how it evolves with the ever-changing world.
Research the use of pink and blue for girls’ and boys’ clothing, respectively, over the centuries.
Pre-1920s
- Up until the 1920s, childhood was very neutral. For centuries gender-neutral clothing was completely in favor. Children wore dresses (both boys and girls) which were usually white. This was mostly due to practicality as it was easier to bleach dirtied clothes when they were all white. It wasn’t until children turned 6/7 years old that they started to adopt a more formal style of dressing.
- Children were considered mini-adults for the bulk of history, boys would wear pink because it was a “younger” version of red, the color of men’s uniforms in various European countries.
The 1920s
- The wider expansion and availability of colored fabrics meant more options for children’s clothes. A lot of stores argued more for pastel colors that matched the baby’s features (eg blue for blondes and pink for infants with brown eyes).
- A June 1918 article from the trade publication Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department said, “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.”
The 1940s
- By the 1940s and the end of World War II, the gender divide (along with gender-specific clothing styles and colors) was firmly entrenched in society.
- Men felt the need to ‘prove their masculinity after the war and further impose a divide between the sexes. Women were pushed back into a passive role in society which was enforced in the media through a range of campaigns and marketing appeals, one of which involved women and girls products appearing more passive and ornamental (Eg pretty pink dresses and dolls).
The 1970s
- There was a turn in the ’60s and ’70s as the second wave of feminism hit. In an effort to reject the rigid gender roles forced upon, young women opposed traditional notions of what it meant to be feminine. This included the pink/blue division, and baby clothes (as well as adult clothes) took a turn back to more neutral territory. Gender-neutral colors gained in popularity and almost seventy percent of toys showed no markings of gender whatsoever.
The 1980s
- The children who wore unisex clothes in the 1970s began having their own children in the late 1980s. Their adoption of strongly gender-coded children’s clothing reflected a reaction against their own upbringing.
- Prenatal testing also became popular in the ’80s, meaning that parents could find out the sex of their baby before it was born (for the first time in history). This also meant that they could shop ‘appropriately’ ahead of time, decorating out their nursery in pink for a girl, or blue for a boy.
- Baby Boomers were the first generation to truly be raised on the blue for boys/pink for girls’ rule.
The 2000s
- Society seems to have become self-reflective and begun to recognize the toxic nature of dividing genders into color groups and stereotypes, as we move into the 2010s and 20s gender and clothing/color has again begun to become more neutralized and expressive.
- Despite this move in the right direction, the generations which were raised on this blue/pink gender divide continue to still uphold this belief and the stereotypes associated with this which is the biggest issue to address, replacing these views with the new and moving towards a more neutral and inclusive atmosphere among society.
Bibliography:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-did-girls-start-wearing-pink-1370097/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/65058/when-did-pink-become-girl-color
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/05/01/pink-blue/
https://www.vox.com/2015/4/14/8405889/pink-color-gender
