Fashion student Nicole Lardner gives a history of Androgynous fashion and how to dress more Androgynously
Want some fashion advice? Email Nicole at askafashionstudent@gmail.com, or fill out this google form:
Ask A Fashion Student!
“I’m a non-binary person who has no idea how to dress themselves. I typically wear flannels and sweaters, but don’t have any fashion sense beyond that. Do you have any recommendations along those lines for someone wanting to dress a little more androgynous and a little more fashionable.”
First off, I’m so happy you feel comfortable enough to ask this question. Androgynous fashion can have a lot of different meanings. Androgynous and gender-neutral fashion has been around for a very long time. According to “A History of Androgyny in Fashion,”, written by Oxfords student newspaper, experimentation with gender and fashion has been happening since the 17th century. One of the earliest known pioneers in androgynous fashion was The Chevalier d’Éon, and 18th century solider and spy for the British Army. d’Eon lived as a man and a woman at different points in their life, dressing in both masculine and feminine clothes. Another early adopter of androgynous fashion was Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin, a female author who often wore jackets and trousers, combining more masculine aspects with feminine accessories, such as her long hair.
he 1900s brought a boom of androgynous fashion, with the industrial revolution allowing for further experimentation. During the 1920s, women began to wear clothing that gave them more of a “boyish” figure and wearing suits became more popularized, thanks to celebrities like Marlene Dietrich. Dieterich often wore suits and pants on and off screen and was widely recognized for her style, partially due to her gender presentation. The 1960s brought a revolution of gender nonconformity, especially in the menswear space. Musicians like David Bowie and Boy George often donned female-presenting clothing and shoes. Within the hippie movement, many men started to grow their hair out and wear more floral, flowy clothing. The grunge movement supported further experimentation with fashion in pop culture. Nirvana frontman Kurt Kobain wore dresses in many music videos and public appearances.
The 2010s and 2020s have seen a large emphasis on androgynous and uni-sex fashion. Popular fashion lines like Marc Jacobs and Gucci started gender neutral lines, and brands such as OneDNA and Telfar are making waves in the fashion world.
I think a huge way of understanding fashion is looking back to the past. When learning how to dress more androgynous, it’s inspiring to have a rich history to look back on. When it comes to buying clothes to dress more androgynous, I immediately had a hard time finding affordable, inclusive and unisex brands. Most brands I found catered towards femme-presenting people wearing more masculine clothing. There is a large gap in the unisex clothing market, which is incredibly frustrating. Your best bet is just mixing clothing from all gender sections, or pairing them in the way that works best for you.
If you want to play around with your gender presentation, different silhouettes, cuts and patterns can make an outfit lean more masculine or feminine. When looking for inspiration, think about some of the figures I mentioned within my article. High waisted and flowy, looser clothing gives more of a feminine look to your ensemble. For example, look at David Bowie. When leaning into his more feminine side, he would wear more high waisted and colorful pieces. When trying to look more masculine, you don’t have to go full Marlene Ditrich, but having a a more structured silhouette will help you look more masculine. Playing around with both these components can make your outfit look more androgynous. Accessorizing can really help you blur gender lines. Using jewelry such as rings, necklaces and even earrings can make your outfit look more feminine. Even using makeup can help you look more feminine. Mixing in more mens-wear inspired pieces, like blazers, belt buckles and even ties can cause an outfit to also look more masculine.
I hope this history of gender non-conforming fashion and tips has helped you, made you feel more comfortable and has also given you inspiration on how to dress more androgynous.
Edited by Ever Cole, ecole@themaneater.comCopy edited by Sterling Sewell and Mary Philip