Why Gender Neutral Clothes May Become a Permanent Part of our Life: The Advantages of Gender Neutral Clothing

Fashion has always been a platform where people can express themselves and be unique. It was further extended when gender neutral clothing came into play. Clothes that were created for both sexes without gender prohibitions included were used by many designers and brands. A space where anybody can be anyone and define who there are without having to face gender borderlines. This dissertation consists of a detailed analysis of whether gender neutral clothes are here to stay, covering the points: Putting no gender to clothes, whether gender neutral clothing is increasing and whether they’ll last long.

Put no gender to clothes

Gender neutralized clothes are clothes that are designed by not putting a gender to it. It is for the people who believe that clothes should be genderless and who wants to express themselves to the maximum without being trapped by a gender. Since the past clothes have been differentiated according to a person’s gender by considering facts such as silhouette, design, color and many more. But in the present people’s minds have evolved and many, even designers say otherwise.

The head of PR at the phluid project, a brand built on the concept of genderless dressing, Christina Zervanos once said “To be able to play and experiment through fashion and beauty in a judgment-free space is the best way to learn who you are and come into your own”

A stereotype is an assumption that’s fixated to something or someone. Many stereotypes were made according to genders. For an example how people say girls like pink and boys like blue and how floral prints should be in women’s clothes and not in men’s. But as the world developed designers started thinking beyond these stereo types. Skirts aren’t just for women anymore and pants aren’t just for men. Fashion is evolving into a place where there are clothes that speak to everyone.

A fashion designer who creates clothing for all genders names Claire Fleury has said “I would like to see anybody wearing my clothes, and I do mean anybody”, which further clarifies the above statement.

When designers are supposed to design to one specific gender there’s many things that we have to take into consideration such as the colors, the shaping etc. When creating gender neutral clothing there’s many ways that clothes can be designed that suits both the genders. Creativity should not be limited by putting a gender to it. Fashion should be a pathway which allows anyone to express themselves without feeling trapped.

Is Gender Neutral Clothing lessening or cumulating?

Through the past few years, the younger generations have been breaking the gender norms. Women have always felt comfortable in wearing oversized and manly silhouetted clothes which has even become the trend lately. Masculinity has been frequently added to women’s wear longer than men’s wear being feminine. Since decades men have been furiously judged if they were to ever wear anything feminine making men feel insecure and scared of expressing themselves through fashion. Since recent men are starting to accomplish in dressing according to their free will proving that gender no longer defines a person.

In 2016 Louis Vuitton announced that Jaden Smith is their new face for Women’s wear sending a shockwave. An image was put out where Jaden Smith was wearing a fringed top and a black leather jacket and a pleated skirt. That image itself highlights the fact that what he’s wearing does not affect who he is. Also he is known to wear many gender neutral clothes. Jaden smith being 20 explains that these gender neutral clothes are much more popular with the upcoming generation.

It was even said by the PR of the phluid project, a bran built on the concept of genderless dressing, Christina Zervanos “Statistics show 38 percent of Gen Z-ers ‘strongly agreed’ that gender no longer defines a person as much as it used to, and 27 percent of millennials felt the same way,”

It has come to a time where many designers are including gender neutrality into their brand. A unisex/ non binary option was recently added to the New York fashion week and it was stated that the Paris 2019 fashion week consisted of many gender bending pieces. Gender Neutral clothing are slowly cumulating that it has made up its way to runaways.

Louis Vuitton’s spring summer 2019 collection was a collection done with trans and androgynous models, making people believe that it was women and men. Firstly it was hard to figure out the genders separated but then it has been clear that it was all girls looking tough and strong but yet pretty.

Will Gender Neutral Clothes last?

Recently H&M released their new gender neutral line which included not only clothes but genderless shoes, accessories etc. For both adults and kids. H&M is one of the many big brands that hopped on to this gender neutral trend. Zara released their first unisex collection in 2016 renaming boyfriend jeans just as ‘jeans’. They announced that these clothes are not based under any gender or stereotypes and solely made to be enjoyed by anybody. ASOS a British online fashion retailer teamed up with GLAAD to put a gender neutral collection. To match their message they casted models that are in the gender identity and sexuality range. The 13 reasons why star Tommy Dorfman who modeled for this capsule collection stated “I think fashion should always be open, flexible, gender-nonconforming, it’s important for people who identify as fluid and nonbinary to also have a place to shop that doesn’t force them to pick a gender that doesn’t feel right ”

Every person should be able to go to a shop without having to shop just on the women’s side or just on the men’s side. There are brands that do just gender neutral clothing so that anyone is able to buy anything without being concerned about their gender here are some such brands.

• Nicopanda
• Agender
• Telfar
• Ekhaus Latta

With all these positive thoughts and positive environment these gender neutral clothes are bringing, some might stop and think is this new trend breaking the years old traditions? Has it gone too far? Gender Neutral clothing has entered into the baby’s world too now, many stores and brands contain of gender neutral baby clothes. A parent shows the support to gender neutrality by dressing their kids in the opposite gender’s clothes but is it necessary to do so? The kid is still young and does not have the knowledge to choose what they want to wear should they be left alone at that age? Many parents claim they dress their kids in gender neutral clothes is to let their child grow in an environment where they don’t have to be trapped to a gender. Is that proper to do or should kids be dressed accordingly until they grow up and figure it out on their own?

On the positive side some parents decide on raising their children in an gender neutral environment in order to teach their children that if they are girls they don’t have to always stick to dolls and pink and everything girly or wear only dresses and skirts and for them to feel strong and to teach that girls are not known for being sensitive and fragile and or boys to show that it’s okay to play with dolls, that it’s okay to wear the color pink and that it’s okay to be vulnerable and show their true emotions.

In my opinion I agree with raising children in an gender neutral environment and teaching both girls and boys to be strong and express their true emotions. Taken these factors into consideration designers have brought forward gender neutral clothing for kids as well. Which expands the gender neutral clothing more because it covers the kids clothing area as well.

Gender Neutral clothes are slowly evolving day by day. Many are starting to have an open mind including parents which leads them into raising their kids under a gender neutral environment till they grow up and figure out who they really are and what they really want and it’s starting to have a positive impact on the society. Many people are starting to express themselves freely. Most brands are starting to include gender neutrality to their designs.

By the above given facts it’s possible to draw a conclusion that Gender neutral clothing is here to stay for a long while. Many people are starting to express themselves freely crossing the boundaries and gender norms. Specially many from the LGBT community are starting to come out and address their sexuality comfortably which they do through fashion as well bringing forward the gender neutral trend.

Many brands are starting to adapt to this trend and also starting to include these gender neutral clothes into their collections. Gender neutral fashion being adapted by big fashion labels and being included to Fashion weeks is a major up lift for the gender neutral trend. Gender Neutral clothes will continue to strive becoming a space where anyone can express themselves without being trapped to a gender.