Gender Constructs and Fashion

Gender constructs in fashion have dated back centuries ago. Even from simple constructs that men wear pants and women wear dresses, we still see issues of this in today's society. Pushes had appeared in history all the way back to the Ancient Romans. The Romans wore draped togas. Men began wearing skirts, where in Europe these skirts were complex pieces of fashion and royalty. In modern pop culture figures like Harry Styles, David Bowie, and Jurt Cobain have all been put over the news and social media for their feminim fashion choices. These stars sporting these “new” looks allowed for people to start to accept masculinity, fashion, and gender expression. Harry Styles, one of the biggest pioneers in fashion and masculinity, starred on the cover of Vogue in a Gucci gown. Though many people made a fuss over this, it was the first time in history seeing a magazine of this large base express gender fluid fashion.

Harry Styles’ stylist Harry Lambert, has been one of the greatest presences in allowing Harry to achieve his goals. Some of his most iconic looks from his music videos and cover shoots present a Gucci blouse to a hot pink suit. The inspiration behind Style’s outfits comes from artists before his time. Though it is important to remember that just because Harry Styles, an influential cis-men, can dress feminim does not mean he is breaking strides for the first time. The queer community, specifically the drag queen, have been challenged gendered fashion for years and years before. Their efforts for years of respect and breaking these barriers allows Harry to find a path in his own way being a cis-male.

The V&A is launching an exhibition called Fashioning Masculinity: The Art of Menswear. This exhibit is going to be a collection of 100’s of pieces that have been an inspiration and had an influential presence on masculinity. The goal is to represent history and the evolution of gender through dress. Rosalind McKever, co-creative for the exhibit explains some of his goals.

"We really want to show people the long history of changing ideas of masculinity, (What should menswear look like) feels like such a contemporary question, but this is a much longer story than maybe some people realize."

Wilcox, another one of the co-creatives, explains his thoughts.

“With the richness of menswear, we were thinking more about a juxtaposition of historical and contemporary examples rather than in chronological order. For example: in one section, we’ve got an 18th-century silk velvet frock coat, a floral suit by Alessandro Michele at Gucci, an embroidered Fendi couture gown that was worn by a man on the runway, and an 18th-century embroidered court suit, all in the most beautiful shades of pale green.”

The importance of the exhibit is a reflection of the society we live in with regards to masculinity and fashion. Our culture and society is now finally moving beyond the traditional idea of what it means to be “masculine”, regardless of what we wear or how we look. Both male and female bodies have been sexual markers of mainstream beauty competitions between all of us. From Harry Styles to the Romans, masculinity and fashion have always crossed paths. But today, it is vital as a society we see beyond these gender norms and start accepting everyone for who they are.

Place at the door to the exhibit is a quote from Alessandro Michele, “ In a patriarchal society, masculine gender-identity is often molded by violently toxic stereotypes…It’s time to celebrate a man who is free to practice self-determination, without social constraints, without authoritarian sanctions, without suffocating stereotypes.”