Fashion Feature Friday: Women in Menswear
Before my interest in fashion, I wanted to be an author. I spent a lot of my childhood writing nonsensical stories on blank sheets of paper and storing them in huge binders. While I can't remember what any of the stories were about, for whatever reason, I remember describing the characters' outfits. It started off simple: t-shirts, jeans, sneakers. As I grew older and wrote more linear plots, the descriptions became more, well, descriptive. I described colors, fits, unique details. Eventually, that evolved into my drive for a career in fashion design. However, I can't say I was ever that interested in menswear until recently.
Nowadays, writing is simply a hobby for me. I'll admit that I write fanfiction on a regular basis. While clothes are hardly the focus, they do come into play more than I originally expected. I recently wrote something set in the 1920s, where most of the female characters were dressed in boxy-silhouetted dresses and cloche hats. But one female character wore waistcoats and pants and men's boots. And I'll admit, I have a strong bias towards both her and the concept of women in menswear in the first place. My grad collection was about subverting expectations of gendered clothing for kids while still maintaining childlike fun, so I definitely believe that anyone and everyone, no matter who they are, should be able to dress however they want.
An engraving of four examples of women wearing bloomers as advocated by women's rights and temperance advocate Amelia Bloomer (1818-1894) circa 1850. (Photo by Kean Collection/Getty Images)
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN IN MENSWEAR
Seeing women wearing garments traditionally considered to be "menswear" is commonplace, especially in professional environments. However, it used to be completely frowned upon. Women were originally expected to wear dresses with layers of underskirts and corsets. Unsurprisingly, expectations of how women should dress often evolved side-by-side with women's rights. As women gained the right to vote, work, and hold office, women's fashion also began to change for the better.
Amelia Bloomer, a suffragist and social activist, was one of the earliest advocates for dress reform. She strongly believed that corsets and skirts were hazardous. They restricted movement and made it difficult for women to go about their lives. By the 1850s, she was pushing for women to wear loose-fitting pants under knee-length skirts. While she didn't invent the style of pants, they went on to become known as "bloomers" because of her efforts. They were often worn by famous feminists of the time like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
From the 1920s to the 1970s
The next significant push for women in menswear was in the 1920s. World War I led to women entering the workforce and gaining the need for appropriate clothing. Women often altered their husband's clothing to fit themselves to perform jobs previously done by men.
Famous women like Coco Chanel, Marlene Dietrich, and Katharine Hepburn also popularized menswear-inspired styles during this time. Chanel in particular introduced tailored separates appropriate for women's workwear in 1923. Other designers who contributed that were of note include Marcel Rochas and Elsa Schiaparelli.
After World War I and World War II, women's fashion went back to being feminine by the 1950s. Clothes became more about curves than comfort. Then, as women gained more rights in the workplace during the 1960s, menswear-inspired fashion began to grow in popularity again. Diane Keaton's Annie Hall and Yves Saint Laurent's Le Smoking tuxedo suit served as inspiration for women with their arrival in the 1970s.
From the 1980s to Today
The 1980s saw the power suit come into play. Its exaggerated silhouette, most known for its padded shoulders, symbolized the feeling of confidence and authority. Fitting, since more and more women were entering the workforce and even gaining roles in management. The shape also helped lessen the focus on the wearer's figure.
By the 1990s, magazines and department stores were focusing less and less on "power-dressing", even though it was still prohibited in many workplaces for women to wear pants. In 1993, Senator Barbara Mikulski (along with other female staffers) became the first woman to walk on the Senate floor in pants. It was both a statement and a protest against the Senate's strict dress code that was amended later that year. Since then, menswear for women has become an everyday occurrence that people no longer call into question.
Yves Saint Laurent with actress Catherine Deneuve in 1981. (Photo by Bruno Bachelet/Paris Match via Getty Images)
REAL LIFE AND POP CULTURE ICONS
While women in menswear is no longer as revolutionary as it once was, there are many women, both real and fictional, who set the example for others to follow. There are also designers who have created whole brands and/or collections revolving around the concept.
Some of the most famous women known for wearing suits include the aforementioned Diane Keaton, Marlene Dietrich, and Katharine Hepburn. Others like Patti Smith, Jodie Foster, Grace Jones, and Annie Lennox, along with modern examples like Janelle Monáe, Cate Blanchett, and Hillary Clinton have often worn signature menswear looks throughout their careers.
There are also fictional female characters whose signature outfits have consisted of menswear-inspired looks. The most well-known is Annie Hall, played by Diane Keaton in the eponymous movie, and her button-down vest and tie. Other examples include the Heathers in 1989's Heathers and their huge shoulder pads, Mia Wallace's white shirt and black pants in 1994's Pulp Fiction, or the many examples of power-dressing seen on shows like Scandal, The Good Wife, and Suits.
Lastly, there are many designers known to incorporate masculine silhouettes into their womenswear. The most famous examples are Coco Chanel's signature suit, Yves Saint Laurent's Le Smoking tuxedo, and Elsa Schiaparelli's brown pantsuit. Many designers incorporate menswear looks into their womenswear collections, depending on seasonal trends. Brands like Alexander Wang and Tom Ford are known to do so almost every time. And of course, women no longer feel restricted to these options originally meant for them. Often times, they simply just head to the men's section to find what they're looking for.
REFERENCES
The 52 Most Stylish Fictional Characters of All Time | Harper's Bazaar
Elsa Schiaparelli's Pantsuit (Winter 1939-1940) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Famous Women Have Been Defying Gender Norms and Rocking Menswear for Years | Vanity Fair
From Bloomers to Pantsuits: A Brief History of Women’s Dress Reform | The Saturday Evening Post
