Portrait of the Journalist Sylvia Von Harden by Otto Dix, 1926
The Keaton Blouse by Shades of Grey on wildfang.com, 2014
The White Button-Up on hautebutch.com, 2012
Blurring The Lines in Women's and Men's Apparel
"The New Woman," a concept of the feminine that rose to popularity in the 1920's, had many defining characteristics: short hair. Visible knees. Adapted menswear. A fierce tenacity to do things that had formerly been considered taboo for a woman of character--go out alone, play sports, have a beer, have a career.
The line between the feminine and masculine had begun to blur, and it was met with criticism. Images like Otto Dix's Portrait of the Journalist Sylvia von Harden capture the new style that took the Western world by storm. Her apparel is decidedly less feminine than the bussels and corsets of the middle class woman thirty years prior. Both the pattern, red and black geometric; and the shape, straight and square, bring to mind the casual wear of an every day man. As many criticized this look as loved it: an unfeminine female was a new concept, one which took some adaptation in attitude.
Even today, the two genders representation continues to mesh together. The fashion world and society have come a long way--women wear blue jeans, men wear long hair, women wear suits, men carry shoulder bags. Many styles are tailored to fit both the male and female body.
However, there is still some differentiation and prejudice in fashion: a woman with short hair and flannel is assumed a different sexual orientation. A man needs a lot of courage to wear anything other than trousers. The world has some progression to do, and certain companies are trying to spearhead the movement.
Wild Fang clothing caters to the "tom boy," and specializes in fitting masculine trends into a female's wardrobe. Their mission statement proclaims them a "wardrobe-raiding Robin Hood" of menswear. One can look at their pieces, such as the Keaton Blouse, and see the obvious masculine connections--appears to lie flat, double breasted pocket, and a proper collar. However, the feminine is there, too. Three-quarter sleeves and a sheer fabric create a bridge between the two fashion worlds.
Haute Butch does something a little different. Rather than bridging the gap between menswear and women's fashion, the company seeks to directly adapt menswear to the female figure. Pieces like White Button-Up, rather than taking elements of current and classic trends in masculine and feminine fashion, Haute Butch simply takes a piece of menswear--the button up shirt--and makes slight alterations in fit so that it hugs the female form properly. This is new and intuitive in the fashion world. Many women who identified as masculine or prefer masculine fashion trends had to previously alter their own clothes, or deal with ill-fitting apparel.
Although both of these companies are high end and specialized, they are starting a trend which can continue to trickle down into accessible fashion for the masses. The line between feminine and masculine fashion will continue to blur, creating not just a new woman, but perhaps a new man. Sylvia von Harden would be proud.
