Menswear Style In Women's Fashion
From Coco Chanel to present-day.
by ALI DIMOVA ★ JULY 9, 2020
Women’s style being inspired by men’s fashion is far from new and is one of the most popular trends of this season. Nowadays, masculine looks are appearing more throughout the female wardrobes, moving further towards a gender-neutral style. Whether or not women are aware of the current trends, everyone’s wardrobe contains “male” elements. Shirts, straight pants, strict watches with a leather band, jackets, sweatshirts, derby shoes...the list goes on and on.. This season, thanks to the return of men's oversized T-shirts, blazers with accented shoulders, plaid patterns, pantsuits, and other elements, fashion now emphasizes feminine strength and courage. How did men’s style become so popular? How do you introduce menswear to your own wardrobe? How do you style men’s clothes? We answer all your questions below!
The origins of menswear style:
Ladies had already started paying attention to, and adapting masculine fashion trends centuries ago. A picture of a woman in a men’s suit was published for the first time in the 19th century. It was a French writer Georges Sand. Marlene Dietrich, an American and German actress, who was considered a sex symbol of her time, had been noticed in men’s pantsuits multiple times. Coco Chanel promoted a masculine style in her collections, believing that it gave a special appeal and charm to women. In her mind, masculine clothing suggested the idea of courage and confidence to ladies dressed in it. Before that, women’s attempts to put on men’s clothing were followed by disapproval and contempt. Unless you were a star of the cabaret or a factory worker, wearing pantsuits or pants was unacceptable in society. Wearing masculine clothes was often associated with rebellious behavior. In the 1950s in London, along with hooligans and teddy boys, the calmness of the bourgeoisie was broken by teddy girls who did not want to become brides and housekeepers. They filled the streets, dressed in men's jackets and jeans. Through the decades, thanks to celebrities and fashion icons, menswear slowly entered the female wardrobe, and some elements of it gradually became not just a part of the outfits, but the main trends of the seasons.
Credit: Tumblr
Here are some of the most popular elements of masculine style that are in trend right now:
Pantsuits:
It just so happens that menswear in women's clothing is primarily determined by the iconic pantsuit. With the accented shoulders on the blazer and arrows on the pants, it immediately adds masculinity and efficiency to any female look. Therefore, the pantsuit became the basis of business casual or business formal dress codes. This year, the women's pantsuit has become more masculine and a bit more strict than before: the fitted or loose jackets are replaced by an oversized blazer. It has become extremely trendy to wear the blazer separately from the suit with jeans, jean shorts, bike shorts, or even feminine maxi or midi silk dresses. Lately, designers have been experimenting with female pantsuits a lot by designing them in different vibrant and bright colors like pink, green, purple, and bright yellow. When wearing a pantsuit, you can also add a little extra something to your look by wrapping strappy heels around the ankle of the pants.
Credit: Instagram
Plaid:
It’s clear that where there is a trouser suit, there is a classic plaid: Scottish, English, Glen plaid of the Prince of Wales, goosefoot twill, Vichy, and pinstripe are all extremely popular this season. Checked pattern fabric is the element that immediately defines masculine style in women's clothing. Besides plaid suits, other options of outfits include a plaid shirt under a blazer, plaid trousers with a minimalistic turtleneck, plaid blazer with bike shorts and a belt, plaid casual shorts with a crop top, or just a plaid midi or maxi dress. Another really trendy outfit could be accompanied by a vintage plaid tight skirt. The plaid print can also be found on accessories, such as headbands, shoes, socks, hats, and bags.
Credit: Instagram
Oversized shirts:
This year, men's style in women's clothing is also expressed in the return of a simple white T-shirt, which can now be seen with jeans, office pants and culottes, and under a hooded jacket. The oversized white T-shirt is so popular and due to its simplicity, it can be worn with absolutely anything! It can calm a look and make it more casual or add something special to your outfit. A simple white T-shirt can be found in any store and is definitely a must-have in everyone’s wardrobe. An oversized shirt entered the trends in female style last year when it was so popular to wear it loose with the jeans shorts. In 2020, a white oversized shirt can be worn with pantsuits, jeans, jeans skirts, and bike shorts. You can also wear a white oversized T-shirt or a shirt as a mini dress with a waist belt.
Credit: Pinterest
Men’s accessories:
It’s not only the clothes that have been adopted from men’s style but also the accessories that can add masculine characteristics to any outfit. Edgy and even overly sharpened men's accessories are becoming increasingly popular this season. Massive belts, ties, cufflinks, watches with metal and leather bands, and lacquered brogues and briefcases - all come from men’s style and are frequently worn by women today. However, it is important to know the limit of adding men’s accessories to your outfit. Also, another useful skill to have nowadays is to understand how to correctly mix feminine and masculine elements of clothing to look aesthetically pleasing and trendy.
Credit: Pinterest
While wearing men’s clothes used to be seen as a rebellious statement, it’s now become a staple in every woman’s closet! Lately, the term “Unisex” is being broadly used in fashion to show that clothes don’t necessarily have to be designed with a specific gender in mind. Unisex clothing has brought more freedom into fashion by teaching society that there are no rules on what men and women should be wearing. Have you ever been in a situation when you liked an item from the men’s section in a store but were too afraid to buy it because of what others might think? Or when you wanted to borrow something from your brother’s or boyfriend’s closet but were too embarrassed? If you answered yes to either question, next time brush these thoughts aside and go ahead and buy or wear whatever you want regardless of if it’s sold in the women’s section or men’s! Wearing men’s style clothes or accessories is very trendy nowadays and will become even trendier in the future.