Remember the days when nearly everything was gender coated? Boys wear blue, eat jawbreakers and play with G I Joes, Girls wear pink, eat lollipops and play with Barbie. Well as times change so do the norms, not even including the many identifications for genders and pronouns. Some people simply don’t care if the brand is focused on one specific group of people, and I personally say that’s a great thing.
The term gender was first used in 1955 to describe social and cultural aspects of whether a person was male or female, regardless of their biological sex. Next, the term unisex was coined in the 1960s in reference to garments that were intended to be worn by either sex.
We often think of clothing as a way to express our gender identity, but what about defying the gender norms when it comes to what you wear? This ideal has become more and more accepted by newer generations who are working to break down the berries of gender norms in fashion. So, gender-neutral apparel is now becoming more popular among the new generation, but what does gender-neutral apparel look like? Well, “Genderless” clothing is being designed without a specific color or texture in mind, it is simply designed to be able to fit a variety of body types and the fashion is fluid, not inherently masculine nor feminine.
One of the many reasons gender-fluid apparel is trending, is the comfortability factor. Women’s clothes have a history of being uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, and this is part of the reason many women look for more comfortably fitting clothes, oftentimes in the men’s section. Additionally, not only is athleisure wear becoming more and more gender-less, but it’s the every-day clothing choice that attracts people, especially after more than a year being stuck at home wearing sweats or pajamas due to the covid-19 lockdowns.