What is your masculine and feminine energy in style? Gender-specific trends have been overlapping in fashion for years! Coco Chanel played an indirect role in the feminist movement by stepping out in trousers and designing straighter silhouettes.
In the pivotal 1920s, hemlines began to rise and flappers rejected corsets. The bobbed hairstyle emerged, women chain-smoked, wore heavy makeup, and drove cars. Flappers began to reject traditional female constructs and dismissed society’s emphasis on reserved temperaments.
Wow, doesn’t she look handsome.
During World War II, the utilitarian style emerged as more women entered the workforce. This is when we start to see pencil skirts on women and later, the design of the power suit by Anne Klein.
Over history, designers have paved the way for women incorporating aspects of femininity in male fashion and vice versa. Examples of this are floral prints, pink fabrics, and jewelry accessories now celebrated in men’s fashion.
Currently, some designers are creating more androgynous or gender-neutral styles given society’s focus on gender identity.
Masculine and Feminine Energy In Your Personal Style
Personally, I enjoy a handsome blazer but only if it accentuates the waist (like the one featured here from Arivella). Femininity is important to me in my personal fashion choices. When I worked in the corporate environment, I sometimes felt as if I should cut my long hair short. Subconsciously, I feared that I’d appear too young or girly to be taken seriously. Has anyone else been there!? In reality, femininity is power.
Think about your style choices, are you choosing masculine or feminine energy? Both?
I tend to gravitate towards power dresses over power suits. I was the kid on the playground wearing the “girls rule boys drool” t-shirt… ha! But, I no longer think boys drool and I admire looks that involve both feminine and masculine constructs, like the one below.
Shop The Look
In this look, I’m wearing a cream turtleneck and shoulder pad top from ASTR The Label. Lulus has a similar cream turtleneck without shoulder pads.
The blazer is from a local Charlotte boutique called Arivella. A similar but cheaper black blazer look can be found at Asos.
Under the blazer are high-waisted, cream linen shorts from Abercrombie & Fitch. You can also find a nice pleated pair at Asos.
Masculine and Feminine Energy in Interior Design
Interestingly, the combination of masculine and feminine energy can be seen in interior design trends. How do you combine both masculine and feminine styles in one room? Interior designers often speak of the 80/20 rule. Meaning, if 80% of your design is unified you can get away with deviating from the other 20%. My best advice is, to start with the furnishings you absolutely cannot part with to begin your design.
I believe the 80/20 interior design rule can be applied to fashion as well. If 80% of your attire is masculine leaning, throw on some elegant black pumps and delicate accessories to make up your 20%.
To see more masculine and feminine looks, visit my post on Fall Fashion Accessories.
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~Alexandria