By Ava Finegold
Throughout the ages, the defined lines between women and men’s fashion have blended to create its own section of style, non-binary fashion. Today, this style has taken its time to bloom into a significant part of fashion today.
1910s
In the 1910s, women were just starting to leave their old Victorian ways of life behind and choosing to dress how they like. Although known for her perfume and high-end jewelry, Coco Chanel was one of the first major pioneers to get the androgynous or non-binary fashion movement on its feet. Chanel was inspired by traditional men wear in the 1910s, jackets, sweaters, and collars. She claimed that by making more masculine clothing items, women could get their bodies back, as they were “drenched in sweat due to fashion’s finery, lace, corsets, underclothes, padding.”
1930s
Later on in the 1930s, women on screen were known for their blonde hair and long, sleek dresses. This style was inspired by the ideals that women should be slender and tall. Although directly in the public eye, Katharine Hepburn wore exactly what she pleased. Off-screen she wore clothes that allowed her to move freely and had a sporty look to them. She was difficult to cast, as her ruffer and more masculine personality did not pair well with other men on screen. Around that same time, women could be arrested for wearing pants in public. Yet, Hepburn challenged society’s standards for women and ignored the norms of that time. Marlene Dietrich, another influential actress of that time, chose to wear men’s suits on screen, which was very taboo at the time. Many thought Dietrich’s style choices were just a publicity stunt to draw attention from the press. With the increase in women’s jobs around World War 1, women changed their attire to match their new “men” jobs.
1960s
Then in the 1960s, Yves Saint Laurent came out with “Le Smoking Suit,” an iconic tuxedo made just for women. Wearing the suit provided women with power and gave them the freedom to break free from the traditional “rules” of women's clothes. YSL’s “Le Smoking Suit” is often seen on famous runways, as it’s timeless and is still worn by many today.
2000s
Today, Due to social media as well as celebrity exposure, many non-binary brands are gaining popularity, which is helping break down society’s standards of masculine and feminine style. Using inspiration from the very first pioneers of non-binary clothing, many of these brands take basics and turn it into something anyone can wear.
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