Sexy Butch
Girls Will Be Boys
Fashion is like a revolving door, trends, and fads that go out of style but always seem to come back. For instance, fashion designer Coco Chanel started creating menswear for women in the 20s. Chanel dismissed the traditional underskirts and tight corsets and paved the way for masculine-inspired clothing. Trendsetter that she was, she designed elegant suits, broad shoulder blazers, and trousers, that we still see today on runways all around the world.
In the ‘30s, actresses like Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn jumped on the bandwagon and started wearing suit jackets, bow ties, and boot cut dress pants on the big screen. During WWII, while husbands were away at war, women were hired to do mens’ jobs in factories where traditional female attire wouldn’t be suitable or functional, and started donning menswear. They looked damn good in it.
And this is how is it today too. Lines are blurring, boundaries are disappearing in all forms of entertainment and fashion. We used to call this sense of style “cross-dressing,” when men and women “borrow” each other’s clothing. Throughout history, cross-dressing has been used for drag, comfort, self-discovery and always seems to be in cutting edge style. There is a change in what is now the new norm in sexuality. Anything goes. Labels are disappearing as people identify sexually in many, many ways. Anyway for as many reasons as there are sexual preferences—the trend is back and taking the fashion industry by storm. The hottest brands and designers are offering either gender-neutral collections or dressing their female models in power suits, pussy bow blouses, and oversized attire. Fashion houses like Gucci and Burberry are also sending their male models out on the runway in sheer tops, knee-length shift skirts, and high-heels. Those who stick by traditional gender roles in their designer are now being labeled as simply out of style.
This powerful movement in the fashion industry is a cultural shift that PROVOKR supports and encourages. Here are some of our favorite female gender-benders, shot by some of our favorite photographers. Butch is sexy and chic!
