As a child I refused to wear pants. If it wasn’t a dress or a skirt than no thank you and no way.
Growing up in a family of four brothers perhaps my penchant for skirts and dresses was my way of demonstrating my identity as a little girl. Now as a woman, I am surprised how that little princess developed a deep love for androgynous dressing. For as much as I love traditional feminine style aesthetics, my goodness can we agree there is something empowering about adopting a more traditional masculine style.
After becoming increasingly obsessed with Bridgerton this past summer, admittedly if I could throw on a ball gown and run through lush fields of lavender tomorrow I would. Equally so, give me a well fitted pant suit any day accompanied by the business woman special Romy and Michelle style. Attending the Daniel Avakian Odyssey collection at the Afterpay Australian Fashion Week left me questioning why we as women love shifting between the masculine and feminine. I think women personally love embracing both feminine and masculine aesthetics because beauty and sexiness is not as one dimensional as society would lead us to believe. Womanhood and femininity is multi dimensional.
Catering to both men and women, each look that hit the runway was the epitome of androgyny and almost had a futuristic vibe to it. The acclaimed Australian designer is renowned for his impeccable tailoring and contemporary approach to his work. Thus, with discourse surrounding gender increasingly strong, I feel Avakian’s creations reflect the conversations surrounding gender neutrality. On a personal note I was happy I elected to wear a suit that day because who doesn’t love to team with a theme?
Funnily enough my decision to change into a suit was literally last minute, for surprise surprise I had a skirt combo lined up for the occasion. You see I was feeling a little insecure as fashion week can be a daunting experience for a newbie. In these moments when I need a little fashion armor, I always pull more androgynous/ masculine looks so as to facilitate that sense of personal power.
In true sustainable form my look was entirely vintage having pulled some of my favourite pieces from The UnCommons Vintage for the occasion. Starting with a Miu Miu oversized denim shirt partially tucked into Friend of Audrey wide legged pants, I quite happily covered my body shape. Don’t get me wrong, I love my body, but I find it empowering to cover it up just as equally showing it off. I completed the look with a vintage Stella McCartney blazer and the addition of feminine accessories to add duality. My favourite addition was the white cactus leather handbag by A_C Official, a brand which speciliases in the production of vegan handbags. Founded in the ancient Indian principle known as Ahimsa, they are determined to do no harm. I have to thank Rntr. for helping bring this look together.
On that note, let’s have a quick discussion about the wonderful work Rntr is doing in the fashion sphere which benefits both the environment and the consumer. With a focus on accessibility rather than ownership, Rntr is bridging the gap between brands and customers wanting to adopt sustainability but not sure how. Through renting, this incredible brand aims to create a strong sharing economy which further allows for greater experimentation with personal style in addition to a circular lifespan for garments.
As the saying goes, sharing is caring.
