Do any of you dress etc 'gender free' or have tried to in the past?

[SoulofanAggron]

I'm going a bit more 'gender free' in my look. Did try it once years ago for a couple of years. Have any of you tried it/done it?

I know a lot of women have quite a 'gender free' look anyway.

I might wear dresses or trousers, but always flat shoes so I can waddle run around after the children.
I presume that trainers are feminine seeing as almost every Mum I know wears them.

Sorry, I don’t really understand either

I mean, I do, but I don’t consider labelling it ‘gender free’. I see it more as just wearing what you want.

I also don’t like the implication that other women are dressing in a gendered way at all times. Has a very #NotLikeTheOtherGirls feel to it.

Why does it have to be such a statement? I don’t understand the angst around this ‘genderfree’ malarkey, just wear what you want!

@acatcalledjohn

When you start tailoring your outfits to the gender spectrum you are perpetuating gender stereotypes, which is inherently not genderfree.

Yep

I just put clothes on. My concerns are is it washable, does it fit, is it practical & not likely to accidentally expose more flesh than intended (long since given up on shirts)

If it's work I add, is it smart and does it suit my body shape? that usually means a plain dress as I now look scruffy in a trouser suit, when I was younger & slim it was invariably a trouser suit.

Maybe once a year for a posh party I'll dress accordingly to gender stereotypes. But if a tux suited my body type I'd consider wearing that.

And I think I'm pretty normal especially for middle aged women who are less bothered by what men think.

I suppose I do, but not on purpose. I just like comfortable clothing and I'm not 'girly' by nature. I can't wear makeup due to allergies, so I look very plain.

I'm afraid I find that suggestion slightly nuts, OP. I dress as me - comfortable, warm (or cool in summer), reasonably presentable so as not to scare the horses in social situations. Don't give a flying fuck about gender norms, never have, wear trousers most of the time because they're unisex and comfortable, buy things from the men's section if I like the colour, buy things from the women's section if I like the colour. The idea of dressing in order to signal one's political outlook is... well, a very weird one, IMO.

@CaraDuneRedux What you're saying is you pretty much already do it a lot of the time- I don't. I dress very feminine etc and it's not just a matter of dressing to suit one's political outlook even, some of the beauty practices (not that I do a vast amount of them) take time and money, or the shoes aren't the best for walking (flats but flimsy) I even fell over my skirt yesterday etc.

The idea is to give up the beauty practices so other women feel they can do the same.

And to stop portraying myself in an overly gendered way.

My mum is quite masculine so I always wanted to be quite feminine to an extent I feel uncomfortable if what I'm wearing doesn't go in at the waist.

There are a lot of issues surrounding it. Some people maybe don't have as much of a problem with it but it doesn't mean it's not real for those that do.

How did your clothes differ during that period from what you'd normally wear?

@IwishNothingButTheBestForYou2 Completely different. I did take it too far to be fair lol and wore the Asda school uniform range or something, a red polo shirt and black trousers.

I never wear trousers. This was the outfit I wore yesterday (photo isn't me- off amazon) and my shoes are like these ones.

Maybe move to S and B?

@EvenSupposing It is about my feminism, this is why I am doing it. And the wider implications it has both for myself and women in general. Not everyone is as liberated in this respect as most of you say you are.

I honestly don’t have time or inclination for more than that. I do wonder who’s got enough navel gazing time to deliberately dress to a gender criteria (and who decides what those are anyway?) Maybe it’s having a teen of my own and heading towards 40 myself that makes me

@BebeStevens I'm 43. Gender is what we're socialised into. It doesn't take me any more time to buy and put on a skirt as it does for you to buy trousers or whatever.

Everyone has their vices, I don't do some things some other women might bother with such as my eyebrows are in my natural state and I don't shave my legs (I shave my chin though.)

OP, why don't you just pick clothes you like?

Im not sure I'd be comfortable with my kids judging me as masculine.

I'll have to think about that one!

Wear what you want, I am currently wearing black jogging bottoms and a black jumper, I still look feminine, because I’m female. I don’t need to wear a skirt to look feminine and wearing trousers, jogging bottoms or jeans does not make me gender free.

I can’t even comprehend that thought process.

The idea is to give up the beauty practices so other women feel they can do the same

This would only make sense if you were doing something ground breaking. Most women already dress in trousers, jeans, jogging bottoms etc.

OP. Just wear what you want. I wouldn't get too caught up in it. That is the whole point in my eyes isn't it? If you are being forced to wear gendered clothes in employment or by someone else, it becomes an issue.

Choosing to wear skirts/dresses vs trousers is a personal choice and yours alone.

I’m confused OP.

You say The idea is to give up the beauty practices so other women feel they can do the same

And then say

My mum is quite masculine so I always wanted to be quite feminine to an extent I feel uncomfortable if what I'm wearing doesn't go in at the waist

Why would you being less feminine encourage others to do the same, when Clearly your mums choices didn’t encourage you to do so.

Sounds to me a bit like maybe you were embarrassed by your mums so called ‘masculinity’ and tried to compensate for it in yourself.

What is ' dressing gender-free'? Am none the wiser after your update!

And I too think you need to address your own misconceptions of gender defining clothes if you talk about your mother wearing 'masculine' clothes. Fuck me... I would be horrified if my daughter thought that wearing jeans/trousers/trackie dacs was 'masculine', I would think I had conveyed some pretty narrow stereotypes to her.

Well I wear bras and women’s jeans etc because they are cut for my figure. Other than that I aim for a ‘basic’ look which in winter consists of jeans and a jumper in a plain colour like red or green with hair in a pony tail. no jewellery or make up etc - you can tell I’m not very interested in clothes- I just want unremarkable stuff to wear that lets me go about my business.

I don’t dress as a woman exactly but I don’t not dress as woman either.

Gender is what we're socialised into.
You really don't want to know what I was "socialised into" OP.
If I were to fully embrace my initial neuro-programming, my pronouns would be it/it/its.
... Fuck that shit, I'd say?

Back to your question, I don't "dress" gender free, I am gender free. Which means wearing whatever the hell you bloody want, because your clothes are not you, they just decorate your body, regulate its temperature, and keep it safe and comfy.
I like clothes that fit, though. So I shop for stuff which fits my body shape, which is undeniably (dare I say attractively?) female.
But my main requirements are practical (fit for purpose, low maintenance, durable, etc.) followed by aesthetic (which for me often means material that looks and feels nice, with interesting textures and/or patterns reminiscent of nature: plants, minerals, whatever)

OP, most people are wearing what they want and doing what they want. So you do you. I shave my legs, you don't. I don't wear make up, one of my mates puts in on every day. I like dresses AND trousers. I couldn't care less that you only wear skirts. Wear what you like, it's not effecting other people as much as you think.

I think you're overthinking it a bit, OP.
Wear what you want. Support other women by supporting their freedom to do likewise.
I like skirts of that sort (if I can find them in the right length for a shortarse) in summer - I find them cool and practical for many purposes.

Not sure about gender free, as I have no idea what that is really, but I am wearing my lovely woman:adult human female hoodie, so I am wearing sex specific clothing right now.

Not in a planned way. I remember when I was younger in my shaved head period and blokes were shocked I was female.

Gender-free is postmodern blah to make people feel crap about what they wear and how they behave.

Op, you must realise, from either going out or watching tv that most women already dress in a way you consider “gender free” And have done for decades, and your way of dressing would arguably be less modern and less fashionable based on the images you posted?

@CaraDuneRedux

I'm afraid I find that suggestion slightly nuts, OP.

I dress as me - comfortable, warm (or cool in summer), reasonably presentable so as not to scare the horses in social situations. Don't give a flying fuck about gender norms, never have, wear trousers most of the time because they're unisex and comfortable, buy things from the men's section if I like the colour, buy things from the women's section if I like the colour.

The idea of dressing in order to signal one's political outlook is... well, a very weird one, IMO.

This

Just wear what you like OP. Dress as yourself.

Labelling clothing or styles masculine and feminine is not politically helpful IMO. It is yet more boxing in and restriction.

Dress in clothes that you enjoy wearing/feel comfortable in, that is all there is too it.

There is no need to dress in clothes you don’t like to please or “liberate” some unknown others.

Let clothes be clothes.

If there's anything you wear now which you feel actually contributes to women's oppression / objectification etc then by all means stop it. Maybe for you it's akin to not wearing fur, or only buying ethically sourced fabrics?

There is no need to dress in clothes you don’t like to please or “liberate” some unknown others

That’s the thing though. We are already liberated. And have been for decades.

I don’t consciously dress gender free, but worryingly often I glance over at my husband and realise that we are pretty much wearing matching clothing. I have no problem in wearing ‘male clothes’ but I don’t want to be a couple that wear matching fleeces!

When people celebrate men and boys who choose to wear makeup or skirts or dresses I feel conflicted and confused because I think the time, cost and work of these beauty standards as you mention OP is a regressive part of our consumer culture. However, I adore the beauty and artistry of individuals male or female who create fashion and styles for themselves or others which are a true art form.