You Go Girl?: The Evolution of Androgyny in the Fashion World



Lea T

The wonderful thing about art is that you can get inspiration and see beauty in almost anything. Through the years fashion and androgyny has gone hand-in-hand. Androgyny, class, means not fitting into neither the female nor male gender. Our pop icons, from Grace Jones and Boy George to Michael Jackson and Prince have made this style popular. Designers have clamored over to female and male models who have looked as if they could be either/or to model their creations. Call it edgy. Call it progressive. There are those that believe that fitting into traditional gender roles inhibits a person. There are actual survey polls and statistics to support the theory. In the fashion world, androgyny gets you noticed. Twiggy revolutionized fashion with her pixie cut and bright eyes (a cut that I think is still hot). Fast forward to today and you have featured on "Real Housewives of Atlanta", men sporting skinny jeans and pumps. Is it cross dressing? Is it drag? Everyone I know has a certain idea of people in the fashion industry. A common perception is that the male models are gay, uber-handsome figures that send men and women into a frenzy when they see them. Thats the problem with stereotypes. You put one face on everything and forget about the rest. Allow me to introduce another aspect of the model: the transgender model. Transgender identity has been a relevant part of society for years and across many cultures around the world. It was said that Bagoas, a eunuch, was a favorite of Alexander the Great because of his feminine beauty. Models like Lea T have become a new phenom Born, Leo, Lea always identified with being female. Since "making the switch", the Brazilian beauty has caused quite a stir being featured in a Givenchy campaign and posing nude in Italian Vogue ( I'll leave that imagery to your imagination...just because I can show it doesn't mean that I will). She was even able to grab Oprah's attention and appeared on her show for an extensive interview. Lea T is not the only one, Tyra Banks made a few heads turn a couple of years ago by accepting a transgender model wannabe, Isis, onto her show: a first for the America's Next Top Model franchise. Isis did pretty well through the show until her personal barriers got in the way of her performance and she was kicked off. Another interesting face I've been seeing is that of Andrej Pejic. Who? You ask. This young man was seen strutting the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier in Paris and had everyone thinking who is that beautiful blond bombshell? Surprise! She is a he, a very beautiful he and has made his name sporting both women's and menswear. With more and more people expressing their uncoventional sexuality, it leaves me thinking. The lines that have separated male from female have become blurred. Long gone are the gay or straight; male or female identification cards. Remember when a male/female model was just a RuPaul? Whoever said art imitates life was revolutionary. This world isn't just filled with gay or straight; male or female. This world is filled with all sorts of variations and alternatives to "conventional" thinking. This is not just in fashion, but its in every other aspect of the human condition. Who are we to put a label on it or shun it by calling it freakish or weird? Open up your minds and see the beauty beyond conventional. There's nothing more beautiful than a human being able to express his or her or whatever's own truth.

What's your take on trangender beauty?

Andrej Pejic: no those are not breasts, thats his chest. He's a man.

Shoe Shopping: Quality Vs. Quantity

Anyone that knows me knows I love shoes. Along with that love and adoration comes a closet full of them. My husband will tell you that he knew we were meant to be when I told him that he came second only to my shoes on our wedding night. If you delve further into my closet (my second home) you will notice that most of my shoes come from 3 major retailers. Of course, there are more expensive, high end, and low end pairs sprinkled in between. But the majority of the shoes that dwell within the "Candy Shoppe" come with price tags between $60 and $100. I can remember back to when I scored my first paying job, swearing to myself to spoil myself with tons of shoes: an insatiable thirst passed down from my beloved grandmother (though she won't admit it is her fault I'm a shoeaholic). Well, to my delight at that time, there happened to be a new inexpensive shoe store opening up right in my neighborhood! Their famous jingle advertising sexy, high-heeled shoes all for $9.99 a pop made my heart sing. $100 would equal 10 new pairs of shiny new shoes lined up against my wall (due to lack of closet space at that time). It would be those same 10 pairs, not even a full season later, going into the garbage. Frayed straps, eroded heel caps, unbearable scuffs and torn fake suede all made their solemn trip to shoe heaven; $100 down the drain (whomp, whomp). On the other hand, take one pair of shoes purchased from one of my choice stores, 3 years later, they are still in good shape. And don't discount the lifetime repair guarantee should the heel break or cap wear down too fast. So, now look closer into my closet. Instead of slapping down $20 every week for a pair of poorly made, but trendy steppers, I'd rather wait, save my money and invest in a quality item that won't be the equivalent to "hammer pants" once the trends decide to change up. I can look at staple items in my wardrobe and though I've owned some of them for three years plus, they still look current and on trend. Don't get me wrong, I'll never knock a cute pair of $30 shoes, especially if they are well made. A shoe's quality in not contingent upon the price you pay. You can easily pay $500 on a poorly constructed pair. Take time to inspect the shoe before you buy it, like you would any other significant purchase. Pay attention to the materials. Man made leather, if not constructed properly, can get really ugly after a few wears. Pay attention to any stitching seeming to fray or a platform that is chipped. If there are any discrepancies in the construction, prepare to be throwing away a badly broken down pair of shoes by the end of the season. Ladies, during this time of economic peril, I know the cheap shiny thing is more appealing. However, I'd rather have one flawless diamond than a jewelry box filled with clouded cubic zirconia on any day. It would end up being way more expensive to keep replacing these cheapy things than it would be to invest in a good pair that will serve you well for years. It's time we fashionistas get smart about our money, because there's nothing worse than a broke diva.

When you know better, you buy better!

What Is Fashion?

In my short stint at Ai, I was asked by a remarkably profound teacher, "What is fashion?" Now the first thought is, "What do you mean what is fashion?" You think clothes. You think runway, skinny girls, big sunglasses, New York Fashion Week, you think celebrities. And the first few hands to pop in the air said the exact same thing. The teacher paused in thought, her eyes, her thoughts, her emotions unreadable as everyone waited for her to give her approval. She didn't give it to us. Instead she paced. She stopped. She paced, before the clank of her bangles could be heard as she wrote the words "Fashion Is..." is on the board. She asked us again..."What is fashion?" It is at this very moment that I began to feel the wheels in my head turning; going past thinking of what conventional fashion is. Sure, you can say fashion is....art. Then the question begs to be asked, what is art? What makes it art? What makes it not art? Who designates an abstract entity to become what it is not? If it is without definition, who, then, defines it? Deep right? I felt myself stepping out of the box and really thinking. Fashion is life. Now, for you doubtful naysayers, I offer up to you a challenge. Fashion is how we want people to percieve us. If we feel that we are sophisticated and educated, there tends to be a certain way that we carry ourselves. We show our status (or percieved status) by the clothes that we wear, the cars we drive, the homes we live in. All of that is fashion. My clinical definition of fashion can go as far as saying, "Fashion is the human response to the cultural zeitgeist". What does it mean? It means, that fashion, is the outward representation of how we feel on the inside about the world around us. For example: are you one of those people determined not to follow trends and fall in line with what the media says is en vogue for a particular season, so you dress all off? That itself is a representation of fashion. For the record, let me inform my fellow fashionistas that trends do not equal fashion. Trends are a reflection of the zeitgiest, personal style is your reaction to to it. Wanna go a little deeper? Did you know that there is a Mount Olympus of anonymous fashion gods who determine what colours and trends will be happening for each season? They are just responding to the all-mighty zeitgeist. Ever noticed that when folks started going back to being "green" and eco-friendly, the colours in our garments, our accessories, our kitchen and homegoods, turned to that of earthy colours and patterns? With the recent breakthrough in advanced technology, you will notice that there emerged a sudden trend in futuristic-looking clothing and accessories. Of course, everyone longs for the good ole' days, a much simpler time, which is why vintage and retro styles will never go out of style. People that eschew fashion and say they don't want any part of the circus are choosing to follow many others that want to do their own thing. So can you then say that its truly original? They're just following a whole 'nother way of expressing oneself. So by the end of class, we were able to conclude, that fashion goes way deeper than lipstick, clothes and high heels. Fashion is wrong, its right, its different. Fashion is boho chic; hobo chic. Fashion is original and repeated. Fashion is the world's most attractive paradox. Fashion is what you say it is.

Hood Livin': Its Not Cute

I can say that growing up in a black neighborhood, watching black tv and listening to black music, at a certain point and time, I held a soft spot in my heart for what the folks outside of this little microcosm would call the ghetto lifestyle. I couldn't wait to buy my own car with the big rims on them, with my fake designer shades on and my lipgloss poppin, sending all other people driving in the opposite direction skidding off of the road. I longed to step out of my car with my Baby Phat outfit (back then it would've been the one piece jumpsuit) that fit too tight on my body, some Air Force 1 high heeled boots, and a nice brand new set of gel (not acrylic, chile) nails, with the nail art in 7 different colors and toes to match. I laugh looking back at how my folks put that up on such a pedastal. That was considered living "the life". An absolute shame that your status, as insignificant as it is now, was completely dependent upon who's knock off Louis Vuitton looked better. By the time I was sixteen-years-old, I had read a few Vogues and had started emerging myself in the "outside" world. I was a lucky one. Highschool was nothing but a parade of urban branded clothing. Not that there's anything wrong with them (I own a few pair), but to have my peers try to give me advice on what to wear to get the guys to like me, just made me sad for them. I once had a girl ask me if I knew anything at all about fashion whilst looking at my Levi jeans, no name tank top and blazer with an eye of disgust. She, with all of her Rocawear on and her "designer" Baby Phat purse, was left completely dumbfounded when I commenced naming designers left and right: Vera Wang, Coco Chanel, Adrian Gilbert, Marc Jacobs, Cynthia Rowley, Alexander McQueen, Isaac Mizrahi (yes Isaac), and so on. I walked away feeling sorry for her and less sorry for my new label as SNOB. I was told I dressed like a white girl. I didn't know that fashion was divided into race. I wasn't "down" because I didn't care to look like I just "chicken-headed" out of a Nelly video. After exploring a whole new world of clothing, art, and what it all really meant, I must say I experienced my own personal renaissance. Fashion, then became way more valuable to me than a pair of $100 gymshoes (even if I do drop $300 from time to time on a pair of good designer shoes). It became true self expression, and not self expression through the eyes of BET. No super models will be seen off runways rocking 3 inch long nails calling it cute. You're not seeing Michelle Obama with pink and yellow streaks in her hair. I feel sorry for these girls, many whom I personally know that will never understand that there is more to living a prosperous life than "name brand" clothes and riding around in a kool-aid colored car. But they don't know any better, and probably never will.

Platforms Ain't Going Nowhere!

Now this is my first time ever blogging, still getting the hang of it. So it is at this time that I would like to start my blog off on a good foot and talk about almost every woman's favorite thing: shoes. I am quite excited to see some of the upcoming trends for spring footwear. Like I predicted year before last, platforms aren't going anywhere, however, instead of the now boring classic pump with the sky high heel and platform, designers have opted to edge out their designs.(About time!) I'm not knocking this platform trend, but like every other trend that comes and goes, I have seen just about enough. I want something different, edgy, though I don't mind the 5 1/8 inch stillettos that grace my feet every time I step out. I can't deny that I died for this trend when I first saw it emerging back in 06, and more recently as the trend has sky rocketed from the "take a risk" shoe to the "staple" shoe, I have to admit, I have racked up on more than my fair share. However, in time the fad has quickly turned into a source of frustration for me seeing that every girl has these

platformed shoes on every time I turn a corner. Every Facebook p

Jessica Simpson "Colie" @ Baker's for $90.00

age, there's some girl posing in her raggedy Rainbow outfit and a pair of these fierce beings on; a pure example of the "trickle down" theory, if you get my drift. Honestly, I don't want to own a shoe that everyone else has, that's not standing out or being myself. The shoe is no longer edgy, if everyone is wearing it...similiar to Rihanna's "Umbrella" bob. Hence, I've gone back to looking at different styles of shoes just to stay ahead of the rest. It is refreshing to see designers taking on new ideas and revamping this slowly dying trend. Edgy, architectual pieces of art that call me back....no, lure me back to this played out fad, yeah like a desperate little girl, I'll come crawling back to my ex-love as long as my favorite designers keep up the good work. So, in closing, I'm so on the fence with these platformed shoes. Some days I wish they'd just die and go away, and once I've washed my hands of them and swore up and down to my husband that I don't want another pair of those ridiculous things, then Jessica Simpson has to come out with the "Colie". Darn it!

Happy Shoe Shopping!