{"id":6972,"date":"2022-08-31T14:47:55","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T13:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.satellite.mmu.ac.uk\/northernquota-old\/2022\/08\/31\/gender-fluidity-within-clothing-has-fashion-always-been-gender-binary\/"},"modified":"2022-08-31T14:47:55","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T13:47:55","slug":"gender-fluidity-within-clothing-has-fashion-always-been-gender-binary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/satellite.mmu.ac.uk\/northernquota-old\/gender-fluidity-within-clothing-has-fashion-always-been-gender-binary\/","title":{"rendered":"Gender fluidity within clothing: has fashion always been gender binary?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In contemporary Western society, gender binaries are deeply ingrained in our understandings of cultural norms as demonstrated through gendered clothing: skirts as feminine, suits as masculine.<\/p>\n

This has been normalised to such an extent it is hard to imagine society without this narrative. This is demonstrated within philosopher Thomas Laqueur\u2019s monumental book, Making Sex, which documents the shift in perspective and argues that modern-day binaries are a fairly recent phenomenon, only occurring in the post-Enlightenment period (early 1800s).<\/p>\n

While sex hierarchies have always existed, the anatomy of a male and female was historically described as biologically similar. Laqueur draws on work of Bouchet to illustrate his point: \u201cThe matrix of the woman is nothing but the scrotum and penis of the man inverted\u201d.<\/p>\n

Binaries<\/h2>\n

The one-sex model became less plausible due to the popularisation of entrenched gender roles, which occurred through an understanding of them supposedly holding a natural order. Heteronormativity and binaries were the result and affirmed through slogans such as \u2018opposites attract\u2019.<\/p>\n

These ideological shifts are apparent within fashion. Emilia Bergoglio, non-binary sewing influencer and writer for Seamwork<\/a>, argues that gendered dress codes are a recent phenomenon. Their historical account highlights that until the 17th<\/sup> century female and male fashion was very similar, based on a tunic-style garment, and that differences in clothing centred more on class than gender.<\/p>\n

\"Gender
Image courtesy of Man Met Special Collections<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Britain\u2019s Regency period paved the way for the modern suit, and gendered dress became slowly more entrenched. Dress rules were enforced with some countries creating laws against cross-dressing.<\/p>\n

Why are skirts seen as feminine, yet kilts are associated with masculinity?  With roots in Scottish history, the design of the kilt has shifted across the course of 100 years. Matthew Newsome, author Brief History of the Kilt\u2019<\/em>, says \u2018the kilt resembled more of an overhead tunic worn by both men and women, but the modern-day recognisable plaid, pleated kilt became popular in the Scottish highlands in 1790, representing the clans and a battle dress men would wear in battle\u2019.<\/p>\n

The paradox of the kilt<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/h2>\n