Dressing Change

Written by Stevie Vescio-Franz

Every day, we adorn ourselves in clothing that we deem acceptable for our self-image; whether that be the sweats you wear to class or the pantsuit you wear to a job interview. The way we present ourselves tells others how we wish to be perceived, what we value and, ultimately, who we are.

A Historical Perspective

In the era leading up to the civil rights movement, Black communities were influential for “their highly valued design abilities” used “to create new aesthetics for their community,” according to Abena L. Mhoon, Associate Professor of Humanities at Coppin State University. The innovative styles that came out of Black communities had wide reach, gracing the pages of periodicals like Vogue.

However, the civil rights movement brought a distinct change in African American fashion — a shift from innovation to propriety. Mhoon emphasizes the importance of this shift in her article, “Dressing for Freedom.”

Modesty, clean lines and muted colors were essential to the peaceful protests of the time. The aim of protesters was to dismantle stereotypes held by their white counterparts. “This was not the time to look flashy. Breaking down the social, economic and political barriers that in the past had prevented African Americans from having access to the American dream, would not come about if people did not look serious and business-like,” writes Mhoon.

Women of the 1970s approached fashion from a similar lens — assimilation. During the women’s liberation movement, to be respected was to break free from the constraints of femininity. Women rejected the stereotypes that accompanied skirts and frills by embracing practicality. From wide-leg pants to stiff-collar blouses, there was a masculine air to the clothing of the time — a statement on women’s capabilities. This rejection of traditionally female clothing allowed women to play with what “femininity” meant.

A Modern Take

As the times change, so do our messages. When the goal of protest is to secure basic human rights, as it was in the ‘50s during the civil rights movement or the ‘70s during the women’s liberation movement, practicality comes first. For activists, this meant dressing in ways that emphasized the commonalities between the oppressed and their oppressors. However, with social change comes the freedom to push boundaries.

Tashira Halyard is a former attorney and the founder of Politics & Fashion, an online brand that bridges style, self-care and social justice. To Halyard, empowerment means embracing her love for fashion and a “bomb red lipstick,” all while advocating for social change. “In order for us to be considered serious as women — respected or highly regarded — we have to be in the Hillary Clinton pantsuit. We have to, in some ways, be assimilating into dominant male norms,” says Halyard.

“I can show up in my masculine energy; I can show up in my feminine energy and still demand and command respect. Just because I’m advocating for systemic change doesn’t mean that I can’t also love to adorn myself.”

For Halyard, fashion is a “powerful tool of liberation.” For Black women especially, there is a notion that they cannot and should not “show up as themselves at work.” Rejecting the expectation that Black women shouldn’t wear their hair natural or wear clothes that show their figure can be a symbol of resistance.

PETA famously protested the use of fur in the fashion industry in their “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign. Starting in the 1990s, PETA used clothing (or lack thereof) to protest the use of animal fur in the name of fashion. They crashed runways, held protests and paired with countless celebrities in an effort that all but ended the unethical practice of skinning animals for a “look.”

Making Protest Personal

Fashion as a means of protest can be practical or shocking, but it can also be personal. For 24-year-old Maya Ernest, owner of Muñeca Vintage, small acts of protest can help save the planet. “I love fashion, but at the same time, I felt guilty indulging in it knowing that it contributes so much to climate change,” she says.

Ernest has always shopped sustainability, but it was with the realization that she could help others do the same that Muñeca Vintage was born. “A lot of people don’t shop vintage because it can be really expensive and it’s just not accessible — they don’t know where to start looking. When you have a platform to offer vintage to people as easily as, say, Urban Outfitters, it becomes a lot easier for people to indulge in sustainable fashion.”

Protest is the backbone of society, and when dressed up fashionably, it can be an effective means of change.

Written by Kira Sarsfield

Fashion has always been used as a form of self-expression and individuality. Consider the royals of the Middle Ages, who often wore gold silk and jewelry to flaunt their material wealth. Opposingly, so-called “punks” in the 1970s wore leather jackets as an act of rebellion.

In relation to the current political and social climate, it is evident that self-expression through fashion is constantly evolving from one generation to the next.

Gen Z has redefined self-expression through fashion by embracing gender-neutral wardrobes in everyday wear. Skirts, dresses, slacks and polos are no longer limited to a single gender. Neither are colors — pink is no longer exclusively feminine and blue is not purely masculine.

What Is Gender-Neutral Clothing?

It is important to note that there is no established definition for genderneutral clothing. Rather, fashion experts argue that gender-neutral clothes should be viewed as a state of mind. This reasoning is used to negate the stereotype that gender-neutral clothing is limited to oversized sweatpants and sweatshirts.

While the definition is ultimately up to each individual, gender-neutral clothing lines generally do not separate fashion into two binary genders: male and female. Take gender-neutral clothing brand TomboyX, which was founded on the principle that any gender or size type could feel comfortable in their clothing. Their sizes range from XS to 6XL and there is ultimately no differentiation between women’s and men’s clothing. TomboyX invites those of all genders and body types to explore their boxer briefs, tank tops, bralettes and more.

Feeling Comfortable In One’s Own Skin

Gender-neutral clothing lines not only promote an inclusive shopping experience for Gen Z, but also help shoppers find their personal style.

Joey Greger, a fourth-year Penn State student studying supply chain and information systems and economics, is a current member of the Fashion Society at Penn State. He frequently sports gender-neutral clothes in his everyday wear. His gender-neutral wear consists of oversized sweatshirts and pants with colors of muted grays, blacks and tans.

“Gender-neutral, to me, means that you’re not trying to have a silhouette that implies any type of masculine or feminine physique,” Greger says. Through his own research about the evolution of fashion, Greger found that traditional feminine style is meant to accentuate the waist and be form-fitting. In direct contrast, traditional masculine style is centered around the biceps and chest to accentuate those muscles.

“When you evaluate gender-neutral clothes, there is no conformity to traditional feminine or masculine styles,” Greger says. “This makes gender-neutral clothes more comfortable, visually appealing and they ultimately work for everybody.”

Greger has been experimenting with fashion since middle school. In response to the questionable looks he received when wearing ‘girly’ colors such as pink, Greger would simply reply with, “I like pink.” He says, “Coming from a guy, that’s not a response that’s very typical of males today.”

The Embodiment of Gender-Neutral Clothing

As gender-neutral clothing lines begin to increase in popularity, Greger mentions that his favorite part of wearing gender-neutral clothing is receiving compliments from people of all genders.“All groups can see my outfit as something that they can wear themselves,” Greger says. “It agrees with a lot of different styles and facets of fashion. I love it because it’s something that works with whatever you’re trying to do, whether it’s quickly running to class or getting ready to go out on a Friday night.” For those trying to build a more gender-neutral clothing style, Greger recommends hitting your local thrift store between seasons. “Thrift stores are very progressive without the label ‘gender-neutral,'” Greger says.

“The majority of clothes in thrift stores work for everybody as far as dimensions and what you’re trying to wear. They’re also comfortable and timeless.”

The future of gender-neutral clothing is limitless. Celebrities are currently at the forefront of this movement, with Billy Porter and Lil Nas X breaking traditional gender norms by wearing skirts and dresses at major red carpet events. This unapologetic attitude from both goes beyond representation, and into the idea of expressing one’s true self and not caring what others think.

As gender-neutral clothing lines continue to evolve, it is important to remember that fashion is a form of self-expression for all. This means that everyone should have the opportunity to find clothes that they feel comfortable and accepted in.

Not for the faint of heart, ArchiveVintage, TheFifthCollection and RosenStore are for the more experienced archivists searching for the incredibly obscure, and often astonishingly expensive items. Classics such as eBay, Depop and Poshmark are also great if you are just starting out.

WRITTEN BY GABRIELLA MUDD

Generally speaking, archival fashion encompasses the vast array of garments and accessories from historic seasons and collections. More often than not, when one refers to archival fashion they do not mean just any old handbag or jacket, but extremely sought after pieces from luxury designers selling for far above market price — think the Vivienne Westwood corset worn by Bella Hadid or the Raf Simmons bomber jacket donned by Kanye West.

Even simple, everyday pieces that appear mundane, might be sought after gems.

That is much of the fun for fashion archivists — the personal satisfaction of finding a piece they have had their eye on and knowing its impressive background in the industry. When thinking of archival fashion, think: less shopping and more collecting.

GET IN LOSER, WE’RE GOING ARCHIVING

The archival fashion community is an exclusive one where money alone does not grant you access. It takes a trained eye, dedication and astute expertise to know what is worth getting and where to find it. Some search for pieces from certain designers or collections, while others’ tastes are dominated by what their favorite celebrities have been wearing on the red carpet.

The methods of fashion archivists are similar to thrifters, however there is one major difference: there is no casual browsing when you are on the hunt for a specific vintage piece. This is why many opt to skip the shops and buy online — so they can search for the exact item they want and compare quality and prices from various places at the same time.

Tips And Tricks

While it is unclear whether the surge in online, secondhand luxury marketplaces acted as a catalyst to archival fashion or vice-versa, it is certain that both spaces are prospering.

Grailed and Farfetch are two of the most popular, well-respected sites for vintage resale due to their extensive collections and transparent customer protection policies.

Jordan Pietrafitta, founder of EARTHLY For The Planet and expert thrifter, shares her experience with tracking certain items down and what influences her most when shopping secondhand. She recommends eBay as the top site to find nearly anything you are looking for without being overcharged, citing their bidding system as an easy way to get items at decent prices.

While Pietrafitta enjoys thrifting in person as well, she explains how shopping online is much more streamlined as you can search for items down to their SKU number or use Google’s reverse image search. Even when she finds items in shops, she often puts them on a list to search for online, especially high-end vintage items, for a fraction of the price. As a New York City resident, she is constantly finding herself inspired from simply stepping outside and also admits she is no stranger to being influenced through TikTok and Instagram.

Designers Buying Back

It’s not just fashion fanatics and vintage collectors searching high and low for coveted pieces, but the garments’ creators themselves.

There are many different reasons designers may no longer own their older collections — needing money when they were starting out, gifting pieces to friends or having their brands bought by companies.

In an interview with ELLE, Betsey Johnson describes how she’s been calling out to various vintage houses asking for any sightings of her older garments. She lists a few reasons for attempting to piece together her historic collections, including nostalgia and a possible new line inspired by her vintage prom gowns.

Though it’s been a tedious task, it makes her happy to see that her creations are selling for almost ten times their original market price. Alternatively, Valentino has its own buy-back initiative called “Valentino Vintage,” where they encourage customers to bring in any of their past pieces to a store or online to trade in for newer items. Overall, the anomaly of designers scouring the web to buy back their older pieces is a new one. Experts speculate the cycle went something like this: celebrities wore archival garments on the red carpet which influenced runway trends, and when designers saw their old ideas recirculating, they were re-inspired to create.

It could also simply be due to sentimentality, as most of the pioneers of the fashion world we know are retired and reminiscent of their successful careers.