Saturday, August 26, 2017

Gender Fluidity Is No Excuse For Hidious Fashion

This season of Project Runway gives me very few people to champion at this point. It does give me someone to harangue.

Here we are in 2017 and gender fluidity is acceptable, perhaps even trendy. And so now we - the viewing audience - have passed the point where it is surprising, shocking or even particularly noteworthy that one of PR's contestants dresses gender non-specific. I embrace this trend. And, in embracing it, I feel fully confident in criticizing the person not on lack of gender definition, but in lack of style.

I speak of the young man sitting in the rattan chair in the picture above.



I am not offended by his wearing a notionally female garment, but by the truly awful garment and accessory choices he makes. He is trying to be a fashion designer and he shows all the grace and style of my 98 year old Aunt Smitty.

First, the color of the dress, "desert dung", is a fashion mistake on his skin tone and his pink hair choice (in that vein - do something with your black eyebrows).

Second, if you're going to wear a dress - which is a fashion risk for men, make sure that the shoes work with it. Almost any shoes would work with this. Boots (glam or work-style), oxfords, chunky soles, even some nice chuck taylors. Almost is the key word there because the one shoe that doesn't work is a slip-on, heeless flat.

Finally, pairing this flat, drab look with an un-distressed denim housecoat brings it full circle to where the outfit seems to be striving as an "ironic homage / joke" on middle class housewives, but ends up just being the statement of an asshole.

I do not approve. AND, my Aunt Smitty wore it better when cleaning the house.