APPROPRIATING THE DANDY

Women have often adopted elements of menswear, especially for sport. In the 1830s and 1840s, when most fashionable women wore delicate slippers, Queen Victoria popularized the high-button Balmoral boot as a sensible choice for walking the grounds of her Highland estate. Also in the 19th century, the female equestrienne, or Amazone, was held as an erotic ideal. With her tightly corseted figure sheathed in a tailored wool habit, she was accessorized with a tall topper (based on the top hat), leather gloves, tall military-style boots, and a riding crop. Practicality aside, this signified serious intent: a desire to be seen as both competitor and physical equal to her male counterpart.

The “borrowing” of male accessories typically occurs when gender roles are in flux and conventional female dress is interpreted as limiting. By borrowing the clothes of the dominant gender, women appropriate some of its power, at least in visual terms. In the 1920s, for example, women borrowed flat oxfords, neckties, and blazers. Likewise, the 1960s witnessed the appropriation of menswear inspired accessories.

Using elements of menswear adds authority to an outfit, and a brisk, no-nonsense charm. Fabric choice is often all it takes. Thick, nubby tweeds, houndstooth, glen plaid, tartan, wool flannel, stripes, and twills are all fabrics associated with traditional sportswear and men’s suiting, prized for their durability and strength. Yet they can also add a feeling of daring to otherwise conservative women’s garments.

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