h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've noticed lately that a lot of women's fashion - or at least, a lot of clothes being worn by women - bear some resemblance to medieval men's clothing. We've got the whole tights and tunics thing going on at the moment, there are the ridiculously pointy shoes, and the jacket I bought for wearing to interviews looks suspiciously like a 14th-Century doublet. (Cut short with a pleated skirt, narrow at the waist but wider toward the shoulders with slightly puffed sleeves.)

Why is this? Are they running out of ideas? Is it because fashion designers now prefer to work with more androgynous models without a bust or hips? And are there any historical women's fashions now being worn by men?

Bring back Ruffs!

I'd love it if Ruffs came back into fashion!

FB

I guessed correctly who started this thread from the header

I think the answer is that fashion, in a sense, is always "short of ideas"- or rather, it's usually better at reinventing than inventing. Why medieval fashions now, though? Perhaps it's a product of the popularity of swords 'n' sorcery in recent years. Things like Harry Potter and LOTR have pushed it onto the pop culture radar a bit more.

As for why why it's *men's* medieval clothing - not sure, but fashion is more unisex now anyway. At least women's clothing is. Shirts, ties and trouser suits are women's clothing as much as men's, now.

...and ruffs get my vote, too. Very practical - keeps your shirt clean when you spill your soup!

"are there any historical women's fashions now being worn by men?"[Malabarista]

Do kilts count?

In the 18th century, men wore a lot of powdered wigs and ruffles and other finery. Were they wearing "women's" clothing?

There's a small number of men who wear women's clothes nowadays. I don't think they do it in public, though, nor would people be proud of them if they did. Transvestites or cross-dressers. Think J Edgar Hoover in a black satin dress with lots of flounces [he asked to be known as "Mary" when he dressed this way, according to one report].

" I don't think they do it in public, though, nor would people be proud of them if they did. Transvestites or cross-dressers."

Quite the reverse. Any man who is man enough to cross-dress in public gets my admiration. It's not an easy thing to do.

I think kilts have always been a male item of clothing, haven't they? I'm not very good at historical clothing though.

I'm not, either.

There are night clubs where men put on shows while they're disguised as women. They can put on some excellent shows.

Disguised? You make it sound like camouflage.

That reminds me: I went to Oxford Street at lunchtime to get a pair of camouflage pants, but I didn't see any.

Since my teens I've wished capes would come back into fashion. There's something about a cape which makes you feel fantastic. Doesn't matter if it's brushing along the floor in the manner of Darth Vader or a natty little waist-length one, capes rock.

Indeed, it's so unfair that it's really hard for women to cross-dress

Victor/Victoria managed to cross-dress sucecsfully.

And Adam Sandler in Jack & Jill.*

Deb

* if you haven't, I wouldn't bother

Apparently fedoras started out being women's hats.

If I were a fedora, I would have serious identity problems.

I am a fedora now. Fedoras are cool.

A lot of clothing is unisex these days, jeans & t-shirts, the sporty look.

Shortly shorts will be outlawed at my work place. One chap said can he wear a sarong since skirts are ok

"I am a fedora now. Fedoras are cool" [Vip]

There was an old Disney about a fedora who fell in love with a bonnet:


"Johnny Fedora met Alice Blue Bonnet in the window of a department store."

Leave it to Disney to see the potential in a pair of hats!

Sorry, that was supposed to be an old Disney *song*.

Historical men's styles becoming modern women's fashions is something I've noticed before... a few years ago a lot of women's clothing was quite clearly based on Napoleponic military uniform, 'pedal pushers' and 3/4 length trousers are pretty much 18th Century breeches, there is a current trend for short shorts worn with tights and leggings... Tudor breeches and hose, anyone? Oh, and 17th Century style doublets were doing the rounds a few years ago too.

"I don't think they do it in public, though, nor would people be proud of them if they did."

I think Eddie Izzard would disagree with you there.

I once went clubbing in a dress, apparently I pulled it off well enough that some people weren't sure. And a drunken chav burst into tears at me because he wished he was brave enough to go out in women's clothing...

I've become a bit girlier over the past few years, it was all baggy jeans and sweatshirts as a teenager. I remember standing outside the dressing room holding my mother's handbag and being embarassed because people would think it was mine, until I realised "hey wait, I'm a girl!"