Borrowing From The Boys: Menswear Items To Incorporate Into Your Look
As a huge fan of menswear - mainly for the oversized silhouettes and understated sexiness - the resurgence of this aesthetic is every bit in my wheelhouse. In a sea of second-skin Gucci one-pieces and nostalgic high rise g-strings, one can be thankful for the coziness that accompanies a trend like this. While incorporating menswear has been around for over a century, it has been adopted by girl bosses and mega-influencers alike in recent years.
Dating back to the early 1900s when men's workwear was adopted by women during the war, incorporating menswear into your wardrobe is among one of the classic easy ways to freshen up your look. Traditionally loose-fitting and long-lined clothing belonged exclusively to the boys, but that is quickly becoming extinct. It's high time we forget "borrowing from the boys" and invest in pieces that are yours, and yours alone.
The history of menswear revolves around reinvented basics, simplistic designs, and neutral palettes. The silhouette is primarily loose-fitting, which allows for a lot of layers and interesting pairings - the remnants of which trickled on the spring and summer trends over the last few years. It's even entered the arena of suiting, with casual suiting becoming more prominent in womenswear and especially in the wake of the pandemic.
It might come as a surprise, but incorporating menswear into your wardrobe is the simplest way to freshen up your everyday look. If you're scared to take the plunge or unsure what pieces are worth investing in, here are chic 5 ways to add traditional menswear to your 2021 wardrobe.
1.The Structured Boyfriend Blazer
The easiest way to incorporate menswear into your everyday look is by adding loose-fitting outerwear. While you can opt for a trench coat or puffer jacket in the colder months, a structured boyfriend blazer is the chicest option. The lines elongate your torso while the structured shoulders create a dynamic silhouette on a female figure.
2.The Perfect Button Up
On every runway from Balmain to Valentino, the perfect crisp button-up is a huge staple piece for 2021, especially during the spring and summer months. There's an understated sexiness to styling an oversized button-up with high-waisted pants and a sexy bralette. For an even more casual slay, pair with neutral but monotone biker shorts or one-piece (as pictured).
3.Relaxed Fit Trousers
A trend that combines the comfort of working from home and with the formality of traditional menswear, relaxed trousers are going to be big again this year. With a bevy of styles, colors, and cuts available across many designers and retailers, you can find a pair for just about any occasion.
4.Dad Sweater Vest
It's versatile and able to be worn throughout the seasons. Vests are forecasted to be everywhere this year, whether more fitted or oversized. With any trend piece, the more natural way to style it is to pair with your most loved pieces. In the colder months, you can use it as a base layer piece styled over your favorite button-ups or flowy blouses. In the springtime, I'd style it up with a great pair of trousers and a decorated, lacy bralette peeking through.
5.Loafers
The longevity of loafers is reason enough to invest and add them to your wardrobe. Loafers are the perfect transitional footwear, whether you're running from a late meeting to drinks with the girls, or playing smart over a weekend trip; you cannot go wrong with loafers. With the introduction of backless loafers (thanks, Gucci!), there's no doubt that loafers are the staple for your big-girl wardrobe.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image courtesy of Aniyah
Courtney is a contributing writer, based in Puerto Rico by way of Tennessee. Interested in the intersection of fashion and culture, she has an affinity for fashion, empowerment, and really good tacos. Keep up with her on Instagram (@hautecourtxo).
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
Courtesy
Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
Courtesy
Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
Courtesy
Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy