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American novelist Jeffrey Eugenides’ succinct explanation of genderless fashion is perhaps the best way to put things into perspective on the matter.“Sex is biological. Gender is cultural.” I couldn’t agree more. After all, cultural norms and strict gender-assigned roles are what led to what I call the ‘binary fission of fashion’ into menswear and womenswear.
For the longest time, it was all about suffocating corsets for women and tailored three-piece suits for men–until Coco Chanel changed the game for good with the gender-neutral Chanel Suit in the early 20th century. Having freed women from the constraints of corseting, it was initially met with derision but gradually became loved and accepted by American women. Thank god for it!
Fast forward a whole century and fashion icons like Harry Styles and Asap Rocky are creating style statements that transcend the rigidity of gender altogether. Thanks to tastemakers like them, many of us are following suit—flouting the restrictive gender-specific fashion rules and embracing gender-fluidity like never before. Fashion, after all, is not just a powerful medium of self-expression but a mirror of society, right?
So as an increasing number of genderless fashion statements mushroom across social media platforms, we’re here to take you through some of the hottest ones donned by our fave Bollywood celebs.
1. Ranveer Singh
All hail the Indian mascot of gender-fluid fashion–Ranveer Singh. The actor is synonymous with experimental fashion and unconventional looks. He was recently spotted in a printed pink co-ord set giving major retro vibes. He rounded off his look with a string of pearls around the neck, pearl studs, and oversized sunglasses and gave us yet another fashion statement to remember.
2. Deepika Padukone
Wifey Deepika Padukone isn’t far behind when it comes to experimenting with her style. She is often spotted in gender-neutral attires like jogger sets, pantsuits, hoodies, and bomber jackets. In fact, her look for a recent luxury-brand campaign screamed non-binary as she rocked a cropped blazer and bermuda-ish half pants with a high-neck top and badass gloves.
3. Ayushmann Khurrana
Ayushmann Khurrana’s fashion looks are as versatile as his range of cinema. From wearing a pleated skirt with a blazer to rocking shirts cinched at the waist, the actor surely loves to flaunt some feminine elements in his looks. He recently carried his love for gender-neutral attires forward with a sheer metallic tee, sequined blazer, and black trousers at an award function. Needless to say, he nailed the look like a boss.
4. Ananya Panday
Barring her glam red-carpet looks, newage actress Ananya Panday is often spotted in athleisure styles, cutesy crop tops, and bodycon minis. But she recently ditched her girly-girly looks for a crisp pant suit. Ananya added the right amount of sexy to her androgynous outfit by pairing it with a bralette, stilettos, and a diamond string around the neck.
5. Kareena Kapoor Khan
Kareena Kapoor Khan can make even pyjamas look glamorous. The actress is often papped in gender-neutral oversized tops and likes to keep things comfy while stepping out. She was recently spotted in a pink oversized tee and matching joggers. As usual, the actress played it cool with soft wavy hair and minimal makeup and accessories.
6. Rhea Kapoor
Ain’t nobody does it like the Kapoor sisters. Rhea Kapoor, who usually styles sis Sonam, recently rocked abandhgala and salwar combo—a set you’d typically spot in ethnic menswear section. But my oh my! The comfy traditional attire never looked so stunning before.
7. Varun Dhawan
Satin shirts for men? Yes please! Varun Dhawan rocked an uber-cool, bright blue one recently and it’ll make you get your hands on a similar piece that can be shared with bae. Sustainable, fashionable, and pocket-friendly, right?
8. Tamannah Bhatia
Tamannah wore a masculine pantsuit with feminine floral motifs embroidered all over at the Cannes Film Festival. She finished her look with a crisp blue shirt, pointed-toe heels, and soft beachy waves and gave us major fashion goals.
10. Siddhant Chaturvedi
Siddhant Chaturvedi is known for having fun with fashion and is often spotted in cool, hep outfits. He recently shot for a magazine cover and stayed true to his element. The actor rocked a series of gender-neutral, off-duty looks. But out of all the ensembles, we particularly loved his see-through crochet sweatshirt paired with striped trousers. The outfit gave out nautical vibes with a feminine twist.
11. Kiara Advani
Kiara Advani has had a string of hits—in both fashion and cinema. While she usually keeps it dressy and feminine, the actress made a bold style statement in an all-red attire. She wore a structured blazer over a girly sequin dress. But nonetheless, the outerwear lent some major badass vibes to her look.
The final word
These celeb looks are proof that you’ve got to break the rut of skirts for girls and pants for boys. So go out there and have fun with your looks just like your fave fashion icons from the list.
Photo: Instagram/ Ranveer Singh