how to androgynize your skirts and dresses

layering and accessorizing tips

Jan 12, 2024

**AUTUMN / WINTER 2020-21 | Yohji Yamamoto**

As far as uniforms go, I think one of my preferred looks to wear includes a mini skirt, mary janes, and a mesh top that shows off a cute, interesting bra. But what happens when I am feeling more boyish and I want to amplify more of a masculine energy? What even is masculine energy?

To some people it may mean presenting as butch. Or wearing clothes comme les garçons (like the boys). Personally, masculine energy means wanting to express more androgyny, balancing my feminine energy with its opposite weight. So while I don’t have to wear baggy dickies and hoodies, I do like to counterbalance gendered “male” clothes with “female” clothes like dresses and skirts! After all, I want my collection of skirts, dresses, and mesh tops to be versatile and flexible for any type of mood.

Here are my tips for creating an androgynous look with dresses and skirts:

1. skirt over pants

Go for an A-line silhouette that billows out and helps avoid clunkiness. Pair A-line skirts with bell bottoms. Length is up to you!

2. pair a midi or maxi dress with a long crewneck or hoodie

Embrace the bagginess of a full skirt with a comfy sweatshirt. Add a collar shirt to add more of a unique detail. I love a good collar shirt that makes me feel put together but effortless at the same time.

3. use silver accessories as hardware

If you have more “girly” patterns and elements on your dress or skirt, you can offset that by wearing accessories that contradict the softness or “feminine” quality of your clothes. Wearing clunky, silver jewelry, especially ones that look like piercings adds to that edgy contrast of idgf. I recently got a Chopova Lowena belt and it’s changed how I see my skirts or dresses, accessing another kind of potential. I love a good slouchy belt at the hip.

4. blunt details in shoes

I see a lot of styling tips that recommend wearing platform boots, combat boots, like Docs, to add edginess to a fit. While I think this is good advice, a classic choice even, I think taking it to the next level can really help you swim in the gender fluidity of a fit.

For instance, look for blunt, sharp details, like a very sharp square toe or a chunky angled heel (similar to a cowboy shoe heel). Texture of the leather can also add a special touch, whether it's super sleek like a Peter Do shoe or ribbed and rugged like well worn Diesel boot, play with those details. Maybe even tweaking it yourself.

5. traditional masculine inversion

Ties, bolo ties, bow ties are all well and good when pairing with a skirt or dress, but why not play up the girliness on this one? Frilly ties with safety pins, patterned polka dot bow ties, or bunny pendant bolo ties are fun ways to slant a bit more feminine. Forget rockstar girlfriend, you are the rock star. Pair your androgynous look with a guitar 🤪

6. color combination

While I don’t think sticking to a black color palette makes a look automatically masculine, it can be quite effective and simple when styling a more androgynous fit, especially if you are running late!

7. robes

Use your dress as a robe. We talked about skirts over pants, but have you tried a half button dress over your pants and top? If you have a more structured skirt, I would play up the corporate core vibes, and if you have a more flowery flowy dress, I would lean into the movement of the dress, letting the dress hang at your arms, no buttons, with messy hair and *heavy* eyeliner