Four Fashion Trends my Gender Non Conforming Ass is Ready to See in 2023 // Taylor Waits
If you’re someone like me who chooses to change their gender presentation daily you may also feel a mix of emotions like anxiety, boredom, irritation, and dysphoria. Not to mention if you are fat or are needing accessible clothing - you’re basically left to fend for yourself. Despite major brands and designers still choosing to abide by the traditional white normative body and beauty standards, smaller brands are bringing back the play, color, joy, and innovation to fashion. 2022 was full of tailored bodysuits, detailed body pieces, and stripped down basics. Accessory designers like Brandon Blackwood and Telfar have elevated ready-to-wear jewelry, bags, hats, and shoes. Repeated controversies with SKIMS, Yeezy, Balenciaga, and Gucci combined with an ongoing financial crisis have caused consumers to fall out of love with large fashion houses and those associated with lavishness. Folks want clothes that are quality, affordable, functional, and unique. It’s not enough to have the label anymore. Now, as we step into a new year a new round of trends is making its way across social media and on the streets. Here is my forecast for what we can expect to see more of in 2023 for those whose clothes expand past the gender binary!
1.) Ruched Fabrics
According to businessoffashion.com, “Ruching is a gathered overlay of fabric strips that are pleated, fluted, or gathered together to create a ripple-like effect. The frill or pleat of the fabric, often lace, chiffon or muslin, has evolved from the 16th century ruff.” From tight bandeau ruched dresses from fast fashion boutiques to Atlein 23 RTW - ruche it up baby! My favorite variety of this style comes in the form of the maxi skirt often seen styled with a platform or thick soled shoe. The ruching gives the essence of gender neutrality for me as the boxy shape and utility mixes with the soft textures and pulls that arrange alongside and across the fabric that outline anyone’s shape.
2.) Unique Shoewear
From Moon Boots and Converse to SYRO and Pet Liger the shoes are BIG and BOLD for 2023. As society continues to do away with less efficient and accessible ways to accessorize - new alternatives continue to pop into our shopping markets. These unique designs make the shoe (the bridesmaid of the fashion world in my opinion) and make it the star of the outfit. When thinking how to queer an outfit, why not start at the foot? The new trajectory of shoewear makes consumers want to repeat actress Dominique Jackson’s phrase: ‘Get the shoe baby.’
3.) Unique Makeup Styles
From the colored under eye highlight coined by @naezrah to the more abstract and colorful face and eyebrow makeup - makeup is no longer an accessory to the outfit, it IS the outfit. White eyebrows, bright pink lashes, intricate drawings of the skyscape in your eyeliner. Makeup is about your artistry, your skill, not just your ability to copy a technique. As makeup continues to grow in accessibility to folks of all genders and skin tones we get to see more and more creativity. (@ultra.mega.superstar on tik tok)
4.) Knitwear
Maybe with so many folks picking up hobbies during the pandemic, I feel like I have seen so many more knitwear small businesses pop up. THANK BEYONCÉ! A fabric that can be made into any size and comfortability, can use any color, and can be made by a large number of people. Knitwear gives my gender presentation hope that fashion can indeed be functional, fun, and colorful. Those things can hug and hang on certain portions of the body to create new silhouettes. And special mention to the softness of the fabric. Too long fashion has lied to us and said things must be strict, hard, and unwavering. What if I choose to flutter or fall with grace instead of stick to the normal body shape?
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