In the words of the fashion icon and Glee superstar Kurt Hummel, “Fashion has no gender.”

While Kurt is not wrong in this regard, there are still deeply entrenched societal expectations of what is and isn’t appropriate for men and women to wear. However, accepting this limits not only our opportunities for fashion experimentation but also our understanding of the complexities of gender identity and expression.

This week, I’ll be diving into gender identity and expression as they pertain to fashion. This is by no means an exhaustive analysis: It would take hundreds of pages to fully explain the relationships between gender and fashion. Instead, this article should serve as an introductory step into the nuanced world of gender identity and expression.

Table of Contents

What is Gender Expression?

In the past, gender was viewed through a strict binary: you were either male or female. However, through the recent work of activists, we’ve seen increased acceptance and dialogue surrounding gender identity and gender expression, and a growing realization that gender cannot be summed up as quickly as checking “M” or “F”.

Now, after reading the above, you may be wondering “what is the difference between gender identity and gender expression?” The basics are as follows:

Gender identity is defined as “one’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither,” which is not necessarily the same as the sex one was assigned at birth.

Gender expression, on the other hand, is how one demonstrates their gender identity, through things like behavior, clothing, their haircut, etc. and it may not necessarily fit neatly into the dichotomy of masculinity and femininity.