5 key pieces to shop not based on gender categories, but rather your individual taste
Words: Daniël Geldenhuys | Photography: Getty
Every season fashion takes a small yet decided step away from gender binaries. Stripping away arbitrary ideas around gender in clothing conceptualisation and everyday dressing can be extremely liberating. It's a safe space to dress if you identify as non-binary. It also has a universal appeal across genders – these are pieces you can share with bae, bestie, or anyone else who'll fit. Kick off your non-binary summer with five key pieces that you should shop not based on gender, but rather your individual taste. After all, if there's one mood in fashion that caters purely to an individual's idiosyncratic preferences, this is it.
Overalls
Offset the playful innocence of a great overall with your contemporary streetwear sensibility. The way you can pair it with different tees and sneakers creates endless styling possibilities. An overall is way too casual to sit on either side of the gender spectrum. Instead it's a comfortable middle ground.
The Nostalgic Tee
On sweltering days where any kind of layering or tucking feels unbearable, a great slogan or printed tee is a must. This season, opt for a throwback, be it a brand, band, or game console. Style it with pants, a skirt, or anything in between. As long as it's cool (literally), and suits your personality, it's good to go.
A blazer
Womenswear is obsessed with suiting at the moment. Even menswear is starting to pivot back to a more formal sensibility. The perfect gateway piece is a blazer. It creates a certain contrast in your otherwise casual look that feels extremely fresh right now. Opt for a soft pastel double-breasted number for the type of event you RSVP to, or tone down bold colour tees and dresses with a classic grey option. The styling may be a case of opposites attract, but the piece itself is attractive to all.
Side-stripe jeans
Summer's most stylish jeans, whether made with men or women in mind, have side stripes. Think of it as the mark of sophisticated sporty style. Since side stripes come in so many different shapes and sizes across the gender spectrum, it means that you've got double the amount to choose from. Every body type has an ideal style and fit when it comes to denim, so the more options you have, the better.
The waistbag
Years from now, when all handbags are considered unisex, you'll be able to trace the movement back to today's waist bag moment. Everyone's wearing them. The options are endless and they can be styled with just about any item of clothing. Yes, that means you can wear it with a dress today, and jeans and a tee shirt tomorrow. Instead of fashion telling you how it needs to be worn, you get to call the shots. You have the power – that's the future of fashion.