Get into his pants

In the beginning of the 19th century, women first started wearing pants for industrial work mainly because it was practical. After World War II, women wore their husband’s clothes so they could apply for men’s jobs, and also because it was cheaper to share clothes. French fashion designer Coco Chanel, the woman who, incidentally, popularised the ultra-feminine Little Black Dress, was the first to wear pants to parties because it was ‘fashionable’. Hollywood actress Katherine Hepburn, who had an athletic tomboyish childhood, wore slacks when she was older, because they were comfortable. In Breakfast At Tiffany’s, when Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) stepped out in her lover’s oversized shirt, she made it look sexy to wear men’s clothes.

Whether practical, comfortable, stylish or sexy, over the years, women have found a number of reasons to shed the skirt and don a pair of pants. Designers too are increasingly incorporating men’s designs in women’s clothing. If you like experimenting with your wardrobe, androgynous fashion is the way to go. It comes as no surprise then that terms like ‘grandfather pants’ and ‘boyfriend blazers’ have made it to our fashion vocabulary and our wardrobes.

Not my boyfriend’s pants
The oversized, comfortable-looking cuffed denims that women team with a vest or top may look like they’ve been borrowed from a boyfriend and are even called ‘boyfriend pants’ (or ‘grandpa pants’), but a closer look will reveal that they’re too narrow at the waist or too curvy to actually belong to a man. These jeans have been bought from the women’s section. Says fashion stylist Jasleen Kaur Gupta, “They’re shaped to flatter a woman’s curves. They’re called ‘boyfriend pants’ because they’re oversized.”

Masculine looking jackets and blazers are being styled for women. It’s easy to distinguish a ‘boyfriend blazer’ from the boyfriend’s blazer. A narrower jacket minus the inner lining and with only the shoulder pads are the ‘boyfriend blazer’ — oversized, yet not shapeless.

Then there’s the regular crew-necked T-shirt that women wear. Not the short, tight, round-necked tops off the women’s section, these are boy’s T-shirts: almost shapeless, oversized and long.

Why girls like daddy’s closet
“Male-inspired fashion for women is being widely accepted also because it has a practical side: these clothes are forgiving. Unlike in a dress, where every curve is highlighted, over-sized clothes are flattering even when you put on a little extra weight,” says fashion stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania.

Besides comfort and style, there’s another reason women like to dig into their dad’s, boyfriend’s or brother’s cupboards. “When you’re close to somebody, you like wearing their clothes,” says Gupta, who admits she raids her husband’s closet all the time.

“Not just for his shirts, but his watches and glares too.”
Big dials with metal straps on watches, Ray Ban Aviators and men’s perfumes are also favourite fashion accessories for the androgynous look. This is because men’s watches have a lot more variety. Women’s watches which are usually too tiny or have too many diamonds. “For accessories, the gender designation has lessened considerably,” says Adajania.

The men’s perfume section has a lot more options to choose from. Unlike the limited range of floral and fruity fragrances for women, the men’s shelf offers woody, spicy, musky and sporty fragrances. “A lot of girls prefer stronger, masculine fragrances,” says fashion stylist Gary Wallang. “Most of my friends wear masculine perfumes, very similar to their boyfriend’s.”

Not for ‘girly’ girls
“The androgynous look is usually ‘Emo’: it expresses a dark, emotional side of the woman,” says Wallang. “I’ve noticed that a lot of girls between 18 and 25 experiment with this look. Those between 25 and 35 are usually more set in their ways and already have a defined personal style.”

Wearing masculine clothes does not mean you’re a tomboy. In fact, it has nothing to do with your sexuality. “A very ‘girly’ girl won’t want to experiment with a masculine wardrobe,” says Adajania. “It’s really your personality that decides whether you can carry off a watch with a big dial.”

Very petit women usually drown in oversized clothes. “And while some men like their women to be feminine, I personally feel that a woman with soft features wearing masculine clothes and the right accessories looks very, very sexy,” says Wallang.

Stylists agree that if you’re experimenting, you have to be confident. “If you’re not comfortable with what you’re wearing, it shows, and that kills the effort you’ve put into your outfit,” says Gupta. Adds Adajania: “The only way of knowing how you’re carrying off a new look is by gauging others’ reactions. For the most part, nobody really judges you on your day-to-day attire. If you try boyfriend pants, make sure that the rest of your look is about you.”