The Boffism Guide to Doing It Like A Dude

Dear Readers,

I don't mean to shock you with this statement but I have to declare that Jessie J isn't the only one who likes to 'do it like a dude'. I like it too. However, whilst dear old Jessie enjoys grabbing her crutch, drinking beer and rolling money like a pimp, I like to dress like a dude.

Androgyny, from 'andro-' meaning 'man' and 'gyn' meaning 'woman', denotes the tendency of mixing strong masculine and feminine traits. Androgyny has taken the fashion industry by storm, there's no denying that! 'Boyfriend looks' are set to be one of the dominant trends of A/W 2011-2012 as I described in my post about upcoming A/W trends.

Why I like it.
I like boys, a lot. I don't like including masculine details because I'm into girls, although there's nothing wrong with that, obviously! Anyway, there are other reasons why I like to do this, including the following:

• Androgyny makes a statement. Why fit in when you can stand out?
• Men's clothes are incredibly structured and I'm a sucker for structure and clean lines. Hello, boyfriend blazers!
• Warning: paradox ahead. I believe that a woman is more feminine when she's in touch with her masculine side. I understand that this might confuse many of you, but I strongly support this assertion. I'm convinced that a woman looks sexier in an edgy masculine tuxedo rather than in a red dress with a plunging neckline. This belief of mine also explains why I thank God for blessing me with a small chest: I have a better canvas for androgyny.

It takes two to tango

Excuse the cliché, but I just couldn't help myself. What do I mean by the tango expression? Simple. I'm not encouraging you to dress like a boy head to toe. The trick is to water down those harsh masculine details with softer feminine touches like a bright red lip, hoop earrings, lace details, sheer materials, pearls, a skirt or a statement ring. Look at Kirsten Dunst in the picture below. She wears a masculine inspired tuxedo and pairs it with a pair of high heels and large hoop earrings. The key is to include elements from both genders until they even each other out. Voilà!

Go shopping at men's stores

Whilst you can find plenty of male-inspired pieces in women's stores nowadays, you have to make an extra effort and explore the uncharted territories of men's clothing shops. Yes, be brave women! I know this can be a bit difficult at first. Shop assistants might look awkwardly at you when you try on something from the men's section, but you'll get used to it. Just think that those shop assistants are incredibly ugly by nature, they're not looking nastily at you! Go on, if you want to slay the dragon you have to go and hunt it down in its own cave.

Tips from a Seasoned Androgyny Lover 

I have a few tips that I can pass on to Androgyny newbies and to anyone who wants to experiment with this trend. There are a few go-to clothing items that instantly make your outfit more masculine. First up - and rather obvious - is the boyfriend blazer. All decent stores have boyfriend blazers and they come in all colours and sizes. Check out the stunning ASOS boyfriend blazer I've posted below! Many also like replacing their skinny jeans with a pair of boyfriend jeans, but personally, I avoid these jeans. I think they're very unflattering and I don't think I can pull them off. You're free to try them for yourself though!

The right type of accessories can increase the masculinity of your outfit drastically. Take braces for example. Paired with a simple white t-shirt and a pair of light-wash denim skinnies, braces can give an extra 'boyfriend' spice to your outfit. I also like to wear bow-ties with blouses or else I like to tie a piece of black ribbon to my blouse collars for that extra masculine touch. 

Another thing you could easily do is to ditch your girly ballerina flats for a pair of brogues, and guess what, they're comfortable anyway! I don't know why, but brogues remind me of naughty school boys so I tend to wear brogues if I want to androgynise a look (yes, I invented that verb. Blogger's licence). Are you going to wear a blouse? Then fasten all of your buttons, all the way up! Do it! That's the easiest injection of masculinity...no cleavage allowed. Personally, ladies with heavier chests should avoid doing this, because it looks wrong, very wrong. I'd rather have you flaunt what your mama gave you than trying to hide it.

Chinos also give a masculine flair to an outfit, even though they accentuate feminine curves impeccably. I included a pair of bright green chinos in the example set above. The 'masculine' elements are the chinos and the pair of brown brogues. In order to tone the harshness down, I chose a flowered vest, a pair of cat-eye sunglasses (nothing screams WOMAN like cat-eye sunnies) and a red bandana for your hair. Oh, and the Chinos' bright colour is more feminine than masculine, in my opinion. The above set is a playful combination of the pin-up look and tailored masculine cuts. I personally adore this. 

Androgyny rocks my socks. I like to get the best of both worlds. Suck on that Miley.

-B