Zara's New Clothing Line: Ungendered But Not Uninspiring | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Zara's New Clothing Line: Ungendered But Not Uninspiring

White tees and good old blue jeans for he, she, you, and me.

34
Zara's New Clothing Line: Ungendered But Not Uninspiring
Zara

I love Zara. Always have, always will.

The Spanish clothing line makes trendy style affordable while still maintaining a fairly high quality of wear. I remember begging my parents at the young age of 14 to take a detour on our family trip in New York City so that I could go to the popular and renowned Zara. I still wish that this women’s closet haven was in my hometown, but since it doesn't look like that will be happening anytime soon, I will continue to take a deliberate trip to the store each time I am in its vicinity.

Last week Zara gave me another reason to profess my love to its fashion. Joining the movement of breaking down gender barriers, it released a new “ungendered” line of items.

The line includes unisex tees, tanks, sweatshirts, sweatpants, jeans, and shorts. The pieces are photographed on both male and female models, reemphasizing the lack of division in the clothing. And as a bonus-- its all under $50.

So why this move on Zara's part? The answer is simple: us. It’s me and you.

Millennials are calling for this change with their mindset of open-mindedness and acceptance. In our minds, there is no binary gender system. So why should there be binary clothing? It’s all on a spectrum.

Zara is not the first to make this progressive move. Selfridges already released an Agender line, and of course – American Apparel has been far ahead of the game for some time now. You may have also seen this trend coming on with Jaden Smith rocking womenswear in the Louis Vuitton ad.

But the gender-neutral clothing breakthrough is about so much more than just a fashion trend on the runways. It is the beginning of an ongoing revolution in the way society thinks about the relationship between clothing and identity.

The clothing is basic, minimalistic, and there are about 10 items. So while some individuals are praising the brand for this release, some are quite frustrated with it. Twitter users are calling the clothing "ugly sweatshirts for skinny white people" or “male coded loungewear” and question why this ungendered clothing line is even considered a bold move.

Fashion guru Dolce Vita says: “On one hand, genderless lines in the mainstream encourage everyone to accept more diverse forms of gender expression, which creates positive change for the queer community. On the other, the industry seems focused on masculine style for all genders, erasing femme identities and perpetuating a standard that femininity is still very narrowly defined and only acceptable for a limited scope of identities.”

So is Zara's androgynous clothing a clever marketing move? Or a positive step in non-binary acceptance?

While other queer-owned brands have been doing genderless style for years, it should be noted that Zara is the first major high-street brand to do so. And they deserve some credit for that. This small step is part of a larger movement toward gender fluidity in the mainstream, and the goal to please all people comes with its challenges. Biologically, male and female bodies are different, so addressing that fact while also pleasing us vibrant millennials is not an easy go.

I say kudos to Zara for catering it its customers. It is acknowledging and celebrating the existence of non-binary individuals. And with stores all across the world, their message has a massive global reach.

We'll wait to see what other brands have in store for us in the near future. Target is set to release its own genderless clothing line next summer. Floral kimonos and dresses for all? I sure hope so.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

637610
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

531947
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments