Nonbinary Style
How to Perfect a Nonbinary Style
Creating a nonbinary style can be tricky if it does not come naturally and is a look that you are creating from scratch.
Feeling confident is important for us all, but for those of us who are nonbinary, it can be something much more significant. When you look the way you want to look, it feels like more people are noticing you and acknowledging your presence and contribution.
We know how hard it can be to find inspiration when trying to create your own nonbinary style. So we’ve put together this list of some of our favorite styling tips for those who want their clothes and looks to represent themselves. Read on to learn more!
Pros and Cons of "Gender-Neutral Clothing"
Before we do a deep dive into perfecting your nonbinary fashion, it’s important to have a discussion about gender-neutral clothing. As our visibility and acceptance have grown more mainstream, more brands are beginning to offer clothes that they call “gender-neutral.”
And this is a good thing! It shows that people are really thinking and talking about inclusivity (and that they see us as a demographic that matters). But the actual clothes in reality can sometimes really fall short.
How many nonbinary people do you know that enjoy dressing in beige, completely androgynous clothing? Probably not very many. But this seems to be what the fashion industry considers “nonbinary” at this point in time.
While it’s nice that these garments can be worn by people of many different body types, the fact of the matter is that a lot of them look like brown paper sacks. For something so centered on self-expression, many of the gender-neutral clothing options are incredibly boring.
Another downside to the gender-neutral clothing push is that by defining a certain look for nonbinary people, it assumes that we all wish to dress the same. It dictates a specific nonbinary “look,” which can toe dangerously close to making nonbinary its own gender.
Why Is "Gender-Inclusive" Better?
After the initial wave of androgynous, gender-neutral clothing, some companies seem to have gotten the message that we don’t want to dress in hospital gowns.
Some brands have begun to offer their clothing items in gender-inclusive fits and styles. This means that the clothes are not designed particularly for a more masculine or feminine body type, and can look good on a wide range of bodies and sizes.
This opens up a lot more fashion doors. No longer do you have to skip a cool button-down because it’s too tight in certain spots and too loose in others. By carefully designing a pattern, it is indeed possible to make garments that fit a larger range of body types.
So when you are shopping for nonbinary or gender fluid clothing, look for brands that label themselves as gender-inclusive. This means that time and care have been taken to design a garment that is not limited to the men’s or women’s section but can be worn by anyone.
More mainstream fashion brands often use the term “unisex.” This can be very hit or miss. Some unisex clothing is actually designed in a gender-inclusive way, while other garments are just baggy menswear that has been rebranded.
How Can You Make Your Style More Nonbinary?
Part of the joy of being nonbinary is wearing whatever you want, regardless of the gender listed on the label. Don’t fall into the line of thinking that there is a specific way to dress nonbinary.
If you are just getting started exploring your own nonbinary fashion, there’s really no right or wrong way to do things. The downside is that there’s also an overwhelming amount of options out there.
Ultimately, there is no clear definition of nonbinary. That’s the whole point. If you are nonbinary, whatever you wear will be as well.
This means that the whole spectrum of masculine, feminine, and everything in between and beyond is open to you for experimentation. It will take some trial and error to figure out your personal style, but that’s part of the fun!
Shopping for Nonbinary Clothes In A Binary World
Unfortunately, even with more brands offering gender-inclusive clothing, we live in a largely binary world. At a typical store, you get to choose between “men’s” and “women’s” clothing. You might get lucky and have a “unisex” option as well (three sweatshirts and some t-shirts, usually).
This necessitates some ingenuity and resourcefulness on your part. Buy clothes from either side of the aisle, and either make alterations yourself or make good friends with a tailor.
This way, you can wear whatever items of clothing you want without them fitting badly. If you enjoy sewing, you may even want to consider making your own clothes. You can also get bespoke clothing made for your measurements, although this can get expensive.
Honing In On Your Nonbinary Style
At the beginning of your style journey, you may find the fashion world overwhelming. There’s so much to take in with color theory and textures and patterns, after all.
However, it’s very easy to find things that suit your personal style if you follow a few simple rules. Let’s dive deeper.
Start With an Aesthetic or Reference
What is your personal style? Do you have a reference point that you can use to start building your wardrobe?
A lot of people don’t know what their personal style is. And that’s okay! It’s not something that should be forced or rushed. It takes time and it takes patience.
The best way to find out what your personal style is is by experimenting with different aesthetics and seeing what you like the most. The easiest way to do this would be through fashion references.
For example, if you like the look of a dress from a certain brand, go on their website or Instagram and check out their other dresses too! A lot of brands will have similar styles so it’ll give you an idea of what might work for your body type and personality too.
You can also work with a particular aesthetic, such as minimalism or late-90s rave culture. This is a really fun way to blend in cultural references with your own personal style.
Play With Color
Color is a crucial element of fashion. There are many theories on how to use color to your advantage.
Do you know your season? If you don’t even know what that means, fret not. A seasonal color quiz takes into account your skin tone, hair, and personal preferences to give you guidelines on the colors that will look best on you.
From there, it’s very fun to start playing around with color in your personal style. If you look good in jewel tones, try having one piece of your outfit in a bright jewel tone, and the rest in neutrals or black and grey.
You could also dress in a monochromatic outfit, which means that every piece of clothing is from the same color family such as blue. This can be as bold or subdued as you want.
You can also use complementary colors to your advantage. Mixing blues and greens, for example, will still look very cohesive.
Or maybe you don’t want your colors to be cohesive. That’s valid too! In fact, clashing colors lead us into our next section.
Power Clashing
Power clashing is the fine art of combining patterns, colors, and textures that do not typically go together. And nonbinary people seem to excel at power clashing more than most.
Power clashing, like gender and sexuality, moves on a spectrum. You can clash just a little, with a polka dot shirt under a plaid top. Or you can clash a lot, with neon glitter spandex and zebra print velvet.
By definition, there is really no wrong way to do power clashing. But it definitely takes an eye for fashion to make it look good and not unhinged. If “unhinged” is your personal aesthetic, then by all means!
Accessorizing
Accessories are the key to finishing off your outfit. They can be used to make a statement, or they can be used to complement what you are wearing. Accessories are also a way of expressing yourself and your style.
The first thing you should know about accessorizing is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. You don’t need a ton of items in order for it to work, just one or two pieces that compliment each other well can do the trick!
By cultivating a personal collection of unique accessories, you can dress up any outfit to match your personal style.
Dress for the Occasion
Dressing appropriately for different occasions is a challenge for many people. This is especially true for those who are nonbinary, as sometimes the more playful or expressive clothes may not be the best fit for a workplace or event.
It gets even more difficult when dealing with settings that may not be as inclusive and welcoming of nonbinary folks as we would like. So how do you still express your style without causing waves?
First, you should always be aware of what is appropriate or not for any given setting. Business casual does not mean sweatpants or messy, unkempt clothing.
Have a few staple pieces for each “level” of dress. For formal wear, for example, having some nice tailored suit pieces that you can blend with other items like skirts or tops goes a long way.
Finally, remember that it’s ok to bend some of the traditional fashion rules from time to time. If you wear something with confidence, people will often not even notice that it’s not typical clothing for that kind of event.
Cultivating a Nonbinary Style
Finding your own style as a nonbinary person can be challenging. There’s really no roadmap to follow, and there’s no such thing as a monolithic nonbinary fashion.
For more helpful tips and advice on crafting a nonbinary or gender fluid style, Best Genderless has you covered! Check back with us for more useful articles such as this one, and please contact us if you have any questions or need support!