Having worked several retail jobs in my life, I’ve learned a few things about clothing. One thing I’ve especially picked up on is the difference between men’s and women’s clothing. While womenswear often caters to more trendy styles, menswear tends to stick to the basics. In my experience, it also tends to be higher quality, softer, more durable- the list goes on.

So why is it so uncommon for women to venture into the men’s section when purchasing clothing? Androgyny is becoming more and more mainstream, but as a sales associate I still rarely saw women venture into the men’s section, and vice versa. In reality, being able to purchase clothing because you like it, not just because of the gendered section it’s sorted into, opens up a whole new world of possibilities for both men and women.

For this outfit, the menswear piece I chose to style was the button-down shirt. While I appreciate a good androgynous look, that’s not completely my style, so I wanted to make sure I was able to style this men’s piece in a way that was still feminine. I chose to style this look with a black lacy bralette, high-waisted mom denim shorts, and gold accessories to balance out the masculinity of the men’s shirt. I also chose to partially tuck in my shirt to add visual interest with a faux asymmetric hemline.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Necklace: Initial Letter Pendant Necklace – Amazon
Top: Striped Shirt (similar)
Bralette: Black Lace Bralette (similar)
Shorts: Denim High-Waist Cuff Shorts – American Apparel
Belt: Black Belt with Rectangle Buckle (similar)
Purse: The Envelope Crossbody – JW PEI
Shoes: Disruptor Sneaker – Fila

Shoutout to my old coworker Mikey for being the inspiration behind my half-tucked shirt! I loved this style last summer but totally forgot about it until I saw him rocking it one day at work. If you’re not following him on Instagram, you should be- he’s a thrift and vintage stylist and a total fashion icon!

-K