The fashion world is currently undergoing a full-scale genderless trend. One example of this is the growing reluctance among women to wear shoes previously considered "men's," such as lace-up shoes and chukka boots. Furthermore, chester coats and pantsuits have long been accepted by women. When it comes to the image of a woman who pulls off mannish fashion, cool, intelligent, and independent come to mind, but what exactly does that look like to men? We spoke to stylist Kota Tokaibayashi, who works both domestically and internationally in fashion magazines and on TV, on set. "It's true that in the fashion world, diversifying values and the growing interest in sharing wardrobes between men and women have led to an increase in gender-bending approaches. I'm good at gender-neutral styling myself, so I find this trend very interesting," Tokaibayashi says. He also noted that the 2015-16 Autumn/Winter collections of brands like GUCCI, Stella McCartney, and Jil Sander, which offered many gender-bending looks, left a strong impression. Tokaibayashi says that women who enjoy genderless fashion have a strong sense of individuality. "This goes for men as well, but Japanese people love fashion and are free-spirited enough to try out a variety of styles, so they know what suits them best. Japanese women, in particular, have a good sense of balance when it comes to size and length, so they're good at mixing and matching trends. I think fashion-conscious women are already incorporating genderless items, but for beginners, shoes are a good place to start." Tokaibayashi, who specializes in genderless coordination, collaborated with REGAL, which releases many menswear-inspired shoes, to offer styling suggestions using new items as examples.
"Regal's shoes are often basic and easy to wear. For example, the side-gore boots 'F30F' (32,000 yen, due to be released in late September) go well with trendy voluminous skirts and wide pants. The subdued colours make them a versatile boot that can be easily matched with anything. The casual 'F29F' (28,000 yen) without shoelaces creates a relaxed look when paired with a clean white shirt and three-quarter length pants. They also seem to go well with socks. The lace-up shoes 'F28F' (40,000 yen) can be easily paired with a dress, or tucked into pants. The crocodile-embossed 'F07F' (28,000 yen) are a bit difficult to wear, but by pairing them with a loose-fitting shirt or jacket and showing a little skin at the chest, I think you can create a feminine nuance." Now that trends have run their course and are said to have been exhausted, the final way to pull off a fresh style may be to cross gender lines. This fall, why not try pairing them with genderless shoes for a manly look?
[Profile: Tokaibayashi Kota]
He became independent in 2007. He is active across a wide range of genres, appearing in publications such as "NYLON JAPAN" and "Numero Tokyo," as well as styling for fashion magazines, TV shows, and artists both in Japan and overseas. His personal work includes "material portrait," a portrait of Asian models, and "TOKYO IT MODEL," a fashion story focused on Asia.
