The Liberation From The Male Gaze

When a woman wears men’s clothing, she is often, consciously, or unconsciously, stepping outside of the performative demands of femininity, think of Billie Eilish. Men’s clothing frees her from the tightness, the tailoring, the beauty expectations that often go with womenswear - this is not about rejecting femininity; it is about choosing comfort over performance.

Research by Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) shows that highly sexualised or restrictive clothing increases self-objectification, a constant awareness of the body from an outsider’s perspective. Men’s clothing, by contrast, offers psychological reprieve; the oversized silhouette removes the body from scrutiny, allowing the mind to rest. With it comes an immense freedom in being unobserved.