I recently decided to do away with most of my hair. I was inspired by the pixie cuts of fashion's elite and an equally enticing desire to set myself apart from the long-haired Brazilian beauties of South Florida and the buxom blondes of the Midwest. As my stylist sheared my hair past the point of no return, I tried to maintain my blasé façade and was vehement in my attempt not to think about whether my face looked rounder and thus fatter as a result. After the snipping ceased and American Crew Fiber was raked through my newly sheared tresses, my first thought was of the striking resemblance I now bore to my brother, Jordan. The second was that my khaki pant/ nautical blue striped shirt combo had just lost its ranking as a smart style staple.
In order to preserve a bit of the sex appeal that now lay on the floor of the styling suite, I knew that I had to amp up my fashion selections by way of dramatic earrings, vibrant make-up, and vividly patterned miniskirts.I had never had so much fun with fashion experimentation. Each outfit looked strikingly different with my newly shorn mane and begged for unique accessories and details that highlighted my feminine attributes. My new obsession with femininity was initially exciting but eventually became somewhat of a hindrance. I came to feel as though I was dressing for others rather than myself. It was as if I were shouting to the world "I know that I have short hair, but I'm still a girl! See?!"
Slowly, I began to allow pants to re-infiltrate my wardrobe selection and even incorporated flats into my office attire. To my surprise, instead of feeling boyish, I felt even more feminine! Suddenly, my khaki pants and striped shirt looked utterly fab paired with my bare face and mussed locks. I felt unconquerable; my look was appealing and unsettling in the same breath. I had unlocked for myself the mysterious allure of androgyny which has been discovered and rediscovered again in times past.This liberation is neither masculine nor feminine but a blur of the happenings in between. Nowhere near revolutionary, this reoccurring trend sparks the fascination of style mavens with each generation. As we look to the past, we see reflections of ourselves in the familiar revolt from the expectations and institutions of the time. Now, it is our turn to to smudge the lines between the feminine and the masculine to create our own unique legacy in fashion history.
I actually bought Samuel this robot tie for Christmas several years ago with Ken's help. Somehow, it made its way into my closet several months ago. I'm not complaining.
Interview Magazine September 2008, Rad by Rad Hourani Collection #2
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