7 Menswear Brands And Clothes That Always Look Surprisingly Good On Women
In light of the HeForShe campaign that Emma Watson so poignantly introduced at the U.N. this past weekend, I thought it only natural that we delve into the sartorial world of HeforShe.
By 
Rachel Hodin
There are some things that this blending of menswear and womenswear has brought to light that I’d rather not know — for instance that my friend Marc looks better in my dresses than I do. But barring that, it’s a necessary transition that I’ve accepted with open arms.
Because now not only do I have the option of borrowing clothes from Chris; the mere prospect of the straight men in my life waking up only to lace up some lung-constricting corsets has me feeling giddy.
The categories here are twofold: one, clothes that are technically menswear, but look just as good (if not better) on women. And two, menswear brands that have heretofore been pretty masculine, venturing into womenswear.
1. Gosha Rubchinskiy.
They’re technically a menswear brand, but the clothes are visibly gender neutral. The Russian brand is inspired by Russian street skaters and 1980s sportswear and, as a testament to how well they’ve done so far, they’re already financially backed by Comme des Garçons.
2. Christopher Shannon.
Like so many other London-based fashion designers, Shannon graduated from Central Saint Martins, where he actually studied under Louise Wilson, the adored late professor who Christopher Kane used as his inspiration for the Spring/Summer 2015 collection he just showed. His clothes are inspired by streetwear and sportswear, with lots of different prints interspersed with unexpected, feminine trimmings.
He presented his first menswear collection around 2011, and just recently released his first womenswear line. The womenswear collection is inspired by British culture and documentary photographers, and includes graphics made by John Booth. Peep some snaps from the lookbook below:
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3. Slacks.
I’d like to dedicate this one to the older boys on my school bus who told me, when I was in 7th grade, that my jeans should be tighter.
This year, for his Spring/Summer 2015 collection, Alexander Wang reminded us just how good women look in slacks.
4. Hood By Air.
Everyone’s been sucking the teat of this cult streetwear brand, and so it’s no surprise that they’ve been able to garner some extra cash. And this year they used it towards their first womenswear line. The HBA logo still figured prominently except this time on dresses made of leather and fastened together by zippers. The classic office suit was re-imagined and fetishized, with pants once again deemed as unnecessary. Well, pants sewn to completion at least.
You can see the new womenswear collection here:
5. Supreme.
You could say it’s the streetwear labels that helped spearhead HeforShe clothes. And of all the labels out there, Supreme is streetwear par excellence. Started in 1994, it emerged years before the recent influx of streetwear brands. And the range of artists they’ve collaborated with over the years is unmatched. They’ve even done a collaboration with David Lynch.
6. Shaun Samson.
Shaun Samson is a truly talented designers; he’s fuzed various sweaters, wools, and plaid fabrics together in a seamless way that no other designer has ever done before. He’s known for his oversized garments and attention to fabric and craft. A full Shaun Samson look is a bit reminiscent of the “All The Young Dudes” scene in Clueless; the clothes have a real ’90s feel to them. And they look exceptionally good on women when contrasted with something exceedingly feminine or girly like a crop top.
7. Varsity letter jackets.
All varsity jackets look remarkably good on women — sometimes better than on men, in my honest opinion. Of all the varsity jackets out there, Hedi Slimane has made some of the best for Saint Laurent. But the varsity jacket has also crept into womenswear, with varsity details materializing all over the womenswear runways as of late. Mother of Pearl added the signature striped varsity collar and hems to some of their pieces. And in an ode to the letter jacket, Rochas stamped an “R” all over her impeccable Spring/Summer ’15 collection. 
