
Gender inequality is disrupting today's society. Modern women are not granted equal rights as men. They are considered to be of lower standard and are commonly denied positions of power because of their gender. How women dress communicates their gender role, "society's concept of how  ...  women are expected to act and behave" (Boundless). Masculine and feminine gender roles differ in many ways, specifically in terms of equality. Consequently, dress defines the societal norm of inequality that exists between males and females. For example, Juicy Couture is a high-end brand that specializes in glamorous clothes and accessories for women and girls. Juicy Couture's lavish use of rhinestones and the slim cut fit of their clothes embody feminine characteristics. As a comparison, Brooks Brothers is known for having clothes that define an original American gentleman. Both of these high-end companies exemplify the different gender characteristics illustrated by dress. The fashion industry should promote the gender blur because the marketing, design, and promotion departments have the power to create a new social norm of gender equality and gender-neutrality results in happiness. 

The gender blur is disrupting the social norm of gender inequality. According to Ruth La Ferla, the fashion industry is experiencing a gender blur; "a narrowing of the sexual divide  ...  between conventionally feminine and masculine clothes". Fashion is blurring the lines that define specific gender roles in society. This is largely because of the "growing equality of sex roles in the home, family, and workforce" (Inglehart). More men are doing more of the domestic chores and raising children instead of solely working at an office to provide for a family. In contrast, increasing numbers of women are entering the workforce rather than being limited to the role of a housewife and a mother. Males and females are modeling opposite gender roles. Sometimes, people act and behave according to a combination of each gender role. The gender-neutral clothes worn illustrate the blurred perception of "gender-specific behaviors" (Boundless). The fashion industry has the power to create a social norm of gender equality by encouraging the gender blur. The industry consists of three main departments that have to power to do so.

First, the fashion industry must use the marketing department to define the target consumer that will embrace the "gender-neutral" (Ferla) perception. It is the role of the marketing department to define the consumer, understand their needs, and strategize ways to satisfy them. Women have always been considered major consumers of luxury fashion. As a result of the current growing equality between sex roles, men are increasingly becoming major consumers. Research that shows males are focusing "more on their bodies, fashion and personal style" (Lertwannawit) proves that gender-specific behaviors are being blurred, in terms of consumerism. The fashion industry is appealing to a wide target market, consisting of males and females, who have a demand for clothing that does not define one gender over another. In other words, clothes that embody the gender blur. Marketing managers in the industry develop marketing strategies to satisfy the demand for "gender-fluid fashion" (Ferla). These strategies involve adjusting the marketing mix to best fit the customer's needs. A key component of the marketing mix is the product. The product of the fashion industry refers to the clothes and accessories worn by individuals that express the cultural norms. It is important to focus on appealing to the needs target customer in order to satisfy their demand. 

The design department of the fashion industry is then responsible for creating the supply that matches the demand of the customers. Fashion design is driven by the attitudes of the consumers. Laura Weir, author of "Equal Opportunity", explains that the shift in fashion towards a more gender-neutral way of dress is motivated by society's encouragement of "freedom of expression for men and women". Vogue's Spring 2016 Trend Report reiterates the same point stating that "now is the time to embrace an expansive attitude".  Consumers are becoming more open to the fact that gender lines are being blurred. The fashion industry designs a new "wardrobe to reflect the new mood" (Weir). Designers interpret the unconventional attitude and embody "a widening acceptance of style with no boundaries" (Ferla) in their designs. The designs are not strictly limited to either masculine or feminine characteristics; rather they blend both gender characteristics together. Unisex clothing is a result of the "gender-neutral" (Ferla) attitude. Major fashion brands like J. Crew, Givenchy, and Burberry are producing unisex styles and showing them off on the runways. Some key "gender-neurtal" (Ferla) pieces that are popular among millennials include boyfriend fit jeans, Yeezys, an oversized white t-shirt, and a relaxed fit blazer. These key pieces have become so popular because they are heavily promoted. 

The fashion industry's promotion department has the power to influence customer buying behavior and direct consumer attention to "gender-fluid fashion" (Ferla). Promotional tools, such as advertising and publicity, are used to attract and persuade consumers to buy clothes that exemplify the gender blur. The industry's promotion efforts introduce non gender-specific clothing into a consumer's "structure of social networks" (Jannssen). Now-a-days individual's social networks exist through mass media. Once popularity of the clothing trend generates across the mass media, it influences consumers' purchase decisions. Effective promotion is likely to convince buyers that they should model the gender blur because the advertised clothing satisfies their fashion needs. Consequently, promotion is a measure of the impact the gender blur has on defining gender roles. "Gender and Sociology" by Boundless explains that "gender roles are based on norms, or standards, created by society". The socialization process describes how gender roles are learned based on the socially constructed associations (Boundless).  This process occurs through four main agents; family, education, peer groups, and mass media. According to Boundless, "Each agent reinforces gender roles by creating and maintaining normative expectations for gender-specific behavior". As a major agent that reinforces the gender roles, the mass media should be used as a promotional tool in the fashion industry to encourage gender equality. The mass media's portrayal of gender-blurred clothing creates a social expectation that people do not have to be gender defined by what they wear. 

Mary Higgins, author of "Definition and Classification of Dress: Implications for Analysis of Gender Roles", presents an opposing argument. She argues that fashion defines gender specific roles. By her own definition, dress is "a comprehensive term to identify both direct body changes and items added to the body  ...  displayed by a person in communicating with other human beings" (Higgins 15). Dress is a way for individuals to communicate "socially constructed, gendered meanings" (Higgins 15), masculine or feminine, to others. For example, the tailored fit of men's pants to accommodate for their genitals indicates a masculine meaning (Higgins 15). According to Higgins, "specific types of dress  ...  communicate gender differentiations that have consequences for the behavior of females and males throughout their lives" (8). The way in which an individual dresses mirrors how they act and behave in society. Therefore, dress has the power to define gender roles. The classification system that is constructed in table 1.1 shows a range in types of dress and "allows us to provide a method for accurately describing types of dress that relate to gender roles and other social roles" (Higgins 16). The table presents properties such as color, shape and structure, surface design, and texture. 

Manipulating the properties in the classification system allows people to "communicate their personal characteristics, including the important distinctions of gender" (Higgins 16). The classification system illustrates visually recorded properties of dress, leading us to "expect the visual stimuli of dress to outweigh the impact of other sensory stimuli  ...  in establishing gender identity" (Higgins 17). Dress provides a visual and physical distinction between opposite sex roles. According to Polhemus (1989), the distinction of dress communicates a message that "is not easily translatable into words" (Higgins 17). Society has instilled gender specific roles for males and females. These socially constructed roles are implied in the way a person dresses. An individual can understand the "rules regarding  ...  gender roles" (Higgins 17) by observing the characteristics of dress worn by other human beings. The author's argument is that "gender-symbolic dress encourages others to attribute masculine or feminine gender and act on the basis of these attributions" (Higgins 17). It also encourages everyone to internalize the gender roles as a "set of social expectations for behavior" (Higgins 19). Dressing according to a distinct gender represents a social structure that emphasizes gender inequality. 

However, by promoting "gender-neural" (Ferla) clothing, the fashion industry is creating a social expectation of gender equality. Because the fashion gender blur does not distinguish a separation between gender roles, it is encouraging a social standard of gender equality. Instead of the clothes representing an individual's gender role, the clothes reflect their role in society. YouTube sensation, Tyler Oakley, exemplifies this shift in society. Tyler's sexuality as a gay man has the potential to limit his role in society. Yet, he is a very influential person among the Internet world. His gender-blurred style allows his role in society to define him, not the way he dresses. On February 27, 2014, Tyler met with President Obama to discuss "an open dialogue between the Oval Office and outstanding members of the Youtube community" (Cohen). Tyler Oakley's meeting with President Obama exemplifies how the gender blur does not restrict anyone to a certain gender-specific behavior. Instead, it prompts individuals to defy the social standards that come as a result of masculine and feminine roles. The fashion industry is creating a socially constructed association between the gender blur and social equality. That association becomes the new social norm that is inclusive to everyone. "Gender-fluid fashion" (Ferla) makes both males and females feel like they have a rightful place in society.

Individuals who feel like they belong in society are more likely to reach self-actualization. People "experience a sense of belongingness when consuming the same product as their friends, peers, and family" (Jannssen). The gender blur allows different consumers to purchase the same types of clothing and therefore, it satisfies the consumer's need to feel they belong in society. The idea of satisfying human needs in order of priority and ultimately reaching a state of self-actualization is credited to Abraham Harold Maslow, an American psychologist. Human needs, starting with basic physiological needs, are formatted in the hierarchy of needs. Maslow's research in 1954 describes how people need to satisfy their "need for 'identity'" (Jannssen). Non gender-specific clothing identifies a gender-neutral society. When people feel like they belong in a gender-neutral society, they satisfy the need for self-esteem according to Maslow. At this level, people feel accepted and valued by others. People then progress to the "level of motivational development" (Maslow) where they are said to be examining self-actualization. When people achieve self-actualization, they are believed to be reaching their fullest potential and discovering true happiness. Maslow's theory outlined the "difference between striving (doing, coping, achieving, trying, purposiveness) and becoming (existing, expressing, growing, self-actualization)" (Maslow). The difference between striving to be an equal society consisting of and becoming this type of society is the fashion industry's encouragement of the gender blur.

The fashion industry should promote the gender blur in order to promote gender equality in society. The gender blur does not make clear distinctions between sex roles. Instead it blurs the line between tradition masculine and feminine societal roles illustrated in fashion. A "gender-neutral" (Ferla) society is more likely to consist of happy citizens because each individual experiences a sense of belongingness. Satisfying people's need to belong allows people to satisfy the next level of needs on the hierarchy of needs, which is presented in Maslow's research. Ultimately, consumers that model "gender-fluid fashion" (Ferla) are more likely to reach the state of self-actualization and reach their fullest potential. However, not all consumers are going to be affected by the gender blur. Some individuals communicate "socially constructed, gendered meanings" (Higgins 15) in the way that they dress. It is inevitable that the fashion industry will continue to design and promote clothes that define specific gender behavior. The risk in promoting the gender blur involves the consumers who will not adopt the "gender-neutral" (Ferla) attitude. Losing that group of consumers could result in a loss of sales, a loss in profit, or an increased amount of unsatisfied customers. Even if the fashion industry's efforts do not appeal to everyone, the marketing, design, and promotion departments have the power to change the social standard that comes with dress. Taking action to promote the gender blur has the potential to change the social norm from gender inequality to gender equality.

