While the year 2015 makes a swift shift in terms of developments, from A/W ’15-16 to S/S ’16, the fashion world is also besotted by the beautiful couture creations on display by designers. Being a decidedly less-dramatically-designed garment amongst everything else ‘the boyfriend shirt’ is slowly and steadily again becoming the casual silhouette of the summers and is gathering all the attention. Fashion experts are clearly noticing a preponderance of this relaxed and de-stressed fashion-forward look becoming popular amidst the ladies, similar to the scenario a few years ago. Whether it’s an extra-long striped selection or a cool collared choice, this generously cut men’s shirt is the ultimate style for a laid-back summer…
The origin of boyfriend fashion came from the habit of borrowing and wearing a boyfriend’s clothes – his distressed jeans, his band Tees, his dress shirts, his blazers, his cardigan. The trend expanded when many brands such as Gap, Forever 21, and H&M began to create boyfriend fashion products or men’s-inspired fashion, as a category within womenswear. After all, a well-crafted piece of menswear always adds a little androgyny and power to an ensemble, while the easy-going shape is perfect for those who have an insouciant attitude when it comes to their wardrobes. Agreeing with the statement completely, Faraaz Petiwala, Proprietor, Nikhaar Creations shared, “Fashion is changing from time to time. Even in India, traditional outfits have changed to Indo-Western wear with variety of styles and looks, and now we are noticing an influx of male-influenced styles in womenswear segment.”
Another desirable element of this particular piece is that even amidst a celeb-centric fashion moment, it doesn’t feel faddish. On the contrary, the button-up shirt is both timeless and versatile; it will look sharp over a bikini or paired with satin cocktail shorts. This silhouette along with a relaxed attitude brings with it a hint of androgyny. Many designers like Abraham &Thakore and Sneha Arora had oversized shirts as an element in their collection this season, whereas Bodice had this element as its highlight. Boyish shoes with boyfriend shirts and blazers, is predicted to rule most wardrobes this season.
The characteristic feature of a boyfriend shirt is its length and fit. A boyfriend shirt should be long enough to be worn as a dress, with bare legs or tights and still should fit reasonably well around the shoulders. If your shirt is long but fitted, it can be crispier, while a more oversized shirt will sit better if made with a lighter fabric, like light weights rayons and cottons. Even as many exporters are busy adding their individual elements to this silhouette, there are only a few exporters who have shifted their focus from the construction to the fabric and pattern. Pushpa Shahi, Senior Merchandiser, Creatnet Services throwing light on their collection, which is in line with the trend, says, “Fabrics such as cotton, cambric, poplin and viscose modal are present in our womenswear pieces and we are also playing with typical men’s patterns like plaid and pinstripes.”
The shirt can be very well put together as a layer over a fitted dress or as a cover up over a bikini. Apart from this, the growing demand for the shirts is making retailers plan to expand into unisex wear for S/S 2016. “Women buying menswear is a growing trend, as women are looking to de-gender their style. Female customers nowadays are more interested in masculine aesthetic and seeking out for a true menswear fit – for which the perfect example is the ‘boyfriend’ shirt,” states, Gausal Khan, Assistant Designer, Donear Suiting & Shirtings.
Unisex fashion today has become so appealing and relevant because of two main reasons: First, it eschews other surrounding trends completely or literally overshadows them; and second, it is being used as a means of self-expression, which encourages the wearer to experiment with their personal style without being bounded by the constraints of gender. As a result of this, the female population starts to indulge more into buying boyfriend shirts of different styles and to cater to the requirement of varied designs in the same style, exporters and shirt manufacturers keep on innovating at their end to provide women in each age group, something of their taste and sensibility. “We are doing a lot of shirts for our Spring collection in cotton and cambric. Geometric prints, patchwork, mix-and-match and using two-three different prints in one garment is what is getting picked up by our buyers,” shares Pankaj Sanon, Manager, A.P. Handicrafts. He seemed satisfied with the category and its growing demand in the market, showing a desire to explore it further.
The characteristic feature of a boyfriend shirt is its length and fit. A boyfriend shirt should be long enough to be worn as a dress, with bare legs or tights and still should fit reasonably well around the shoulders.
Though the market together gives out a positive feel towards this style being a trend staple, there is a group of exporters who feel that boyfriend shirts are still on the backseat in comparison to the fitted version. Explaining further, Jaikishan Chhaproo, Merchandising Manager, Jostars Orgotech Pvt. Ltd. (Bhawani Shankar Impex), exporter of readymade menswear, womenswear and kidswear tops said, “For us fitted check styles are still doing the best, followed by prints and embroidered shirts. Loose fit shirts are in the men’s segment and we have not received any enquiry towards transforming the men’s shirt into a women’s. Women wanting to wear a loose version can anytime buy a bigger size and be with the trend. But the requirement of making a bigger silhouette in the original given size has not occurred to us yet.”
Though, with the shaking up of traditional notions of masculinity with dungarees, shirts and crisp trousers, the future of womenswear is looking more towards the masculine side, not everyone is clued in. As men and women continue to share their clothes, one acknowledges unisex as more of a ‘boyfriend fit’ trend, where a woman has the liberty to wear the boyfriend shirt in any way she wants.
