It is hard to say who wrote the rules of gendered fashion, but at Ball State, it is easy to see who breaks them. Ashleigh Bingham and Jaime Whitaker are two examples of gender-defying style.
Senior psychology major and self-proclaimed "madame of menswear," Bingham is no rookie in the world of menswear for women. Armed with a closet overflowing with blazers, vests and tailored trousers, Bingham is more than prepared to combat everyday gender stereotypes.
"This whole belief that being a female-gendered individual makes me feminine, frail and fragile just never suited me," Bingham said. "I'm not a dainty lady; I'm a dapper dame."
Attempting to be a dapper dame is a daunting task for many women who long to explore the world of menswear.
"It can be intimidating to do, but do it," Bingham said. "Buy a tie, hang it in your closet and wear it out one day that you're feeling sassy. You may get some looks and glances, but that's just because there aren't enough of us menswear madams out there. Start with more solid items, and when you feel more comfortable with those, venture out into different textiles and patterns."
Bingham's ensembles may look expensive but have a surprisingly thrifty price.
"Ninety percent of my clothing comes from second-hand stores like Goodwill and Attic Window," Bingham said. "The other 10 percent can be conveniently found on the racks of Banana Republic, The Gap and Kohl's."
Bingham's love for all things debonair goes far beyond Ball State's campus as she shares her love for sophisticated dressing through her Tumblr, i-dream-of-dapper. With almost a year's time and a thousand followers under her belt, Bingham has set out to shed light on unfamiliar way of dress.
"If you've ever taken a women's studies class, you'd know that visibility in the media is everything," Bingham said. "I look around and I don't see too many people around that dress like me. I originally sought out to find designers and other dapper dames who shared my love for our counterpart's clothing style. Since then, I've began blogging my own outfits to encourage others to see that it's not just high-fashion models or celebrities who can dare to be dapper."
Bingham had a final word of advice for all future madams of menswear and fashionistas in general.
"It's simple, dress like you do," Bingham said.
Whitaker, a junior theatre design and technology major, is not just the vice president of Spectrum, but a performer as well. Performing for Spectrum events as his drag queen persona, Avery Leigh Wirthmoore, Whitaker has an interesting perspective on women's fashion.
"Girls are good with fashion trends; they just need to know how to adapt them to their style," Whitaker said. "For instance, the scarf over a T-shirt works for every body type when styled correctly."
Whitaker also stressed the significance of accessories. He said shoes are his favorite add-on.
"In my opinion, shoes are everything," Whitaker said. "Although the styles change, the shoe will still be the make or break part of the outfit. It's almost like false eyelashes. No matter how good your make-up looks, if you have a crooked eyelash, you look bad. If you have an amazing outfit by pairing it with the wrong style of heel, pump, wedge or flats, it's going to look bad."
Though Whitaker does not wear women's clothes in an everyday sense, he does have advice for those who do.
"My character, Avery Leigh Wirthmoore, is a mix of glamour and punk," Whitaker said. "I love being sexy yet edgy at the same time."
To Whitaker, feeling sexy is one of the most important elements of fashion.
"I think that everyone has that one thing in their drawer or closet that makes them feel sexy," Whitaker said. "And when they put it on, it's a great day right from the start. If not, you need to find one. Everyone is always complaining about the way they look and making themselves feel ugly, instead of making themselves feel sexy, beautiful or handsome."
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