How to Gender Bend
Dress the part., Style your hair in a way that is unusual for your sex., Experiment with accessories., Play with other forms of appearance.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Dress the part.
The goal is not necessarily to change your look so much that a stranger on the street would think that you are a sex that you are totally male or female.
Instead, gender bending is about presenting both masculinity and femininity together at the same time.
Someone that is successfully gender bending may make a stranger do a double take because the stranger can't figure out the person's sex with just a quick glance.
This means that bending your gender can be as simple as wearing a dress if you are a man or wearing a men's suit if you are a woman.
It could also mean wearing a mixture of feminine and masculine clothing at the same time.
For example, a men's shirt and tie paired with a skirt. -
Step 2: Style your hair in a way that is unusual for your sex.
This could include a buzz cut for a woman, or past shoulder length hair for a man.
This could include a haircut or just the way that your hair is styled.
There are some hairstyles that work well for traditionally gendered men and women, such as a short pixie cut.These hairstyles may be a good idea for someone who likes to play with gender, as you can use simple style changes to play with masculinity and femininity. , Contrast can be a lot of fun.
Wearing a feminine dress with a thick leather belt and combat boots, or wearing a conventionally masculine outfit with feminine jewelry is classic gender bending.
Wear shoes that those of your same sex would not usually wear.
Clearly, the most obvious example would be a man wearing high heels.
You can also try wearing feminine hair accessories if you are a man. , If you identify as a man but want to bend your gender, try wearing makeup.
If you identify as a woman but want to play with gender, try growing out your body hair, whether it be your legs, armpits, or facial hair.
Facial hair, in particular, on an otherwise feminine presenting person, can really give "mixed" gender signals.
Makeup can be used in a wide variety of ways.
Traditionally, many people highlight their eyes with eye shadow, their lips with lipstick, and their cheeks with rouge, however you can also use it in totally untraditional ways if you like.
You can use small amounts or you can cover your face in it! -
Step 3: Experiment with accessories.
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Step 4: Play with other forms of appearance.
Detailed Guide
The goal is not necessarily to change your look so much that a stranger on the street would think that you are a sex that you are totally male or female.
Instead, gender bending is about presenting both masculinity and femininity together at the same time.
Someone that is successfully gender bending may make a stranger do a double take because the stranger can't figure out the person's sex with just a quick glance.
This means that bending your gender can be as simple as wearing a dress if you are a man or wearing a men's suit if you are a woman.
It could also mean wearing a mixture of feminine and masculine clothing at the same time.
For example, a men's shirt and tie paired with a skirt.
This could include a buzz cut for a woman, or past shoulder length hair for a man.
This could include a haircut or just the way that your hair is styled.
There are some hairstyles that work well for traditionally gendered men and women, such as a short pixie cut.These hairstyles may be a good idea for someone who likes to play with gender, as you can use simple style changes to play with masculinity and femininity. , Contrast can be a lot of fun.
Wearing a feminine dress with a thick leather belt and combat boots, or wearing a conventionally masculine outfit with feminine jewelry is classic gender bending.
Wear shoes that those of your same sex would not usually wear.
Clearly, the most obvious example would be a man wearing high heels.
You can also try wearing feminine hair accessories if you are a man. , If you identify as a man but want to bend your gender, try wearing makeup.
If you identify as a woman but want to play with gender, try growing out your body hair, whether it be your legs, armpits, or facial hair.
Facial hair, in particular, on an otherwise feminine presenting person, can really give "mixed" gender signals.
Makeup can be used in a wide variety of ways.
Traditionally, many people highlight their eyes with eye shadow, their lips with lipstick, and their cheeks with rouge, however you can also use it in totally untraditional ways if you like.
You can use small amounts or you can cover your face in it!
About the Author
Judy Alvarez
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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