Clothes for Every Body

Andy Reilly, in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, was consulted for a recent article in the PBS News Hour about new clothing manufacturers who are targeting a wider range of consumers, including those who are transgender or have another less traditional gender presentation or lack thereof. 

As the article explains, “Andrew Reilly, … who researches fashion and gender, notes that clothing tends to be used to hide, reveal or shape certain parts of the body.” This means that it “can be used to affirm transgender people’s gender identity” in a positive way as well as to ameliorate gender dysmorphia. 

Some of the pieces the designers are offering include nude-colored chest binders, smaller-sized men’s or larger-sized women’s shoes, and clothing with bust or hip padding. Read the full article.