When you hear the phrase “gender-bending” or “cross-dressing”, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Mrs. Doubtfire, not celebrities’ red carpet attire. We are seeing more and more female celebrities trading their couture gowns for corporate garb. Maybe they are tired of dealing with uncomfortable dresses that often require Spanx and double-sided tape in order for the dress to fit just right, or simply stay on their bodies.
Annalynne McCord may be giving Avril Lavigne a shout-out here with sporting a men’s tie; a look that first took place in a 1970's Vogue spread about women in the workforce. More and more women were entering getting office jobs, trading in their housewife aprons for power suits. Women felt that wearing a suit, even if it was feminized, gave them a sense of gender equality. Now, in the twenty-first century, this idea is still relevant. Avril Lavigne explained in an interview that she made the men's tie her signature look because she felt it was a way of subverting male dominance. This look worked out for Avril because it became her signature and our generation associated the work tie with a young, female singer rather than the generic businessman.
Annalynne McCord is not promoting anything with the office look in this instance. She looks awkward and out of place, not empowered or even comfortable. Women sporting a power suit or even elements of the men's suit can be chic and powerful, but not in this case. Annalynne's outfit proves that the business suit is almost never red carpet appropriate, no matter how far the sleeves of her blouse stick out.
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