I'm going to bite the bullet and proclaim this an emergent trend. It's a combination of romance and cynicism. It's ironic, irreverant, and progressive. It's a postmodern stab at gender roles in fashion & it's quite exciting, I think.
Examples:
- the extreme femininity belies a deadly edge at Rodarte
- the Edwardian vibe at Ruffian: decadent and sinister
- Rag & Bone's hardened, sharp take on unisexual daywear.
It isn't about one prevalent style or a specific dichotomy (it's not only about menswear for women etc). Wherever there is a juxtaposition of two diametrically opposing trends (soft & hard, most broadly), a certain social context is created and mood cast, and that's what this thread tries to address. Most of the garments here are impeccably crafted but harbor a ruined, poisoned, "punk" elegance that eschew traditional female ideals in fashion.
Rodarte:
Ruffian:
Rag & Bone:
all photos nymag.com