Redefine feminine clothing

Skirts and dresses have been symbols of femininity for ages. However, today women don’t adhere to a strict standard of dress. Instead, many opt for unisex wear or menswear-inspired clothing.
多年来，半身裙与连衣裙都是女性气质的象征。但如今，女性不再遵循穿裙子的严格标准。许多人都选择了中性或者男装风的穿搭。

According to China Daily, more young females prefer clothing that appears more masculine. Yao Qing, 23, a designer working in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, is one of them. In 2016 when Yao became a college sophomore, she cut her hair shorter and got rid of her floral skirts. Then she started to wear collared shirts, loose pants and sneakers or clothes with few patterns in black, white or gray.
据《中国日报》报道，许多年轻女性更喜欢硬朗男性风的服饰。23岁的浙江杭州设计师姚青（音译）便是其中之一。姚青在2016年上大二时剪了短发，抛弃掉碎花裙，开始穿起了衬衫、宽松裤子和球鞋，或者是黑白灰的简约服饰。

“I felt more myself that way,” Yao said, adding that although she has maintained the image of a “sweet and well-behaved lady” for years, she has been actually fond of outdoor sports such as skateboarding and skiing since childhood.
“我觉得那样才更像是我自己，”姚青如此说道，她还表示，尽管多年来她都维持着“甜美乖乖女”的形象，但其实她从小便喜欢滑板、滑雪等户外运动。

“I don’t agree with the stereotype of women being fragile. Women have the same courage and heroic spirit as men. We are free to show our true personality,” she said, adding that high-heeled shoes and skirts are inconvenient for daily use and action.
“我不赞同女性代表脆弱的刻板印象。女性拥有和男性一样的勇气与英气。我们可以自由地展现自我真实的性格，”她说道，并表示高跟鞋和半身裙在日常生活行动中并不方便。

The rising trend of choosing non gender-specific attire lies in women’s awareness of their independence and individuality as well as the changes in gender-defined roles at work and home. As modern society has become more inclusive, people have diverse tastes and accept different styles. In a video on Sina Weibo, Xuan Yanmin, 34, a public service worker in Hangzhou, opened her boyfriend’s closet and tried on his clothes. Many internet users commented she looked handsome and cool and some said they were inspired to try garments of male members in their families. On the microblogging site, she started a discussion titled “How handsome girls can be in menswear”, which has received over 70 million views and 15,000 comments.
中性风服饰日益流行的原因在于女性独立与个性意识的觉醒以及工作生活中性别角色的变化。随着现代社会更加包容，人们的品味也变得多元化，接受了不同的风格。在新浪微博上的一段视频中，34岁的杭州公益服务工作者宣燕敏（音译）打开男友的衣橱，试穿了他的衣服。许多网友评论称她看起来又帅又酷，还有一些人表示自己也想试试男性家人们的衣服。在微博网站上，她发起了“女生穿男装能有多帅”的话题讨论，已有超过七千万阅读量和1.5万条评论。

Xuan said society is more open now. “No one will judge you by the way you dress.”
宣燕敏表示，社会如今更开放了。“没有人会用你穿什么评判你。”

The trend for women to be more spiritually and economically independent is, without a doubt, expressed in the way they dress, but stylist Shang Tao suggested that the trend not be followed blindly. “The key is to learn about your own strengths and weaknesses and the surrounding environment and choose clothes that can help you feel more confident,” he said.
毫无疑问，女性的穿衣方式表现出了她们追求精神与经济独立的趋势，但造型师尚涛（音译）建议不要盲目跟风。“关键在于了解自身的优势、弱点以及环境场合，选择让你觉得更自信的服饰，”他说道。

以上文章内容选自《21世纪学生英文报高中版》，详情请见《21世纪学生英文报高中版》高二794期