Caroline's Monthly Message: Shopping in the men’s department

I heard from a buyer of de Bijenkorf last week that things are going very well in the men's department. It could just be that women also have found their way to this section. Because men's fashion is hot, even among women! 

For many years I prefer to buy men's clothing. Oversized blazers fill my closet, a bright red men's suit which I will never throw away and has been my favorite for years, the blue overalls are my all time favorite and a men's shirt is my daily go-to.   

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For as long as I can remember, it has been the oversized garments that I prefer to wear. You don't want to feel clothes, at least not me. The men's shirt is the item that is about total comfort. Visiting men's stores sometimes almost feels like stepping into the wrong toilet and catching the man in his intimate moment. The longer I do this bravely, the more I get used to it. While purchasing and trying on the pieces, a soft smile often appears on the face of the male sales associate. The jacket and shirt get a different dimension on a woman's body and that inspires them to look at it differently. I don't wear these items to hide my femininity. We all know the image of a Frenchwoman who only walks through the streets of Paris in the oversized shirt of her beloved to quickly buy breakfast after a delicious night.... In short, men's clothes for a woman give sensuality in addition to comfort. And there's something else.... The men's costume has been a given for decades and for good reason. It is a uniform for the man and gives them a certain power and dominance. Wearing men's clothing also makes me feel strong and confident. For me, the skirt suit, the woman's dream uniform, can be thrown in the bin straight away. Not because it is ugly, there are beautiful and seductive designs, but because it no longer fits in this day and age.   

 Caroline Krouwels, Nov 2021