the Dandy Woman - part 1
or how the codes of dandyism reinvented a gender-neutral wardrobe
The notion of the dandy has endured for over two centuries and remains today the quintessential symbol of romantic rebellion against the minimalist status quo that characterizes fashion at the moment. Often avant-garde, the dandy is sometimes a bohemian figure, sometimes an exclusive vision, but always embodies the archetype of the rebel. Each generation has developed its own “brand” of dandies, with general characteristics that distinguish them: taking as an example Alessandro Michele for Gucci, we can cite a range of new ambassadors such as Jared Leto, Billie Eilish, or Harry Styles—figures renowned for presenting themselves through an androgynous sartorial lens. Michele thus creates a community centered around a Gucci-made lifestyle defined by its aesthetic, its icons, its music, its filmography, and even its literature—a culture of its own, almost countercultural in nature.
These new muses, often chosen for their personalities that go against conventional models, reflect a desire to reclaim codes and contemporary habits that were previously inaccessible to them. The bourgeois dandy of the early 19th century transgressed his role through a flawless public presentation of his image—an appearance through which he acquired status, power, and influence over the dominant aristocracy. The same applies to the female dandy later on: by blurring gender boundaries and promoting the image of an independent woman with a professional career comparable to a man’s.
We can cite the work of Senem Yazan, a student at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, whose research focuses on literary, visual, and social dandyism in the lives and works of women in Paris and London at the turn of the 19th century. She emphasizes the philosophy and circumstances surrounding the formation of the female dandy. Dandyism is, in fact, a much more complex philosophical perspective than a mere preference for certain forms of dress. It arose at a time when the entire fabric of European society was unraveling and being rewoven into modernity. According to Yazan, it was a period “where upward mobility or distinction was the ultimate goal...” On its most basic level, dandyism could perhaps be understood as the assertion that “aristocracy” is no longer a matter of birth, but of character.
In her article “The Black Princess of Elegance: The Emergence of the Female Dandy”1, Yazan draws on the definition of dandyism as a
“global state of mind in the creation and presentation of the self, and the dandy as an outsider due to their gender, sexuality, and social class.”
From a Baudelairean perspective, the dandy is undeniably a man. A perceived lack of essential—and essentially masculine—qualities ostensibly prevented women from participating in true dandyism, namely: “detachment, cynicism, provocation, and decadence, all of which rely on underlying autonomy.”
Yazan, however, explores the lesser-known realm of the female dandy who existed in Paris and London at the turn of the 20th century. She sees it as a tactical position from which certain women could interrogate questions of patriarchy and class. In doing so, she focuses on three particular trends: women who engaged in dandyism through flamboyant feminine fashion, yet with traditionally masculine boldness; women who worked as professional male impersonators; and a cultural elite circle of American-Parisian lesbians who cross-dressed while adhering to the norms of dandyism.
Just as male dandies could be seen as more feminine due to their delicate, meticulous nature and general indifference toward the opposite sex (as described by Baudelaire), female dandies crossed gender boundaries by adopting traditionally masculine traits and aesthetics.
The female dandy is a fully-fledged archetype, known as the "quaintrelle." The term derives from the word quaint, used to describe a woman who emphasizes a life of passion, expressed through personal style, leisure, charm, and the cultivation of life’s pleasures. This term replaces earlier labels for the female dandy, such as dandyess and dandizette. By borrowing from masculine fashion expressions, the quaintrelle gains access to a kind of masculine power.
The phenomenon of the female dandy gained momentum with the rise of the "flapper": in the 1920s, the term “flapper” became synonymous with a new category of women, sending shockwaves through conservative American society. In addition to their bobbed hairstyles, these women embraced a lifestyle centered around smoking, drinking, dancing, casual sex, and disregard for social norms.
Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at FIT, explains this phenomenon: “Coco Chanel is considered the first female dandy, dressed all in black and very androgynous. In the 1920s, which marked Chanel’s first major era, many women wore men’s clothing, like suits. It was particularly associated with lesbianism, but also with fashion, with the idea of a sort of genderless civilization, and with this new kind of androgynous woman.”2
With the arrival of the 1930s came Marlene Dietrich, the quintessential female dandy: “I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men,” the actress declared—perfectly capturing the allure of the quaintrelle. Her clothing is not meant to please others, but solely herself.
The black princess of elegance: The emergence of the female dandy, SenemYazan, Critical Studies in Fashion & Beauty, 2012.
An Ode to That Rare Creature, the Female Dandy, Véronique Hyland, The Cut, avril 2015.