‘Dressing non-binary’: exploring the relationship between dress, gender and the body in the lives of non-binary individuals

This project explores the relationship between dress, gender and the body as experienced by people with non-binary gender identities. Non-binary is a term used by some individuals whose gender identities are neither exclusively male nor female. The term can describe a range of gender-variant identities, including ‘genderqueer’, ‘gender fluid’ and ‘agender’, and is often included under the broader ‘transgender’ umbrella. Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in both theoretical work on transgender identities and sociological research into the lives and experiences of transgender people. However, studies that focus specifically on non-binary identities remain limited, and there has been little exploration of how non-binary people experience and negotiate their identities in everyday life.

The study employs a multi-method design consisting of semi-structured interviews and participant clothing diaries to explore how non-binary people perceive and experience the relationship between their gender identity and their everyday dress practices. Interviews were carried out with twenty-four adults with non-binary gender identities. In addition, sixteen of those participants kept a diary over a four-week period in which they documented and reflected on their clothing choices. The data were then analysed using thematic analysis.

The findings show that dress is a central means through which non-binary people negotiate how their bodies are read by others, and that clothing can both alleviate and intensify experiences of misrecognition and dysphoria. Participants describe using dress tactically across different situations to balance safety, comfort and authenticity, yet their possibilities are constrained by binary norms embedded in fashion, public space and everyday social interaction. The thesis argues that what one wears is not simply an expression of gender, but part of the ongoing production of gendered and sexed subjectivities. This interdisciplinary project draws on theoretical work from fields such as gender studies, fashion studies and sociology. In focusing on non-binary identities, it contributes to understandings of the experiences and perceptions of a group who are often overlooked, both within fashion studies and within the broader field of transgender research.