“Anonymous” unisex sweatshirt. Photo: Personnel of New York

I am not what you’d call an androgynous-looking woman, quite the opposite in fact; for the good or the bad, I can be described as having a highly feminine appearance. However, every now and then, I really like adding one masculine-looking item of clothing or accessory to my outfit, because I love the air of rebelliousness it can add to my overall look. Items and accessories which are mostly intended and designed for men but which can be worn by women too are some of the most valuable additions to a wardrobe, especially if you’re actually a couple of sharing one. Sometimes, I find myself raiding DH’s wardrobe to see what I could add to my look to make it different.

Therefore, this is my favorite list of such men’s items which can be used as unisex accessories for a great effect. If you don’t particularly fancy wearing one of them too often, you can just gift them to your boyfriend and then borrow the item from them, when you think it would work with your outfit. Also, keep in mind that you get extra points when you use such an accessory in an unconventional way (such as a neck tie worn as a belt, for example). I for one love such combinations (and am a fan of all new things happening in unisex fashion in general).

1. A leather messenger bag for men

Whenever you dress up casually, but still pretty feminine (or not), one of the easiest ways to take your outfit out of the ‘basic’ zone is to add a men’s leather messenger bag to it. It will be double the fun since it’s functional as well – who doesn’t need to carry their laptop or tablet around these days (and often much more than gadgets)? Choose a high quality one, preferably with vintage and classy tones. I like this classic vintage leather briefcase the most.

2. A black tie

As I said earlier, a man’s tie can become quite a versatile accessory: you can either wear it as a belt, simply tied around your waist, or wear it as a tie (but loose) over an otherwise causal outfit and so on. There’s no limit, so feel free to experiment, but I’d suggest sticking to a black one (over lighter-colored clothes).

3. A men’s fedora hat

Yes, there are plenty of fedora hats out there for women as well, but if you actually go all the way and wear a more manly looking one, the air of carelessness and rebelliousness that you’ll be adding to your outfit will be all the more intense. Choose one colored in dark tones, like sandalwood or black. Be careful though not to pick one too large, for best results, the hat has to be a perfect fit.

4. A heavy belt buckle

Another classic and vintage men’s accessory which can be easily used as a modern unisex one is the belt buckle. Choose one with a cute or historical carving and a silver finish. The major retail hubs like eBay, Amazon and Etsy are full of vintage buckles to choose from.

5. A men’s watch

Last, but not least, never underestimate the ruggedness and rebel feel of wearing an oversized men’s watch. It’s the stuff dreams are made of when trying to achieve this look of just of a few unisex touches, and it makes your hands and body more delicate by contrast with the watch’s size.

*This is a collaborative post.