‘The Odyssey’ Star Charlize Theron (51) Is Leaning Into Her ‘Masculine’ Style Era, and Her Daughters Aren’t Impressed

Charlize Theron has never been a star who follows fashion rules. Over the years she has moved easily between red carpet glamour and sharp, edgy tailoring, and she has never been shy about choosing comfort and attitude over convention.

Now she is opening up about the latest shift in her personal wardrobe, and it comes with a reaction closer to home.

Theron, 51, recently caught up with PEOPLE at the Veuve Clicquot Club Solaire VIP opening in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, on Thursday, October 1. In photos from the event she wears a chunky white ribbed sweater, her short blonde hair swept to one side against a bright orange backdrop.

It was a laid-back look for a relaxed occasion, and it set the tone for what she had to say about her style.

Theron said she has been embracing a more masculine, gender-neutral energy in her wardrobe. PEOPLE reported that she told them she used to wear more heels and is “more of a flat girl now, for sure.”

She added that she has always liked more masculine, gender-neutral clothes, but also enjoys feminine pieces every once in a while. Her style, she said, is pretty diversified, though she is leaning further into the masculine side right now.

The big catch is at home. Theron said her daughters, Jackson, 14, and August, 12, aren’t too happy about where mom is at the moment.

This isn’t the first time the girls have had opinions about her look. Theron has joked in the past that her daughters think of her as a princess and want her to look like one.

When she cut her hair into a mullet for ‘The Old Guard 2’, one of her daughters reportedly cried, and Theron had to explain that everyone gets to be who they want to be. She has also said that one daughter often asks her to wear a dress to school functions.

At the same event, Theron revealed that there is a different kind of style tension in her house. She has what she called a pretty good stockpile of clothes in the basement that her daughters always talk about, though they don’t have access to it yet.

She recalled that one of her daughters once needed an outfit for an all-white event and began rummaging through the boxes. Theron’s reaction was a firm no, because those pieces are not for now.

Theron also gave a peek at her family’s seasonal plans. She said she is not a big Halloween person, but that you become one when you have kids, who absolutely love it.

The family has a habit of kicking off spooky season with trips to Disneyland. Theron has previously posted photos with Jackson and August at the park’s Halloween celebrations in Cars Land.

Fashion watchers won’t be surprised by the latest chapter. Theron has described her personal style as edgy and masculine, and she has been known to switch up her aesthetic for an acting role.

During the promotion of ‘The Old Guard 2’, she wore a sweatshirt-style Alexander McQueen minidress with chunky gladiator sandals. She also appeared in a head-to-toe Bottega Veneta ensemble and, at the Los Angeles premiere, a high-neck Givenchy bodysuit with a sharp-lapel blazer and square-toe boots.

At Paris Fashion Week, she combined suiting with a top made entirely of jewels. In 2023 she told Vogue that her lifestyle and her role as an Uber driver for her kids meant she wanted a simple hair routine, which fits the practical streak in her taste.

Theron has been candid about parenting, and fans often respond to how normal her family dynamics sound. Her daughters are teenagers and almost-teenagers, and a mother wearing flats and gender-neutral clothes is exactly the kind of thing that can embarrass them.

At the same time, her comments reflect a broader trend among stars who prefer comfort and tailoring to heels and gowns. For Theron, the balance seems natural, with masculine pieces in heavy rotation and a feminine look every now and then.

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