Tag Archives: Butch Fashion

Hundreds Show Twitter Solidarity For Lesbian Who Was Assaulted For What She Was Wearing

Hundreds of people have taken pictures of themselves wearing a tie in solidarity of Helena Martins who was attacked in south London last week.

Martins was yards from her home when she was punched in the face and strangled with her tie in what she believes was a hate crime.

In her Facebook post after the attack, she wrote:

I don’t think I’ll be rocking a tie in the near future. Today, one street away from my home, I was assaulted by a man who just went berserk at me, trying to pull my tie off. I’ve got a scratched and punched face, a sore neckline by all the tie pulling and a very bruised soul.”

Martins, who has lost her hearing due to Ménière’s disease, lost her cochlear earplant, which she relies on to hear, in the assault.

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She wrote that homophobia and transphobia are “still very much alive”, and said:

If you hear or see someone making fun with pub jokes, harassing or bullying of LGBT people, making comments while watching TV or a movie or whatever… Act. Speak out. Some women wear ties, some men wear skirts. Get the heck over it. One thing is true: I shouldn’t be punched in the face for wearing a tie.”

Her experience has now inspired a friend to start #TieForHelena, asking people on social media to wear a tie on Tuesday 15 December in to show their support.

In a blog post, Patrick Smith wrote:

I think that we should show support for Helena by all of us wearing a tie – so we can all rock that look. If you already wear a tie to work, then great, you’re part of the gang. If you don’t, then for one day, please do. You can wear it rakishly, dashingly, with a suit, with slacks, or maybe even ‘Rambo style’ like we used to on the school playground occasionally. However you wear it, please take a photo and upload it to social media with the hashtag #TieForHelena.”

Sarah Moore from Stonewall, who have called on supporters to wear their ties today, said:

We believe that people of all genders should have the freedom to present their aesthetic and use clothing to express themselves in any way they choose, without fear of confrontation. Helena’s bravery and commitment to transforming this awful incident into something positive is remarkable, and we’re honoured that she is choosing to raise money for us.

Our work to end homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and hate crime will continue until everyone, everywhere is free to express who they are and is accepted without exception.”

Thanking those who’ve taken part, Helena said:

I didn’t plan to wear a tie today. Last night while doing wife’s tie knot I felt really uncomfortable, but after seeing all the posts on Facebook and Twitter, I’m feeling the love and joy. Love conquers everything – hate included.”

 

‘Handsome Revolution Project’ Explores The Spectrum Of Butch Masculinity (Photos)

In a project titled ‘Handsome Revolution Project‘, photographer Miki Vargas explores the idea of masculinity in a stunning photo series, which looks at the lives of masculine-of-centre and gender-nonconforming individuals.

The project initially began in 2012, based Vargas on a desire to see more nuanced, complicated representations of masculinity that she identified with. But the project grew into a body of work that documents the current spectrum of masculine experiences.

Vargas told The Huffington Post.

I hope that these portraits will start or continue the much-needed conversations about acceptance, respect, love, community, unity, feeling of belonging, self love, self respect, self celebration and an overall respect of people as valuable lives in this world. I would love these images to engage the viewer, to seduce them, to intrigue them, to confuse them, to make them smile, to make them reflect, but most importantly to help them recognise that the beauty in our differences is so infinite that it cannot be categorised.”

The “Handsome Revolution Project” also includes first-person narratives from each individual featured in the series, where the subject discusses what masculinity means to them.

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Queer Fashion Week is a Brilliant, Diverse Alternative Fashion Event

When we look at the models who walk the runways at New York, London, Paris and Milan’s fashion weeks, we very rarely see faces and bodies that look like ours. Not only are these models chosen for the job because of their ethereal beauty (beauty that is said to be far superior to that of the common person) but they are rarely at or above the average weight and they don’t represent an ethnically diverse population either.

In fact, in Jezebel’s annual survey of the fashion industry, 78.69% of the models who walked in 2014 were white. Just 9.75% of models were black, 7.67% were Asian, 2.12% were Latina and the stats are even worse for models of other, non-white ethnic backgrounds as just 0.45% were called up to the runway ranks.

The same Jezebel report also suggested that the tide is turning and that indeed, more designers and those in the fashion industry are talking about diversity and how they can improve the numbers – but clearly, this is not enough. For the millions of non-white, not-skinny, not-so ‘traditionally beautiful’ faces around the globe, we need a solution now. We need queer fashion week.

Queer fashion week (QFW) took place last month in Oakland, California. Between April 16-19, over 25 queer-owned brands showed off their wares including: Haute Butch, Size Queen Clothing; Immigreat Designs, Sun Sun, Qwear Fashion and the brilliantly named Lady Lovers. QFW drew in over 1,000 attendees, which is impressive considering that fashion weeks are mostly done with and this is an event that’s happening outside of the usual industry sphere.

One of the core principles of the event was to get queer clothing in front of queer bodies but it was also about using queer fashion to power the conversation forward. For example; some fashion houses have used androgynous models or have clothed models in gender neutral clothing but when they are backed up racist hiring practices leading to a lack of diversity (even andro models are often white) there are clearly systemic issues there that need to be addressed, discussed and picked apart. QFW hopes to do this, boosting a discussions about intersectionality, racism, the gender binary, gender norms, classism and other topics that the LGBTQ+ community holds near and dear.

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For those who were unable to attend Queer Fashion Week in 2015, the organised have already announced dates for next year – QF2 2016 takes place between April 14-17.

 

What Should Lesbians Say When Mistaken For Men?

You know the scene. You’re walking around with your girl friend and some dude starts saying “Young man! Excuse me!” Then you look up at him (kind of in shock) and he goes “Oops, young lady, sorry!”

What to do? I’m not often mistaken as a boy, but I know how it can leave you feeling. Some people can be insulted some feel indifferent or even a little proud… It really depends on the person, just like anything else.

Lea DeLaria | Best Dressed Butch And Winner At The SAG Awards

At this Sunday’s SAG Awards, the OITNB team took home the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, but what was so great about this award is the fact the team emphasize the importance of diversity on-screen.

DeLaria is a s diverse as they get on the hollywood scene, but that is why we love her. Especially the way she represents our community.

Always stunning in suit, with her beautiful girlfriend by her side, DeLaria does not shy her queerness from the camera.

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She is open and frank about who she is, and projects this with such confidence that we can’t help but smile.

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In a past interview with the UK paper the Independent, she said about her style

“There is a ceiling that allows you to be a certain kind of gay. I’m not a lapdog cut person and I won’t tow the party line. People don’t want you to rock the boat. Even the modern queer movement have a problem with that. When you look like me, you want to act in a certain way.

There are two types of lesbians or dykes – the type that go to the Emmys wearing a tuxedo but don’t wear the bow tie, and those that do – the unapologetically butch.”

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“Being butch is still a dirty little secret, but it’s how some of us are. We can’t forget where we came from. We need to put a positive face on it and it all comes from this international homophobia, that are only certain things are good; that you can’t be that type of lesbian.

It’s important for me to communicate that there’s nothing bad about being gay.”

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The Perfect Fit: An Interview with Vanessa Craig of Sharpe Suiting

Tom Sykes: Sharpe Suiting makes customised apparel for the LGBTQ community. What sorts of clothing do LGBTQ people ask you to make?

Vanessa Craig: We specialise in LGBTQ clients because they have a hard time finding a good fit whether they’re buying off the rack or going to a standard tailor. A typical tailor doesn’t understand that butch women usually want a more masculine fit and he’ll make the clothes curvy and design them to more closely fit to the body. Sharpe Suiting does understand masculine tastes!

TS: How did you start up?

VC: My business partner, Leon Wu, is a trans guy and we had been talking about the idea of a masculine clothes line for a long time. A couple of businesses in San Francisco had started to offer these products and I thought, ‘Yeah we might be onto something here.’ It made sense because my background is in fashion, I went to fashion school and I’ve always loved suits. So Leon became the business guy and I the marketing/promotions person. We then found an awesome Ukrainian tailor, Oksana Putyatina, who had been working in menswear for 25 years. She really understands both menswear and womenswear and works with our clients to get the ideal tailored fit for them.

TS: Your website talks about your products being ‘inspired by social context’? Could you tell us a little bit more about that?

VC: When you look at the history of queer clothing, it’s always been hard for people like myself who do not identify with her assigned gender role. So if you identify as butch, even now there’s no big department store selling the clothes I want. With Sharpe Suiting we’re trying to meet that demand.

TS: You recently raised $69,000 using Kickstarter. How was the experience?

VC: I didn’t sleep in maybe two months because of the workload! I never realised how much effort fundraising is. We did great and went from $50,000 to $69,000 in just the last 7 days. Our final fundraising event was in Los Angeles on November 12th and it involved a model search, an auction and a trivia quiz night. Kickstarter is kinda like a baby; you have to give it constant attention.

TS: How do you plan to use the funding?

VC: Right now all we do is custom suiting and that’s a very personalised and finely-tuned service. We want to branch out into ready-to-wear so that people can buy our products online as well as in shops. What we’re hoping for with this expansion is that the straight shops will start carrying these more androgynous clothes that we make. We want a situation where anyone, wherever they are in the world, can get the suit they want.

TS: You have some high-profile lesbian clients and I wondered if you could talk a little bit about working with them.

VC: It’s always good to have a spokesperson for your brand who is part of your community and that your specific clientele can relate to. Our models are diverse: trans, butch, femme, every gender, every ethnicity. We try to incorporate them all into our brand because we have friends belonging to each of those subcultures.

Our main model is Kelsey Grace from The Real L Word. She has such a good reputation and the perfect look for the clothes. There’s nothing polarised about her; she’s neither extremely butch nor extremely femme, but somewhere in the middle. This is why she catches everyone’s attention and promotes the suits to all the various markets.

TS: Did you approach her?

VC: Yes. I’m an event promoter in LA so I’d worked with Kelsey on an event before she signed with Sharpe Suiting. Like a lot of celebrities here, she’s actually real down to earth and surprisingly easy to get in touch with.

We approached her, took her measurements and then asked her what sort of suit would she like. What would she feel comfortable in? She said she was going to a wedding and, for once in her life, wanted to look good in a suit so that her family would appreciate it.

At these kinds of events sometimes families don’t like the idea of women wearing non-traditional clothing. For that reason it was important for Kelsey to have the suit fit perfectly. She picked out a blue double-breasted, we had it tailored for her and she felt confident in it. Our minds were blown minds when we saw how good she looked! We’re so grateful to her for being part of our brand.

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TS: What’s the most interesting suit you’ve ever been asked to create?

VC: Recently someone wanted a Boardwalk Empire-style 1920s gangster pin stripe suit for their wedding. It was very flashy and gorgeous and she was so excited. For a woman there is no other way to buy an outfit like this unless you get it made through custom suiting.

Films That Inspire Our Wardrobe | Rebel Without A Cause

James Dean was the epitome of cool in “Rebel Without A Cause” with his Lee 101 Rider jeans, white tee, and work boots. The outfit made the look famous and became a staple in everyday butch wear.

Why we love it

James Dean’s immortal sense of style is easy to infuse into your wardrobe, and the truth is, you’re probably already halfway there. Everyone has a T-shirt and jeans – right? They just have to be cut right.

Dean’s look comes from an era when clothes fitted properly by hugging the body rather than hanging. The ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ style is about understanding denim, and understanding the simple side of fashion.

And why we really love him

James Dean is also credited with popularising the vest as part of his Texas oil tycoon role in the posthumously released film Giant. He also had his hands on dressier duds like the shawl collar dinner jacket that he is recognized for having resurrected. From the familiar to the formal, James Dean was a timeless trendsetter.

His legacy will far outlives his short time on Earth for one simple reason: He embodied the essence of cool. He was one of the first male actors who garnered as much attention from women as he did from men. And while James Dean’s sexual past remains shrouded in mystery to this day, one thing is clear: Everyone either wanted him or wanted to be like him.


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Best-Dressed Butch of the Week: Lea DeLaria at the Emmys

While many were busy gushing over the Hollywood ladies’ perfect dresses, we here at KitschMix were transfixed on Lea DeLaria Saint Harridan tuxedo.

DeLaria wore a simply tuxedo, shirt and trade mark glasses to the Emmy awards, and showed the world how the butches do it.

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Queer Fashion | Power Dressing

Queer Fashion | Power dressing in 2014 is all about tailoring and accessorising.

The term ‘power dressing’ or ‘power suits’ conjure up bad images of shoulder pads, oversized and unflattering blazers, and perms. Eww.

Power dressing in 2014 is a bit different. Women’s wear has long taken a turn toward tailoring, and it looks like tailoring is becoming just as important for women’s fashion as it had always been in menswear.

Of course, the number one power-dressing item is and will always be the suit. Pantsuits are now one of the hottest looks in fashion. What’s great about pantsuits is the infinite ways you can style it to make it your own. If you’re in a more creative field like advertising or new media, you can be more adventurous with your pantsuit style. Try wearing a mismatching pantsuit; say a royal blue tuxedo jacket with black high-waist wide leg trousers and an embellished belt.

If you’re in a more corporate work environment, there are various ways to dress up your pantsuit. Don’t limit yourself to all black. Experiment with an all grey pantsuit and add pops of colour via your pumps or a scarf.

As always, fit is important. You may have the right accessories but if you wear an ill-fitting pantsuit, it’s all-downhill from there.

Another important element to power dressing is shirting. Gone are the days when women wore shiny satin button-down shirts underneath their work blazers. Make sure that your button-down shirts are in flattering cuts that cinch at the waits and end right above the hipbone. A shirt that is too long makes you look unpolished.

Cuff and collar details are elements that you should watch out for when picking out work-appropriate blouses. You can even take a cue from menswear and add pocket squares and cuff links to your ensemble.

Although there are lots of style guides (including this one) out there for power dressing, keep in mind that power dressing’s end goal is to make you feel confident and make you look capable. Any item that you wear that doesn’t make you feel that isn’t worth the closet space.

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Suits, Shirts and Ties | The KitschMix Fashion Round

Suits, Shirts and Ties | The KitschMix Fashion Round – This season add some tailoring to your wardrobe. A shirt and tie has become a staple for any urban lesbian.

Wear a white shirt and black dress pants with a nice fitted black jacket, then add a vibrant color tie and you will be sexy and in fashion this season.

Suits can be worn to work or out on the town. The important thing to remember is to be sure of the fit of the suit is correct. Take in wear needed and let out wear needed.

It is also important to have it pressed or ironed regularly. Wrinkles are not in fashion and can ruin a look of a suit, shirt or tie over time. Shirts come in a variety of colors and this is great, just remember that if you have a neon pink tie that a bright neon green shirt can clash.

Remember, the suit can be a sexy fashionable clothing item to have in your wardrobe but you need to wear it and not let it wear you. Wear it with confidence because confidence is sexy.

Ties are a great accessory that can be found in solids or prints. Printed ties need to be a little tame, such as a small stripe rather than a large stripe. Small stripe ties look best and can give a little bit of accent to just a solid color tie.

Have fun with ties and you will always have a great accessory to add to your wardrobe. But remember, it is important to know how to tie a tie correctly, so practice

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Leather Luxe | The KitschMix Fashion Round-Up

Nothing quite rivals the richness and texture that leather brings to an outfit. Leather is buttery, luscious, and sexy. This material has become more than just a fall/winter staple, and it has become a yearlong trend. You can’t argue with the timelessness and chic luxury that it adds to your wardrobe.

The question now is how to incorporate leather effortlessly into your everyday dressing, and the easiest way to do this is through accessorizing. No need to the break the bank on this one though since there are a lot of chic and inexpensive options out there for leather accessories. You can start with this season’s hottest leather trend—perforated lather. Whether it’s a laser-cut leather clutch or a dotted perforated black ankle bootie, this trend can easily up the ante of any ensemble. It adds edge without looking seasonally inappropriate. Pro tip: Keep an eye out for eyelet leather. It’s a great way to keep your leather accent light and feminine.

Another hot summer leather trend is fringe. With Roberto Cavalli and Valentino blazing the trail for bohemian luxe with their leather fringe bags, you can be sure that this style will go from runway to reality. You can opt for leather fringe on your low-cut boots, perfect for those breezy summer dresses. Fringe might be typically of the boho aesthetic, but it can also easily be translated into cocktail hour with a black leather clutch with sleek fringe accents.

If you count yourself as a fashion risk taker, bravely embrace this trend in leather skirts, shorts, and tops. Leather has become a fashion tour de force that designers are now using it as a material for pretty much everything, from full midi skirts, crop tops, boxy blouses, shorts, and even as sleeve accents for T-shirts. When purchasing a major leather piece, make sure that the tailoring is top-notch and the fit is just right. Keep in mind that this is not fabric, which has some give; so fit is very important. When styling your latest leather purchase, be sure to balance its toughness with softer accents like a draped silk shirt or a delicate pair of nude sandals.

For the classicists, a leather motorcycle jacket is a style essential that will go a long way. It is a piece you can wear as a cover-up over anything in your closet. It can be thrown on a T-shirt and jeans for more casual days, or wear over a bright-colored sheath dress for an edgy take on cocktail dressing.

 

Gotta Love a Well-dressed Stud | Butch Fashion Styles From Tumblr This Week

Butch Fashion styles grasp the masculinity of fashion with a sturdy leather shoes mixed with a well placed belt and a variety hair styles.

Although butch styles vary from person to person it is the overall masculinity that we love. From Techie chic, to Summer Whites, Jeans & Blazer, to the Dandy – this week Tumblr has presented the best of the best of STUD style.