Photos Pete Oliviëra // jacket Crossroads Trading // t-shirt OAKNYC // necklace vintage // skirt-pants Beacons Closet // boots Forfex
As a gay man, I've always been wary of gender ambiguity in my wardrobe. I know what you're thinking - 'you wear ladypants all the time! the whole point of your blog is encouraging us to shop both sides of the aisle!' And yes, some people may see my style as fairly androgynous, but I think I generally play it safe. I often fall back on gender-conforming (or conventional-sex-reaffirming? words!) looks that help me "blend in" rather than stand out, because I already feel feminine and therefore, in our society, vulnerable. Clothing is armor; it can be transgressive and transformative – in good ways and bad. Blending in vs. standing out is a choice we’re privileged with making in this culture and lately, I've found myself getting bored with blending in. Part of this is seasonal - I've been wearing the same things all winter and they are so boring and I am so ready to be able to play dress-up again and not worry about whether or not two pairs of tights will fit under my pants and will I actually end up taking off my sweater at any point during the day?
That being said, I am taking baby steps. I'm not really interested in flamboyance for the sake of flamboyance, or attention for the sake of attention. Full-on drag has never held a particular appeal, though a really gorgeous pair of heels is always tempting. What I'm saying is you won't find me walking down the street in a tie-dyed baby doll dress with Jeremy Scott platforms, um, ever. As I approach the idea of incorporating skirts into my wardrobe, I am dead set on maintaining my aesthetic and remaining true to my inspirations, which means more Audrey Hepburn and less Lady Gaga. But the outfit! Ok, enough extemporizing: what is going on here?
For the first day of Reimagine: Suiting (that's not an official name, I just made it up), I've paired a thrifted boy's blazer (I'm so Carla Bruni right now) with one of my favorite OAK tees (yes, I'm wearing these virtually non-stop) a vintage statement necklace, and the pièce de résistance, a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier skant. WTF? That's right, this enchantingly weird item is a woman's pair of pants from Jean Paul Gaultier that I'm wearing backwards so that they form a sort of "skant" - a skirt pant, like a skort, you know? Totally normal. Calm down. Worn "correctly," the pant-looking part faces forward and then the extra fabric covers up your backside. I really like the way it looks worn this way, though, and that it brings to mind a Japanese sushi chef's apron. The only problem is that the fly is in the back, of course, but heeeeyo.
I see this garment as "gender non-relational," because whichever sex you are, there's really no relationship between your body and it's construction. It's actually pretty confusing to put on, honestly, but I roll with it. For the rest of this week I'll be sharing some other "skirtfits" and talking about how they make me feel, because this is my online style diary and you can't see it but, 'Why didn't Jimmy ask me to Prom???' is scribbled all over the front.
Disclaimer: I don't think this is necessary, necessarily (!), but this post does not mean that I'll only be wearing skirts from here on out. Ha! I just wanted to set aside a week where I could talk about something new I'm considering. Finding myself comfortable wearing any sort of skirt in public is kind of a big deal for this Southern transplant. While it may seem like nothing to a lot of people in NYC, especially in the LGBT community, it's something I want to be able to do in a way that isn't sensationalist, and that doesn't compromise my standards. But the most important thing, as ever when getting dressed, is just to have fun and not take it too seriously!*
*Also: to push secret queer agenda.
How are y'all looking to switch up your look for Spring? Any man readers out there trying on skirts?
