LGBTQ Breaking News Service

Image description: Marlene Dietrich in Seven Sinners (1940)

“Fashion is merely a form of ugliness so absolutely unbearable that we have to alter it every six months!” – so wrote Oscar Wilde in a newspaper article in 1885, one of many reflections on the subject of clothing during his prolific career.  It is commonly held that the image, in the Anglo-American cultural consciousness, of “the (male) homosexual” originates with Wilde after his infamous trials for ‘gross indecency’ (that is, being too gay for Victorian Britain). This is debatable, but Wilde is nonetheless an excellent place to start in a discussion of sartorial style and LGBTQ+ identities over the last hundred or so years.

In old photographs of him as an undergraduate at Magdalen, Wilde’s dress is little to behold.  He is fashionable, certainly, but does not stand out from his peers, despite being already very much of a BNOC (incidentally, alongside Oxford’s first black student, Christian Cole).  All this changes upon his tour of the United States (1882-83). Suddenly his hair is long and curled, he sports a fedora and a fur coat, and he’s showing off his calves in stockings and breeches.

People became obsessed with his appearance – particularly over his gender. His dainty, elegant look and demeanour caused many to posit that he was “really a woman”. At this time, this kind of ‘feminine’ behaviour marked him to the public not as a homosexual but, ironically, as a womaniser, and the switch was only consolidated with his own trial in 1895.  The dandy – the perfectly- and flamboyantly-dressed man – was thereafter closely associated with homosexuality.

His dainty, elegant look and demeanour caused many to posit that he was “really a woman”.

Thus, moving into the early 20th century, we see an interesting dual effect in consequence.  Hints at delicacy and femininity, and careful dress, became literary shorthand for queer male characters.  Take, for instance, Anthony Blanche in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited (1945), Oxford’s “aesthete par excellence” in his “colourful robes”, or Mr. McKee in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925), who is described as “a pale feminine man … in the ‘artistic game’”, “beside [whose] bed” Nick Carraway ends up standing, with McKee “sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear”.  Consequently, those wishing to conceal their (still very much illegal) sexuality went to great lengths to style themselves as the opposite to the stereotype: growing a beard was particularly helpful.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, some people played up to the image and used it, quite remarkably, to their advantage. A career in the theatre, where such subversion of gender norms was expected, definitely helped, and it was thus that the immensely popular Noel Coward got away with it.  “Why am I always expected to wear a dressing-gown, smoke cigarettes in a long holder and say ‘Darling, how wonderful’?” Wit, charm, flamboyance, and yet an appeal even to the stiff-upper-lipped middle classes: Noel Coward, or Oscar Wilde at the height of his popularity?

Wit, charm, flamboyance, and yet an appeal even to the stiff-upper-lipped middle classes:

It is from such figures as these that we later had David Bowie, Stephen Fry, and now even icons like Jonathan Van Ness.  Despite the tragedy of his downfall, Wilde had helped create at least one touchstone of identity for the men being labelled – by medicine and the law – “homosexual”, and who were already beginning to demand equality and visibility as such.

But one hears much about the male tradition.  In the immortal words of Pride: “Where are my lesbians?”  A far shorter history of women’s freedom arguably means a similarly short history of self-presentation based on queer female identities, but women had their moment too,, and in interestingly similar circumstances.  1928 saw a number of famous faces, including Virginia Woolf and EM Forster, defending Radclyffe Hall in a highly-publicised obscenity trial for her novel The Well of Loneliness, a lesbian coming-of-age story about a girl named Stephen.

Women had increasingly been wearing ‘mannish’ clothing in the early decades of the twentieth century, drawing criticism from moralists but based on concerns not of homosexuality, but of a woman forgetting her place in society.  Only with Hall – who was always seen with short hair, collar-and-tie, and tailored suit – and her similarly-dressed protagonist did the image of the ‘masculine’ lesbian emerge in the public mind, but it stuck. The short hair and suits of the 1920s became again “absolutely unbearable”, and it was to be some decades before they re-emerged for women of all kinds in full force.

“I am at heart,” she once said, “a gentleman.”

Another progenitor of the Queer-Woman-In-A-Suit look, however, was the bisexual German star of the silver screen, Marlene Dietrich.  With her perfectly coiffed hair and startling red lips, Dietrich was known for donning men’s suits, often cross-dressing in her films – and kissing women.  “I am at heart,” she once said, “a gentleman.”

These have been only a handful of historical figures whose personal style of dress has had an impact on conceptions of queer identities – both to wider society and the queer-identifying individual – and for the vast majority of their contemporaries, fashion was a case of fitting in with those around them for sheer safety’s sake.  Nevertheless, these, amongst others, were pioneers of LGBTQ+ style, and instrumental in forming possibilities of many queer identities as we think of, and experience, them today. Without Radclyffe Hall, would we have had Ellen DeGeneres? And without Oscar Wilde, would we ever have known the wonders of the ‘French tuck’?

Image credit: Classic_Movie_Gals

Historically, the pages of print magazines have been filled with the bodies of only a select few — typically those who are white, straight, slender, cis-gender and able-bodied — but a group of emerging publications are moving the equality needle forward. While queer-driven magazines have been around for some time — for example, Out debuted in 1992 and Condé Nast launched digital platform Them last year — there are a number of lesser-known, more independent magazines that promote storytelling and visibility for and by LGBTQIA+ individuals in a way that is dynamic, authentic and non-exploitative.

Driven by a desire to forge a real sense of belonging for their peers (and perhaps survive in a rapidly evolving medium), indie queer magazines such as Posture and Drøme are extending beyond the confines of publishing to become multi-channel platforms that exist in a myriad of spaces. Plus, with the powerful backing of social media, these niche and underrepresented communities are strengthening their voices and establishing lasting relationships with loyal fans on and offline. It’s a different approach from many of today’s mainstream publications that are waning and, ultimately, folding. Read on to learn more about how these LGBTQIA+-focused media outlets are leading the way.

“Posture”

Launched as a blog in 2013 by Winter Mendelson, Posture has now become a digital magazine, annual print magazine, a membership community and a full-service creative studio that produces a podcast, events and branded projects. Mendelson, who identifies as non-binary, launched the platform because they did not see themselves reflected in the media when they first graduated university. “There were no media outlets focused on supporting underrepresented creatives — particularly queer, non-binary and trans folks — and further, [none that] focused specifically on the arts and fashion,” they say.

The platform’s mission is to champion the voices of women, people of color and LGBTQIA+ creatives, as well as foster a deeper sense of community for those who don’t see themselves represented. “We matter and deserve our own space to celebrate each other, learn from each other and feel less alone,” they explain.

With interviews and style profiles, both online and in print, Posture supports independent designers and the slow-fashion movement. Instead of focusing on what is considered trendy or cool, the platform focuses on the voices of creatives who are pushing culture forward and making a real impact. “We celebrate expression in all its forms, but we also acknowledge the history and signifiers that come along with fashion and aesthetics,” they add.

Mendelson, who took on running Posture full-time in 2016, believes that while queer representation is definitely improving, there is still a lack of storytelling about the experience of non-binary and trans folks. But Mendelson hopes the platform will close the gap on these narratives and is looking to commission more photojournalism projects and essays as funding for Posture increases. Currently, the magazine relies on its membership community, print sales and brand partnerships. It’s also partnered with large brands on projects that bring the company’s “awareness and perspectives to more corporate environments,” such as Mastercard, HBO and Techhub.

“Drøme”

Noticing a lack of compelling and non-exploitative media about LGBTQ artists, Caroline D’Arcy Gorman decided to launch Drøme in 2015 as a space where young artists who challenge norms can congregate and share their work. In 2016, friend Satchel Lee came on as Gorman’s business partner and co-creative director.

Based in New York, the founders describe Drøme as a “queer-positioned online and print magazine” with contributors from all over the world who are found via Instagram and through submissions. (Funding comes through sales, advertising and partnerships.) When it comes to storytelling about the queer community, Lee says the overall perception is sometimes reductive and what’s still missing from queer representation in mainstream media is “complete acceptance rather than tolerance.” Out of this, the founders hope that Drøme is a place where people can see someone different from themselves and still be inspired and excited.

The publication’s stories highlight the importance of fashion for the queer community: A feature from the latest issue, titled “Fluid Future,” explores gender fluidity in collaboration with some of the team’s favorite designers who challenge the gender binary, such as Cheng-Huai Chuang, Wardements, Laurence & Chico, Luar, Vasilis Loizides, Maison the Faux and Private Policy.

To date, the team has released three annual print issues and will begin releasing online monthly covers in January 2019. Drøme also hosts parties and events, has launched a podcast and video series and has produced two shows at New York Fashion Week. Lee and D’Arcy Gorman also have big plans to open up a physical creative space, start a clothing brand, make films, produce music and launch a creative agency.

“Pansy”

Launched two years ago in Cape Town, South Africa by Michael Oliver Love, Pansy is a response to the founder’s desire for “more gender-bending softness in men’s fashion.” Love, who studied gender studies in university and did a postgraduate degree in marketing, also took inspiration from his affinity for imagery that pushes the boundaries of what is considered masculine and feminine, as well as his personal upbringing. Growing up in a small town, Love was surrounded by narrow-minded thinkers who promoted conservative ideologies about gender. He hopes that his digital magazine combats this thinking.

“I think it’s good for people to see a different narrative, a different type of masculinity per se, so it doesn’t seem like such a strange thing to be a bit quirky,” says the founder. With contributors from across the globe, Love believes Pansy represents something wholly unlike what we are used to seeing in mainstream media, thus becoming a platform that shares content that might not be published or seen otherwise.

At this time, the platform is completely self-funded and run by Love, who hopes to acquire advertisers and bring an editorial team together. The first print issue, which was released earlier this year, can be purchased on the magazine’s website.

“FGUK Magazine”

While studying fashion at university in the U.K., Marvin Maddix noticed a lack of outlets in the industry for recent graduates and young talent to highlight their work, and decided to launch FGUK Magazine, short for Fashion Glossary United Kingdom, in 2013.

Putting people at the center of its stories, FGUK focuses on the power of love, support and the freedom of speech. “While the media can sometimes shy away from politics and sitting on the fence, we look to educate and become a voice of the game-changers, influencers and future thinkers,” says Maddix.

With an online magazine and a biannual print edition, FGUK addresses pertinent topics: LGBTQ+ issues and visibility, Black male masculinity and the female voice. Some of FGUK‘s best stories includes a piece on queer drags in Jamaica and the rights of trans people in Brazilian favelas, or low-income areas.

Maddix also points out that though queer conversations have been steadily growing, brands and social media have been at fault for exploiting the movement. “Instagram has transformed this real subject affecting millions into a monetized marketing strategy,” says Maddix. “But it still keeps the conversation going and that’s the most important.” To combat this, he says the media must highlight real stories about queer individuals, not just those with significant followers and likes.

For FGUK Magazine, fashion is a vehicle for changing the world, promoting the belief that clothing can shift cultural perspectives and make people feel something real. Though FGUK Magazine already has distribution in select boutiques across the U.K., Europe and the United States, Maddix hopes to do more events, collaborations and even open a physical store.

“The Tenth”

Founded in 2013 by André Verdun Jones, Khary Septh and Kyle Banks, The Tenth describes itself as “Black, gay and unbothered.” The New York-based platform focuses on storytelling by and for Black, brown and queer individuals, creating digital and physical spaces devoted to their own self-expression. Working across imagery, text, fashion and culture, The Tenth also explores the history of the Black gay community as a counter to most mainstream narratives, which have largely focused on stories surrounding gay white men for some time.

In an interview with NPR, Septh said the magazine’s subject matter is not limited only to queer Black men. Rather, it aims to reflect “the multiplicity of our identities, the layers of our lives” with stories about queer Black women, trans people, white people and straight people. The co-founders also expressed their challenges finding advertising dollars and brand partners willing to back their vision. However, they have since partnered with brands such as Ace Hotel, Hendrick’s Gin and HBO.

“Cakeboy Magazine”

Launched in 2015 by Sean Santiago, Cakeboy Magazine takes its name from a line in the movie “Clueless.” Santiago, who lives in New York and was recently tapped by Phillip Picardi as the new art director for Out, found he wanted to tell niche and compelling stories about the queer and gender non-conforming community. At the time, Santiago realized that creating Cakeboy would allow for more freedom to showcase the voices and style of those in the community who weren’t being profiled in an authentic and original way.

Now, three years later, Santiago and his creative team remain committed to that mission, with both in print and online. The magazine releases a new issue every fall and spring, with some of its features going up on the digital site, too. Cakeboy is heavily focused on fashion editorials, as well as diving deep into topical conversations with important individuals, such as writer and critic Andrea Long Chu for its latest issue.

According to Santiago, the magazine wants to reach its audience in a very specific way and cut through the noise of mainstream media. “We’re really not for straight people and that’s our big selling point for us,” he explains. All of Cakeboy‘s issues can be purchased online through its website, and are also found at specialty bookstores, boutiques and other stockists across the globe. Santiago plans to continue growing Cakeboy across Europe in 2019, thanks to a partnership with new distributor.

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PHNOM PENH – From a dress inspired by the plume of a peacock and fashioned out of bottle caps and cement sacks, to a black and orange tiger outfit made of plastic bags, one group of LGBTQ fashion designers in Cambodia crafts beauty from trash to battle discrimination.

Violent attacks on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are common in the conservative Southeast Asian nation, even though attitudes toward same-sex relationships have improved in recent years.

“Just five or 10 years ago, Cambodians saw the LGBT community as social trash,” said Ith Sovannareach, founder of La Chhouk Recycled & Creative Fashion. “People saw them as unnatural strangers.”

“But now there is less discrimination, as we’ve seen more coverage on television and in newspapers about their capabilities,” Sovannareach added

By making catwalk-ready outfits from waste scooped off the streets of the Cambodian capital, the 24-year-old Sovannareach is now subverting that stereotype, along with a team of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender designers.

Cardboard, cans, plastic bags — even a toilet roll — have all found their way into the designs of the group from Phnom Penh’s Royal University of Fine Arts.

“We use everything, but cement sacks and plastic are best,” said Sovannareach.

Many of the costumes, and their accompanying flamboyant headgear, take inspiration from traditional Khmer clothing.

Companies such as Coca-Cola and Heineken’s Tiger Beer have hired Sovannareach’s team to design dramatic garments from their waste products and, late last month, the United Nations commissioned the group to hold a fashion show.

Transgender activist Kuy Thida, who ran a small stall at the show promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, said about 6,000 same-sex couples live together in Cambodia, which does not recognize their relationships as legal civil partnerships or marriages.

Cambodia saw 100 violent and homophobic attacks during the first four months of 2015, the United Nations said in a report this year. And in 2007, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he had disowned his adopted daughter because she had a lesbian relationship.

Official disapproval discourages many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from revealing their status, and many of the designers working with Sovannareach declined to speak to Reuters.

“They have to pretend to be two different people,” he said of his colleagues. “When they are at home, they act as their mothers want. They have to pretend they’re strong.”

Thida’s family does not accept her as a transgender woman, the activist said.

“They still hope that I will marry someone of the opposite sex, so as not to make them upset or ashamed,” she added. “Some people just regard us as strange animals.”

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Kenneth Nicholson

What is your brand’s ethos?
“At the core of the brand lies my passion to create beauty, specifically beautiful menswear. Beauty comes in a vast array of elements both soft and hard, light and dark. Centuries of menswear have expressed beauty without limiting the wide range of silhouettes and techniques available to them, and we, now in the modern era, should allow men the permission to express themselves in the same manner without ridicule or restrictions.

“We now find ourselves in an era in which menswear consists of a few options: pants, shorts and shirts. With my ‘Lover From The Bath’ collection, there is lace on collars and cuffs and delicate cloth-covered buttons. There are tunics, ribbon sashes, ornamental jeweled buttons, as well as hard canvases and heavy denims with velvet, gilded crows. To me, this is truly what menswear today is lacking as it steeps itself in its own limitations bound in labels, which no longer reflect the vast majority of our current society.”

What is your observation of the cultural shift the fashion industry is having right now, and whether that has to do with sexuality, gender or diversity? Is it a fad?

“As a Black, male child growing up in the South, I think the visuals of beauty and the idea of what was often touted as pleasantly beautiful seemed to always linger in the distance. For me, whether it was seeing the beauty in freshly snipped flowers on a dining table, a ribbon in the hair of a girl that sat in front of me in Sunday school and the lace details in her yellow tulle dress, or the opulence of an orchestra led by an opera singer belting the most tragically beautiful song in a floor-length gown, this imagery struck me. It struck me as not only beautiful but also non-gendered.

“Being that I was so compulsively inspired by elements, which were somehow wrought in expressions of femininity, definitely set me on a path to be at odds with elders and peers. Additionally, as a Black, straight male in the midst of traditional Southern culture, being told my leanings were out of step always seemed to keep a wedge between me and the full range of access to sartorially and artistically self-express. When designing for collections and conceptualizing brand imagery, the recurring goal is to move the brand into the future while keeping a stronghold on what we’ve started, but also placing elements that are often idealized as feminine and positioning them in direct proximity of the Kenneth Nicholson man.”

What is your observation of the cultural shift the fashion industry is having right now, and whether that has to do with sexuality, gender or diversity? Is it a fad?
“I’m hopeful that the shift we’re seeing is authentic. It’s my observation that usually enduring changes have their genesis at a grass roots level. Very rarely do ideas that come into common practice, especially those which edify the public, begin with the trickle down theory. With this being the case, I don’t think we’re merely experiencing a trend. I believe we’re experiencing a shift.”

What will it take for mainstream brands to embrace what yours and so many emerging labels do? Do we even want that?
“Mainstream brands will have to embrace what society is evolving into to meet the demands of their customer base. Foundations of what generations past deemed the standard are being challenged as the voice of the new generation begins to shift into positions of highest authority and influence. The baton is being passed in a momentous way and those who don’t expand with culture will eventually become irrelevant.

“I would, however, like to see mainstream brands stay true to the purity of the content being expressed and not utilizing it in any way that’s inauthentic of the culture.”

What does your brand offer in this space that no one else does?
“As an emerging designer, I understand that there are many traditions and established foundations that have been laid before me. It’s a duty to be able to speak to that through my design process. Techniques like bias cutting, draping, slash-and-spread, to name a few, are all techniques that I look forward to utilizing for the type of garments I seek to construct. My lived experience, my perspective, and expression are extremely unique. Altogether, the spirit of Kenneth Nicholson offers a fresh vision forward, guided by respect and discipline of the craft.”

Has queerness found its place in high-fashion? If so or if not, why?
“The idea of embracing gender fluidity has been around in the fashion industry for some time now and seems to be garnering more attention. It seems as with each new generation there’s a bigger inhale, so to speak, which results in an even greater exhale of new ideas and inclusion. So while there are more images of nontraditional binary brands and models [coming up], I think it’s still the beginning of a chapter.”

Fashion and clothing are an essential part of portraying an identity. They can be a signifier, giving others an idea of who someone is. However, are some styles exclusively associated with the LGBT+ community? Or has fashion become more liberating for all?

The relationship between sexuality and fashion is longstanding, with ‘gender-blurring’ and ‘flamboyant’ styles frequently being linked to the LGBT+ community.

Fashion is often used to show a rebellion from the status-quo, with writer Jacy Topps explaining to HuffPost that “fashion as a means of protest and resistance has been going on for decades.”

It could be argued that dressing to portray your sexual orientation allows LGBT+ individuals to align themselves as belonging with a specific group, outside of the mainstream. It may be an outlet that enables many to outwardly show a part of their identity, which may have once been private, with pride.

Dr Shaun Cole, Associate Professor in Fashion at Winchester School of Art, tells PinkNews: “Fashion acts as a way of indicating something about your own personal identity either an overtly visible way, or in secret through signs and codes to those in the know.”

Connor: “I define my sexuality as bisexual, but life is too short to have limitations on who you choose to love. Once I came out, I felt like there was nothing to hide, so I decided to start dressing how I always wanted to. Now my wardrobe is how I want it to be, full of eyesore-level patterns, shorts that come up to my waist and jumpers that look like sheep.”

Many styles and items of clothing are still associated with certain sexualities, such as bisexuality and cuffing your jeans, suggesting that some fashions could be symbiotic with a person’s orientation.

However, making assumptions of someone’s sexuality based on their appearance is often misguided, especially with mainstream style becoming increasingly flamboyant. With the popularisation of garments such as men’s skinny jeans, fashion may now be more liberating for all.

With acclaimed shows such as Queer Eye helping blur the lines between sexuality and fashion, are we entering an era where people feel less rigid with their choices of clothing?

James: “I’d identify as a straight man. With lads being so body conscious these days, you want to show if off with fashion – something which till recently may have been looked at by others as a gay trait.”

HAS QUEER FASHION INFLUENCED THE MAINSTREAM?

Talking to PinkNews, fashion historian Matteo Augello explains how “subcultures take on an element of the mainstream and then do things that subvert it, making it rebellious.”

The 1960s and ‘70s saw a huge sexual revolution in mainstream ideologies, including the fashion of men and women. The shift in some popular styles of clothing was arguably influenced by LGBT+ subcultures.

Cole says: “In the second waves of feminism, throughout the 1970s, gay women’s adoption of ‘butch’ and more masculine styles influenced a move to the acceptability of trousers” for all women.

Georgia: “I’m a gay woman. I feel, being a lesbian, people have this sort of stereotypical view of a butch girl wearing men’s clothing. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m butch, but I do like to wear men’s shirts, etc. So in a way I have embraced the stereotype whilst still being able to be me. The usual response I get when I say I’m gay is, ‘oh you don’t look gay.’ Which I always find odd anyway.”

Augello adds that: “Pop culture helped show gender as a performance. In the ‘70s, glam rock showed the possibilities of breaking down binary division through subversive fashion.”

With the rise in popularity of glam rock stars, such as David Bowie, in the 1970s, whose fashion was heavily influenced by underground drag and gay culture, it could be implied that LGBT+ groups were one of the causes of this subversive movement that influenced the mainstream.

As well as this, the contribution of LGBT+ people to the fashion industry cannot go understated, with Cole explaining that: “Recent designers, such as Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier and John Galliano are all gay and have created styles with a particular gay aesthetic for both women and men.”

James: “Since I’ve become more comfortable with my sexuality and more open to living life as a gay man, I feel like I’ve massively broadened my fashion choices. Whilst I don’t think sexuality defines my fashion, I think confidence in your sexuality and your fashion are parallel.”

Skinny jeans, lumberjack shirts and women’s suits could all be examples of this aesthetic. Augello says that: “The recent introduction of fetish wear into mainstream fashion has been influenced by LGBT+ individuals from the London underground of the 1980s.”

SHOWING PRIDE THROUGH FASHION

Author of Menswear Evolution, Jay McCauley Bowstead, tells PinkNews: “Fashion remains a potent space of imagination and exploration in which dominant ideas about identity, gender and sexuality can be played with and contested.”

Pride is the perfect example of LGBT+ individuals exploring their sexuality with their choice of fashion.

Cole believes that “there is still a need to express visually who we are, want to be or want others to think we are,” and it could be argued that fashion is the ideal outlet for this self-expression.

Calum: “I identify as a gay man and I use he/him pronouns. Every time I put on an item of clothing that challenges gender norms I feel like I’m making a political statement, showing that I’m proud of who I am, and sending a message to other people that it’s okay to express yourself however you so choose. Pride is my favourite time of year because the streets become filled with people expressing their gender and sexual identities through the clothes they wear, it creates such a wonderfully colourful spectacle for the whole world to see and that’s something worth celebrating.”

Trans individuals often use fashion to assert their gender and feel comfortable in their clothing. “Clothing is sometimes crucial in order to be correctly gendered and understood,” says Cole.

He adds: “It can also be used to state who we do not want to become or be. This has been particularly important historically for those who don’t fit into the mainstream – so LGBT+ people and especially non-white LBGT+ people in the West.”

Shivani: “If I have to put a label on it, I guess I’d say I’m bi, but I prefer using the umbrella terms of gay, queer or fluid. Growing up, I constantly had to tread that line between dressing gay enough for other gay people to know I’m gay, but not so gay my family would know.”

ANDROGYNY IN FASHION

From looking at modern catwalks and the change in what high-street fashion shops are selling, it could be argued that mainstream style is becoming less rigid and allowing far more room for anyone to play with a pallet of garment options.

Straight men have especially seen a lot of change in their interest towards fashion, with the rise of the popular term “metrosexuality” throughout the 2000s.

“The concept of the metrosexual has become a media shorthand towards the acceptance of straight men’s interest in and adoption of fashion and grooming practices that had traditionally been seen as feminine and/or queer,” Cole tells PinkNews.

This shift could be a step towards the acceptance and mass-popularity of androgynous styles.

Talking to the Huffington Post, Willis Chan, a member of menswear collective Ante Meridiem, said: “Interest in androgyny seems to be increasing and I believe it takes one step at a time to reach the point where the general mass breaks down the barrier of what is masculine and feminine, and just wears clothing that they feel comfortable in.”

David: “I try not to define my sexuality, but if I must I’m a queer non-binary person. When you look a little androgynous, your clothing can say absolutely everything about you. It becomes a massively important signifier, the thing people will use to get a quick sense of who you are. I like to imagine how much more fun and colourful and honest the world would be if we all painted ourselves in our identities more.”

With mainstream society still holding on to traditional gender roles, it could be suggested that many still feel rigid in what they should and shouldn’t wear.

Calum McSwiggan, LGBT+ content creator, says: “If society as a whole began celebrating men in women’s crop tops then I think you’d see just as many straight men wearing them — the only difference is that many gay men are already unafraid to break away from the accepted ideas of what a man should wear.”

However, society is slowly shifting to be more fashion inclusive regardless of gender. “The resurgence of unisex labels like Rad Hourani and Toogood represent a continuation and expansion of these pre-existing tendencies,” McCauley Bowstead suggests.

Bridie: “I’d say I’m a straight woman. Fashion and clothing has definitely always been a way for me to figure out myself and how I want to appear to the world. There was a period where I had a very androgynous style, with short hair and quite ‘masculine’ clothes, and I did find it interesting how many people made assumptions about my sexuality. I like being able to veer right across the spectrum of clothing choices and feel comfortable in pretty much all of it.”

Ultimately, fashion can be used as a political and personal tool of self-expression and a way for many to signify who they are to the world. However, it is arguably a simplistic view to link style and sexuality, especially with a rise in more liberating trends being popularised for all audiences.