Are you a gay person who looks to dress up that enjoys fashion and the gay lifestyle? Check out this ultimate gay fashion guide.

There’s the common stereotype that gays are fashionable. You will see us at parties or on dates in crop tops, mesh shirts, or silk pants. But gay clothing is not just about what you wear but expressing your individuality. Continue reading to find out about queer fashion, gay clothing brands, and everything else relating to gay fashion.

Fashion industry

Even though more women study fashion in school the fashion industry is dominated by men. World-renowned gay Fashion designers like Giorgio Armani, Isaac Mizrahi, Alexander Mcqueen, and Tom Ford have heavily influenced the fashion industry. These designers and smaller gay clothing brands have influenced gay clothing which are clothes that catch the eye of the gay community.

Gendered fashion

Back in ancient times, fashion didn’t have a specific gender and was almost unisex. Men and women wore trousers and it wasn’t an issue at all. Men even wore skirts and dresses and weren’t shamed for it since they were originally invented for horseback riding. It wasn’t till about the 1930s and 1940s that clothes started to have a gender. One of the reasons why fashion became gendered is due to social constructs. Clothes were defined as masculine if they were oversized and wore neutral colors like black and white. Boys couldn’t wear dresses and wear pink because it was considered feminine. This type of social construct led to toxic masculinity in fashion which are rigid gender expressions.

Queer fashion

Queer fashion or androgynous fashion became popular in the 1970s. This was a time of liberation. More people openly defied gender norms and wanted to express their individuality. And so fashion became unisex again.

Gay-friendly & Gay clothing brands

I love purchasing from all types of mainstream clothing brands but many of these brands tailor themselves to the heterosexual community. For this reason, I admire gay clothing brands. Because the owners of the brands are LGBTQ themselves they understand what our community desires and wants. They offer all types of fashion including streetwear, couture, swimwear, and everything else that both the heterosexual and LGBTQ would enjoy wearing. Here are some of the gay fashion brands to check out:

Carter Wear

Carter Wear is a black-owned clothing brand which is known for its underwear collection. On the website you will find alot of sexy pieces including mesn g-strings, rimless thongs, and sports jocks. What I love about this brand is that they definitely cater to the black gay community. First, many of their models are black. Second, on the website there is a section of clothing based on your sexual position which are tops and bottoms.

There are also pieces for women including jean shorts and black satin tops. If you’re a black male and want a feeling of sexy and liberated definitely purchase a piece from Carter Wear.

Pas Le Mode

This clothing brand has an interesting selection of clothing and accessories. If you check the website you’ll find brunch shorts, champagne-shaped bags, and cheetah-print crop tops. There is even a glow face mask. One of the persons behind this brand is Leon Curry, who’s one of the major gay influencers in New York City. The mesh shirts are cute so if you don’t want to look like a mess check them out.

Chulo underwear

Chulo underwear is a brand whose mission is to uplift marginalized young people. The brand is run by volunteers and donations go straight to communities of color Many of us gay men love to look sexy and this brand reflects that desire. As the name suggests most of the pieces on the website are under.

What I really like about the brand is that its caters to communities of color. Some of their underwear has flags of Latin countries including Puerto Rican and the Dominican Republic. Also, on their website, you would find mostly black and Latin models. Even at their fashion shows men of color are the primary models.

If you have an underwear fetish or going to a sexual event like an underwear party you definitely should purchase Chulo Underwear.

Haus of Flash

Haus of Flash is another exclusive line by Raymon, another Brooklyn-bred creative. The man just created the line this year and is considered to be luxurious as the brand’s name suggests. Since I’ve known Ray he’s always had a sense of style and fashion so I wasn’t surprised when he came out with a clothing line. He most recently hosted a brunch day party in Downtown Brooklyn where he showcased some of his luxury pieces for different genders including men, women, and genderfluid.

If you’re looking for couture fashion Ray is that guy. His custom-made designs will make you feel like that special person you are.

Ruben Galaretta

This is a menswear clothing brand that was created in 2014. It’s based in Spain where it has a flagship store. What I like about the brand is that it exudes sexiness Some of these sexy pieces include kimonos, swim briefs, and harnesses. You can also find casual items like jogger pants, sweatshirts, and hoodies.

Jerri Reid

Jermaine Reid is the main behind his self-named clothing brand Jerri Reid. Jerri Reid is a Brooklyn-born artist with a mixed heritage of Honduran, Panamanian and Trinidadian. I’ve been to a couple of his fashion shows and can say that he’s done amazing work. His clothing line features unique items that cater to the black culture including durags that resemble a cape and dashikis. He also sells items tailored to the gay community including crop tops and mesh tops.

Garcon

Jockstraps are popular within the gay community and Garcon knows this.

Garcon is a clothing brand known for its swimwear and underwear. It even became the official sponsor of White Party Palm Springs, a huge event for the LGBTQ community. On the website, you won’t find any top pieces but a large selection of jockstraps, briefs, and thongs! Their pieces have many different styles and patterns including plain, subtle pink, ice cream patterns, gold leaf patterns, and jaguar patterns.

Automatic gold

If you like wearing enjoy jewelry and you’re queer you will like some of the pieces on this website. They have everything from charms, bracelets, necklaces

H & M

Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) is a popular retail brand with locations around the store. Even though its target audience is not gay men there is a lot of large percentage of LGBTQ persons that purchase H&M clothing. H&M was originally called Hennes by its founder Erling Person but later changed.

The age group of H&M is 17 to 30s but people of any age can shop there.

Zara

Zara is another world-renowned retail brand. It actually owns H&M which is one of its biggest competitors; the difference between Zara and HYM is that Zara sells clothes at higher prices. Zara is said to be a high-end brand that sells clothes at affordable prices. Its target audience is men and women aged 18 to 30s with a lot of gay men being a big portion of its spenders. One of the biggest Zara is in the Manhattan building on 5th Ave.

Gay fashion history

Centuries ago LGBT persons had to hide their identity to avoid persecution. In the early 1800s, there were secret locations in European cities where gay men could dress according to their tastes and desires and attract partners. These men would wear gowns, green hats, and other clothing and accessories which were frowned upon at that time. Gay men continued to influence fashion in the 1960s by wearing suede shoes, red handkerchiefs, and red neckties; red usually was a signifier that you were homosexual. It wasn’t till after the liberation movement of the 1960s that gay-inspired fashion became mainstream. The suede shoes, green hats, handkerchiefs, and other types of clothing that homosexuals commonly wore are now worn by straight men and other groups of people. 

Even during the Aids crisis in the 1980s, the gay community continued to influence fashion.  During that decade countless lives were lost, including many notable persons in the fashion industry.  However, gay designer Giorgio Armani helped to keep the fashion industry afloat.  Author Mark Tungate wrote in his book Fashion Brands that “Giorgio Armani’s unstructured but easily identifiable suits were worn as a badge of success”.

The popularity of genderfluid fashion

Due to social constructs people have been expected to dress based on their gender. In most societies, men are expected to wear trousers and only women are expected to wear dresses. There have been individuals though that have worn gender-fluid or nonbinary clothes. The women’s liberation movement helped encourage individuals to break out of gender norms and express themselves more freely in their style and fashion. Genderfluid fashion became very popular during the 1970s. Today, homosexuality is more accepted than it has ever been and so there is more gender fluidity in fashion.

Gay Fashion Tips

When it comes to fashion and style it’s mostly all about self-expression. But here are some suggestions to make you stand out and make yourself visually appealing.

• Wear the right fit. Fit is the most important thing to consider when it comes to visual appearance. Your fit is determined by your body type so if you’re slim it’s best to wear slim-fit clothing and if you’re large you can wear classic size as long as it fits tight to your body. No matter your size you should always have your clothes fitted especially if you’re wearing a suit. You can create an impressionable image with an inexpensive outfit if it’s tailored to your body. On the other hand, you can wear expensive clothes but if they are loose or baggy they won’t have an attractive look. Just be mindful that your clothes are not so tight that your body parts don’t breathe. My suggestion is to go to Zara since their clothes are quality and slim fit.
• Accessorize. Accessories help you are good complements to your tops and bottoms. Hats, watches, and bracelets are great daily accessories that you can wear for any season or occasion. If you’re going to an elegant occasion you can spruce up your outfit by wearing jewelry.
• Try athleisure. Athleisure is a style that combines fashion and comfort. You can try athleisure if you’re going on a coffee date or a meetup with a friend. Jogger pants are a prime example of athleisure clothing.
• Wear quality shoes. As I mentioned earlier you don’t have to wear expensive clothes to look fashionable and stylish. But what I do recommend is to invest in a good pair of shoes. You can go to a retail discount store like DSW or Marshall’s to purchase shoes at an affordable price. Brand names shoes like Cole Haan or Johnson & Murphy will last for a while.
• Be you. Some of us have a more distinct style than others. That’s ok. If you don’t want to dress for your fit and want to go for a baggy look do so.

What should I wear for a first LGBT date?

If you’re going out on a date the most important thing is to be yourself. With that being said dress how you feel comfortable. If you’re going for a sexy look then I would recommend the cardinal rule: wear the right fit. If you’re just looking to

Is it weird if I’m gay and have no sense of fashion whatsoever?

There is a common belief that all gay guys know how to dress well and/or have a sense of fashion. Every gay person is different. Not all of us strut down the streets with fancy shoes and matching outfits. Some of us are fashionistas and some aren’t. With that being said we need to drop stereotypes of gay people and just view them as actual persons rather than fashion divas.

Wrap up

Females are said to buy the most clothing but people of all LGBTQ spectrum buy clothes.

Men’s fashion is often seen as boring and plain but that’s not true. Gays have created many trends in fashion. Whether you’re gay furry, transgender, or nonbinary you can use this guide to look undoubtedly queer and fantastic.