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Queer Style on Capitol Hill

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Photo by Juliana Adams
Photo by Juliana Adams

It's no secret, Capitol Hill is one of the Queerest and most fashionable neighborhoods in the world. Just taking a walk around the block can expose a baby-Queer to top tier Gay fashion. Hoping to learn more about some of the most iconic and fashionable residents of the gayborhood, SGN took to the streets to find out just what's trending this summer.

Isaac and Joel — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Issac Hansen
he/him

Joel Curry
he/him

What are you wearing?
IH: The shirt is H&M and the shorts are Buffalo Exchange. The shoes are Nike.
JC: Burlington Coat Factory from top to bottom. It's not Amazon. It's Burlington.

What does fashion mean to you?
IH: It's an opportunity to feel good. You're like out and about but wearing a good outfit and you feel on top of the world today.
JC: I think fashion is fun. It's a key way to express your authentic self.

How do you describe your personal style?
IH: Gay. That's the one word. I also need a print, at least.
JC: Loud. I love a big print, like toucans or I guess a giant Hawaiian shirt or striped or something. Not much of a solid print.

What is a staple for your closet?
IH: This shirt is kind of a staple. I feel like I wear this shirt a lot, and just a large, oversize button-up shirt, and then if I'm at home and no one else is around I'll do a fuzzy pajama short.
JC: I love corduroy pants and I love button-downs, but I work in the corporate world.

What is a Queer fashion must-have?
IH: I feel like cuff-able pants.
JC: For shoes, you've got to have a shoe that you can just wear with everything and you can ruin it or whatever and that's just these shoes, these are my "'I don't care about these"' shoes and then also have a pair of shoes that you really care about and take care of.

What is the Gayest thing you're wearing today?
IH: I like this little bow; I think it's very cute and fun.
JC: The toucan shirt, it's really out there. Everything else is pretty heterosexual today, unfortunately.

Who are your biggest style icons?
IH: My roommate who just graduated in fashion merchandising, or random people I see on Instagram.
JC: Things I see on Instagram reels or the discovery page.

Emma — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Emma
they/them

What are you wearing?
These are a pair of velvet sweatpants I ended up cutting because they're like medium petites and they were really short, so I just cut them into shorts. Then this I got from a friend's thrift sale, and then just Doc Martens and black socks.

What does fashion mean to you?
It's just a way to get your point across and express yourself. That's what everyone says, but it's a way to communicate with the world.

How do you describe your personal style?
A little bit like "little boy chic" or just a stoner Lesbian because it's just like that's it.

How does your fashion reflect your Queer identity?
Androgyny in general. Being Queer isn't just being Gay, it's being outside of what you see in the windows, so it's nice to be a physical representation of what you don't see in the windows.

What is a staple for your closet?
I used to have this little pendent. It was a spider in resin with a glow-in-the-dark background, but I lost it. But that was a staple for me. Also, my cargo pants.

What is a Queer fashion must-have?
Confidence, that's the must have. Wear what you want.

What's the Queerest thing you're wearing today?
My Trans Tape. I have my boobs taped up.

Who are your biggest style icons?
Dua Saleh, they're a singer-songwriter. David Bowie. My buddy Zach.

Charly and Sara — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Sara
they/them

Charly
he/him

What are you wearing?
C: I just kind of wear stuff that I thrift. I'm from Vegas, so Buffalo Exchange.
S: Right now I always wear these Adidas shoes, the superstars. A classic.

What is a staple in your closet?
S: My main piece that I like to wear is Calvin Klein boxers and a Calvin Klein bra. I like to have my boxers exposed almost always. They're not super-exposed right now because I'm wearing high-waisted shorts and a belt, but that's pretty much the staple. Also, silver necklaces, definitely. I think accessories are a huge part of an outfit.

What does fashion mean to you?
S: It's feeling good about yourself and how you express yourself. Clothing can express so much more about a person.
C: Yeah, it's expressing yourself and what you wear.

How would you describe your personal style?
S: Androgynous, but like kind of what I'm feeling. Whatever in the closet feels good together. I just try to look androgynous or just confusing, if that makes sense.

What's a Queer must-have?
S: Clavin Klein. White socks. Silver chains. Or gold, whatever you're into.
C: Colorful.

Who are your biggest style icons?
S: No one in particular, I just follow straight fashion trends then morph it into my own. I'm also a huge part of the rave scene, so I think that can sometimes tie into my outfits.
C: I like 80's stuff.

Michael — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Michael Cabaya
they/them

How would you describe your outfit today?
Casual nudity.

What does fashion mean to you?
Freedom.

What is a staple of your closet?
Mesh. Fishnet. I just like it.

What is a Queer fashion must-have?
Nudity, I guess. Everyone is just too shy to be nude but to express it brings out more happiness.

Angela and Cathryn — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Angela Long
she/her

Cathryn Anderson
she/her

What are you wearing today?
CA: I got most of this from the thrift store. The pants are from Urban Outfitters.

What does fashion mean to you?
AL: I like to wear what I think is fun. That's what it's all about. That's what my friend told me one time. I was going to buy something that was weird and was like, "Will I ever wear this?" And she said, "Fill your closet with stuff you like and then it will start to match."

How would you describe your personal style?
AL: Gay. Sometimes a 12-year-old-boy, sometimes fashionable, sometimes pink.
CA: Mine, I guess, is cottage-core but also like a little skater boy.

How do you reflect your identity through your outfits?
AL: Well, I don't want to be rude, but I think straight people can dress kind of boring. I think that people who are part of the community dress with more colors, more patterns, and it's sort of like an identifier. Not always, some [straight] people just dress cool and have good fashion, or bad, I don't know. Depends on what you think of it, but it's sort of like an identifier, like, you Gay? Me Gay.

What is a staple of your closet?
AL: I have a quilted jacket that has a bunch of safari animals on it and then my friend just made me a quilted jacket that has Sonic characters on it.
CA: Pants with pockets, Cargo pants.

What's a Queer must-have?
AL: A crop top. Overalls.
CA: Fun earrings!

What's the Gayest thing you're wearing today?
AL: Probably my flame shirt.
CA: Flame bra.

Who are your biggest style inspirations?
AL: It's generally people I see in the street that I think are cool. I see someone walk around and I go, 'I want one of those!'

Chole, Liza, Moises, Cole Skittle, Elisa and Gwendolyn the dog, Lindsay, (legs and knees of Josh and Cole 2) — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Chole Haiton
he/him

Liza Dalton
she/her

Moises
he/him

Cole Skittle
he/him

Lindsay
she/her

Cole 2
he/him

Josh Treybig
he/him

Elisa
she/her

Gwendolyn
dog

What are you wearing?
CH: This is Palm Springs Thrift right here.
E: Gwendolyn.
LD: This is Target and the pants are a birthday present.
M: This is just flea market vintage.
CS: This is from a small mountain village in Mexico. It was a gift from a friend who went to Mexico.
L: My overalls are from Aerie and then I thrifted these.
C2: Just work clothes.
JT: Just thrifted.

How would you describe your personal style?
CH: Colorful patterns. Bold. Medieval gothic, maybe?

What is a staple of your closet?
L: Leopard print Doc Martens.
E (speaking for Gwendolyn the dog): Missing an arm.
JT: A dozen Beyonce shirts.

What is a Queer must-have?
CS: Black clothes.
CH: Just wear what makes you happy.
E: Sunscreen. I'm just going to say, I understand I can't burn that easily, but I love my friends and I don't want them to die of cancer. Sunscreen. I want you to live.

What is the Gayest thing you're wearing right now?
JT: My jockstrap.
CS: I think this butterfly necklace.

Who are your biggest style icons?
LD: Mary Tyler Moore.
JT: Beyonce.
M: Tyler the Creator.
CS: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.
L: I like finding pieces that are similar to V's style from BTS.
CH: I would say Cleopatra.

Drew, Hunter, and Rachel — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Drew Bimson
he/they

Hunter Crawford-Shelmadine
she/they

Rachel John
she/her

What are you wearing?
H: I wish it was something cool. I have Ross Dress for Less. Levi's, but from a thrift store for sure, Buffalo Exchange. Target. And Docs.
R: I'm wearing a T-shirt I got at a Cougs' concert when I was 18, these overalls from The Gap and Docs.
D: Everything I'm wearing is thrifted except for the sunglasses; they're from Guess. The bucket hat is from a swap meet in San Diego.

What does fashion mean to you?
H: It's expression.

How would you describe your personal style?
H: Changing. I feel like I change my style so many times. I came out, then I changed my style. Then I was like, "I can change it again if I want." It's just an expression. Whatever I'm feeling.
R: I want to say 12-year-old-boy meets grunge meets hippie.
D: A work in progress. It's just, I don't know, it's always adjusting to whatever I'm feeling at the time.

How does your style reflect your identity?
D: Just kind of realizing what you want to do with your style and just going for it rather than worrying about what everyone else is doing.
H: I feel like I, in the beginning, I would just wear like a rainbow bracelet, to be like, "I'm also one of you," but then once I started becoming more comfortable, I would just wear whatever. I feel like how you dress, certain things can help identify you, not that I need to be identified.
R: I am just now realizing that trying different things out is a good reflection of my identity.

Docs, Docs, Docs... — Photo by Juliana Adams  

What is a staple piece of your closet?
R: Docs. Rings for sure.
H: I always have on this necklace that my brother got me six years ago, and then recently I have on this chain, but I always have accessories. Also, plain black or gray pants.
D: I have a guitar pick necklace I usually wear that recently broke that I am yet to fix, but I'm always changing the color depending on whatever I'm wearing. But I wear it almost every day.

What is a Queer must-have?
R: Docs.
D: It's kind of basic but color.

What's the Gayest thing you're wearing today?
H: Probably my Taylor Swift wristband with the date that Folklore was released because that day changed my life. And "Les-be-honest" is another bracelet, we also have Gay Bitch, so any of those.
R: The overalls or the Docs.
D: I think the hat and shirt combo for me. Green on green.

Darya and Alvin — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Darya Beigi
she/her

Alvin
dog

What are you wearing today?
I think I have the Lesbian uniform, which is all black everything with no color at all and if there was any color it would be a small little tinge or something like a headband or a bandana, but it's just an all-black fit today.

What does fashion mean to you?
Expression. Really, expression. When I was younger my fashion was all over the place, but I feel like now, even though all black is kind of simple, I feel like it's still a statement at the same time. I feel like It's just an expression and comfort, really.

How would you describe your personal style?
I try to be comfortable, but I also don't want to seem like I just rolled out of bed. Usually I'll wear nice shirts, button-downs, button-ups, whatever direction you do it. Jeans, boots. Dyke boots are always a good fit. Maybe just layer up with jackets. Yeah, my style is just kind of relaxed and casual.

How do you use fashion to express your identity?
As much as it's become kind of a joke, I feel like for me when I wear a lot of black and chains. When I first came out, I thought dressing Gay was like a bunch of rainbows, but like wearing the clothing I wear in the style I wear it makes me very comfortable in myself and who I am, and I think I'm able to express that in that way. It's kind of a fun way of when you see someone else — you can't always assume, but when you see someone else, you can be like "hey." All my Queer Lesbian friends dress the same as me, so it's just kind of a whole community you make through your style.

What is a staple piece of your closet?
I usually wear chains or a Nike sports bra, always. I mean, no one will know — unless they know.

What's a Queer must-have?
Carabiner. I've got a horse carabiner. The key makes it kind of a unicorn situation so it's even a Gayer carabiner. I also know that sometimes tattoos and piercings go there. I always joke that no straight person has a septum piercing, and I've never been wrong.

What's the Gayest thing about your outfit today?
My jeans, but they're also like Seattle grunge, so maybe if I was in Miami or New York.

Tranos — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Tranos
he/him

What are you wearing today?
I am wearing Monico and Zara.

What does fashion mean to you?
To me, fashion means being able to express yourself and put on what feels good, regardless of what other people think.

How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is a little chicer. I go for cleaner looks, subtle patterns if any, but more so clean colors and clean looks.

How do you use style to reflect your identity?
I think my fashion reflects Queerness because sometimes I choose to wear things that some people might consider to be more feminine. I'll wear short-shorts or tighter clothes. By crossing those "gender barriers," I'm able to reflect the LGBTQ+ community, too.

What's a staple of your closet?
I'm always going to have a good button-down shirt.

What's a Queer must-have?
A cute pair of booty shorts. For girls or guys.

What is the Gayest thing you're wearing today?
I'd say this shirt with the little pattern on it.

Who are your style icons?
My fashion icon would probably be Tan France from Queer Eye. He dresses super well. I just love his style.

Oliver — Photo by Juliana Adams  

Oliver Fitzgerald
he/him

Preacher
dog

What are you wearing today?
I am wearing REI mostly, which makes me sound really bougie, which I'm not. I just like stuff that lasts. I'll probably wear these shorts four out of five days of the week, and they're great. They're actually from the little boy's section because I'm not large enough to fit into men's clothes, which is convenient for my wallet. The tank top I got from Lifelong because Lifelong is the best place and you shouldn't shop at Goodwill. My dog gear is an Ollydog treat pouch, which is essential. Preacher is wearing a Celtic Canine satin leash because it's good for his hair, and he's having a really good time with his toy. My shoes are Ultras and I absolutely adore them. I also have a bandana on, as I usually do, for utility purposes as well as fashion.

What does fashion mean to you?
I like a good blend of utility and comfort. I enjoy looking sporty/outdoorsy. I like hiking a lot. If I look like I could leave the streets and go on a mountain, that's usually the vibe.

How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style, right now it's hard because I am in between normal human sizes. My shoulders are broad and my frame is small and I'm muscular, so I don't fit into boy's clothes and I don't fit in women's clothes but I also don't fit in men's clothes because I'm too short. It's whatever I can find, usually.

How do you reflect your identity through fashion?
I always have, even when I didn't know. I definitely have always had a more masculine vibe to me, regardless of what I was identifying as, mostly because I just like the comfort of men's clothes. At least when I was a teenager, men's clothes were way more comfortable. It's kind of going in the other direction now where all people's clothes are more comfortable, which is fantastica and I love it. I also love that there's more of a vintage style coming back. Everyone's just kind of wearing big clothes and just chilling.

Oliver and Preacher — Photo by Juliana Adams  

What is a staple of your closet?
My Mountain Hardwear pants that I got at Lifelong. I probably couldn't afford them new; they are my alternative to these shorts. I also have a pair of North Face very short women's hiking shorts. They have this nice little buckle on them. They're a light pink which is probably the most feminine piece of clothing I wear, and I absolutely love it. Pretty much anything that dries quickly and can withstand my roughness because I am not gentle on my clothes.

What is a Queer must-have?
The first thing that came to mind is a Carhart beanie, so that's probably it. I feel like that's Queer or all Queerness pretty much, although the Lesbians and their Carhart is a pinnacle.

What is the Gayest thing you're wearing today?
I do have a leash that I'm using as a holder for my treat bag that is rainbow. The bandana is also pretty Queer; it's the map of Olympic National Park.

Who are your style icons?
I mostly am on the internet for dog things so I don't pay too much attention. Also I get a little discouraged because I can't find fashion or afford it right now, so I guess the other people I see around Seattle. Seattle is my fashion icon. I think we have a very particular style of whatever the fuck you want and utilitarian, which I think is great. Everybody looks like they could be running or hiking. Athleisure, if you'd call it that.