Gay Men's Style

Shaun Cole is Associate Professor in Fashion at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, UK. His research interests focus on dressed appearance, sexuality, masculinities and representations in visual and popular culture. He is the author of Don We Now Our Gay Apparel (2000), has contributed to books and journals including The Men’s Fashion Reader (Berg, 2008), and is the co-editor of Fashion Media (Bloomsbury, 2013).

Preface

Introduction
Identities, subject positions and Intersectionality
Defining Style, Fashion and Dress
Methodological approaches
Chapter arrangement

1. What’s the difference?: Situating Gay Men in the New Millennium
‘How to spot a millennial homo: differences in gay and straight men’s dress
Well-dressed gay men – a stereotype
What is gay style?
‘… made me gay’: Cultural Influences on gay men’s dress choices
Hipster / Metrosexual /Homosexual – where is the gay/straight border?

2. Gender[ed] play
Femininity, effeminacy and drag
Gay masculinities and ‘butch’ styles of dress
Gender ambiguities in gay men’s dressed appearance

3. Millennial Gay bodies
Mesomorphic bodies, muscularity and the gym
Ectomorphic Skinny and Slim Bodies
Endomorphic Bigger, Heavier, Fatter Bodies
Body Modifications: Tattoos
Bodily presentations on social media

4. Coming out and first gay styles
Thinking about coming out
Teenage coming out and effeminacy
Punk, goth and emo as a defining teenage gay style
Coming out and adopting gay styles of dress
Coming out – an ongoing process
Coming out in later life

5. Bars, clubs and scenes
Comparing categories of bars, clubs and scenes (might need a better title)
Muscularity on the global circuit party scene
Bear Scene (sub)culture
Alternative Queer scenes
Loss of gay scenes and spaces

6. Dressing in and for relationships
Dressing to pick up
Dressing like the object of desire
Sexual Attraction and masculinity and femininity
Feeling attractive and looking sexy
Hair and Sexual attraction
Dressing for dates
Coupledom: shared wardrobes and similar styles
The influence of partners and relationships on personal style
Shopping together and gifting clothes in relationships

7. Creating the gay wardrobe
Physical wardrobe and clothing arrangements
Choosing in the morning
Assembling outfits
Smart versus casual
Variety versus uniformity
Dress codes and regulations

8. We’re Here, We’re Queer, Are We Going Shopping?
From High street to High-end designer
Following Fashion Trends?
The Price is Right
Physical stores or online retailers?
Vintage and Second Hand

9. Dressing for Work
Formality at work
Uniformity in Retail and Sales?
Fashionability at work
Artistic and Creative
Performance as work, work as performance

10. Comfort and fit
Baggy, loose and comfortable
Close-fitting and Tailored
Comfort and Confidence
Fashionability, Integrity and Authenticity
Well-fitting garments and age-appropriate comfort

11. Ambiguities of Age and Ageing
Awareness of age and ageing
Changing with age
Age-appropriate choices
Ageing and hair
Age and Health concerns
Ageing capital

Conclusion