Pride
No one harnesses the unique power of self-expression through style quite like the queer community. One scroll through TikTok reveals an array of boundary-pushing fashion that is deeply personal to each wearer ’s story. This Pride Month, we speak to six people from the UK’s LGBTQIA+ community about style, self-expression and identity
Asa fashion writer, I’ve always marvelled at how personal style can communicate wordlessly on our behalf. Think about it: anyone could scope out the popular kids or the indie crowd at school, thanks to a tiny logo on a shirt, or a certain pair of trainers. But in the queer community, style is a silent form of social coding that can express (or repress) one’s identity.Some people embrace or reject historical stereotypes, while others forge new paths not yet explored. Here, some of the UK’s most prominent queer voices talk about how style has intertwined with their sense of self over the years.
‘I realised there was a femme side I had repressed’
Artist and creator Darkwah Kyei-Darkwah believes that self-expression helps us connect with each other more easily.
@hausofdarkwah
‘I grew up queer in a traditional Ghanaian family and learned to experiment with clothing in very subtle ways at first. I identify as non-binary, with they/ them pronouns, and so I just flow very freely between the binaries. My parents were both into fashion, so I could get away with wearing pink, lavender and mint green, even though they were on more masculine garments. It felt like a way to express myself when people didn’t necessarily understand me.
When I was 19, I worked at a luxury store and had to wear a black suit. To feel more me, I’d wear a pink tie and pink silk socks. Back then, I had a more masculine look: a shaved head, a beard and trousers with a nicely polished shoe. But I began to see that self-expression is your truth. If I’m not expressing myself, I’m lying. If you’re being yourself, it’s easier to connect with others; you don’t have to break down any walls. I realised when I started growing my hair that there was a side of me that I had repressed, like this… femme side. I’ve grown my nails long, and now I feel like my arms are complete. And the longer the hair, the more articulate the movement – you feel like you’re moving through water. That’s how I want to feel all the time. I want to feel like I’m floating.’
‘There are so many “trending” queer style markers on TikTok’
Simone Murphy, a DJ and model from Edinburgh who rose to fame on Britain’s Next Top Model, came out as bisexual to her 185,000+ social media followers during the pandemic. She describes her style as a mix of charity-shop finds and classic staples, influenced by subcultures around the world.
@sim0ne
‘I felt I could be a lot more que
