Newspaper Page Text
Southern Voice/April 25, 1991
5
FEATURE
Lesbian Fashion...
by Debbie Fraker
Just what is lesbian fashion? Jodie Foster at the
Oscars? Martina at her sweaty best? And what makes
fashion any different for lesbians than straight women?
Well, if you believe the old saying "clothes make the
woman," it can make a world of difference. For exam
ple, lesbians have often turned fashion into a political
statement, usually a statement of rebellion against tradi
tions of femininity or of freedom from the fashion
industry itself. And sometimes traditional feminine
clothing on lesbians is a statement of the freedom to be
feminine amidst the pressures from the lesbian commu
nity to avoid the trappings of the patriarchy. The bot
tom line, however, is that most lesbians wear whatever
makes them comfortable. Not to say that a lot aren't
fashion conscious, too. And it's quite possible to have
both.
Fashion magazines are currently full of tips for
Spring and Summer wear. Bright colors are prominent,
particularly bright pastels and primaries, although fash
ions for women of color include shades of gold and
bronze. In the magazines, casual wear is mostly cotton
and knits, close-fitting, and designed for women who
don't eat well. Skirts are short and ass-hugging, and
shoulders are bare and tanned. Since Little Five Points
is a veritable garden of lesbians in Spring and Summer,
it proved to be the perfect place to check out the reali
ties of fashion for lesbians in the upcoming season.
At Abbadabba's, owner Janice Abemethy balked at
trying to predict trends for Spring fashions.
"Everybody's wearing everything," she diplomatically
replied. But she excitedly showed off the new line of
colors in Birkenstocks, the staple of so many lesbian
wardrobes. A limited edition series for Spring includes
new colors called "desert hues" in "new buck" leather.
In lilac, rose, teal, and light blue, these Birkenstocks
will even complement painted toenails. Abemethy says
that Birkenstocks "are now on the cutting edge of fash
ion as well as comfort."
Bright colors and pastels in floral prints adorn the
windows of Cotton Casuals, where Judy Atkinson, in
addition to the pastels, has lots of "primitive colors like
crayon colors." Among her customers, natural fibers
that are easy to wear and comfortable are popular, par
ticularly if the cotton is grown locally and the clothing
is made domestically. Environmental issues are fash
ionable, especially on t-shirts. She also says that hats
are strong this year.
Atkinson doesn’t have any particular buying strategy
for this season. "I just buy what I like and hope other
people will like it too," she says. Lipstick lesbians may
particularly want to check out the line of floral sun
dresses she has for Spring.
At the Junkman's Daughter, Pam Majors also says
that florals are popular. But she has a wide variety of
styles and customers. She sells vintage 1890 clothing
and "punk leather," and leather sales don't necessarily
drop in Spring. Regardless of the season, black is
always a big part of her line. "No matter what we buy,
we always have at least half in black, whatever season,"
says Majors. Junkman's Daughter is also the denim
headquarters for L5P.
Butch or Femme, black is a year-round fashion foundation, and Junkman's Daughter is head
quarters for black, be it leather or denim, motorcycle jackets or sexy hot-pants. What would the
PC lesbian's wardrobe be without a pair of Birkenstocks? And for the femme fashion edge,
dabble in Abbadabba's selections of Birk's new soft desert hues; they work oh so well with the
floral dresses and separates carried next door at Cotton Casuals.
...Not an Oxymoron in L5P
Sonya Scott, a buyer for Stefan's, specializes in vin
tage clothing and offers the best selection for cross
dressing lesbians. Women borrowing from men's fash
ions or mixing women's and men's clothing is popular
in Stefan's. Scott asserts that colors will replace basic
black for Spring.
"Color in men's wear is one thing we are not afraid
of," she says, showing off light weight men's sport jack
ets in mustard and teal and in herringbone and tattersoal
prints as well as a large selection of colorful silk ties.
Scott has some creative ideas for turning men’s
clothing into women's fashions. Ties can be simply
flipped or tied in an asymmetrical bow, or brightly col
ored smoking jackets and silk robes can be worn with
slacks. Scott is also expecting hats to be popular and
has a line of straw skimmers in sage, mustard, and
bronze. But the item that she is most excited about is a
recently acquired line of never-worn no-lapel cardigan
style jackets in seersucker, a Spring jacket she says will
complement shorts, skirts, or even jeans. Print acetate
linings contrast with the seersucker on rolled-up
sleeves.
Stefan's also has a variety of colorful skirts and
dresses. "They go anywhere from 50's sock hop to
Greta Garbo and Lauren Bacall," says Scott. "1 think
the neat thing for anyone buying vintage is that they can
get a one-of-a-kind. You can have fun in it, but you can
also look professional."
Spring flowers always seem to inspire brightening
up the wardrobe, even if it only means wearing cheerier
colored t-shirts with your Levis. This Spring, evenings
at Options, the Otherside, Deana's, etc. will no doubt
look like the inside of an extra-jumbo crayon box. And
downtown, the National Lesbian Conference will be
busting out all over.
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