There’s no shortage of amazing LGBTQIA+ people to look to for outfit inspirations. In this blog, we’re going to give you the lowdown on some of our favourite queer celebrities and how they manage to look so spectacular!
Credit Dfree / Shutterstock
Janelle Monae
If you’re over 30, you may remember when Janelle first hit the music scene in the late 00s and celebrated everything non-binary at a time when the term ‘non-binary’ wasn’t as widely known as today.
Over the years she has championed bisexuality and pansexuality, as well as pushing through gender norms. Here are some wise words from the legend herself: “I feel my feminine energy, my masculine energy, and energy I can't even explain."
Fitted suits, glamorous gowns, vintage avant-garde…Janelle wears whatever she likes - regardless of gender norms. She smashes the monochromatic, sharp-suited look and equally aces primary block colours.
Marlene Dietrich photographed by her lover, Mercedes de Acosta
Marlene Dietrich
Back to the distant past of Hollywood glamour now! Marlene Dietrich was a proud bisexual woman. She could often be found hanging out in Berlin’s gay bars and drag balls of the 1920s. Marlene went through a Vesta Tilley style revival - wearing “men’s” tuxedos, top hats and dinner suits.
Ms Dietrich didn’t just stop at formal wear! She was a talented boxer too, combining “feminine” clothing with “masculine” athletic wear. Marlene blazed a trail for gender fluidity through fashion, film and sports. What an absolute superstar!
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
Jonathan Van Ness
Let’s come back to the present now with the beautiful Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness. It should come as no surprise that Jonathan is a queer fashion icon. Gender is no boundary to Jonathan - they use he/she/they interchangeably and use their platform to advocate for queer and trans rights.
As well as flowing gowns and magnificent mini dresses, Jonathan has been known to wear feminine-cut suits including a Stella McCartney white two-piece. Jonathan Van Ness always looks out of this world.
Los Angeles, 1974. Photo: Steve Schapiro
David Bowie
What kind of queer fashion blog would this be without the ethereal, late, great David Bowie? He enjoyed playing with gender and sexuality and influenced hundreds of future musicians. He brought queer fashion into the spotlight in the 70s with the “androgynous” (non-binary) stage characters Aladdin Sane and Ziggy Stardust, featuring sparkling jumpsuits, punky orange mullets (before punk was even a thing!) and elegant silk shirts.
Bowie followed this up with his Thin White Duke character in the late 70s - making a complete U-turn from glam rock and kitting himself out in tailored suits and adopting a “masculine” style throughout the severely underrated (my own opinion!) Berlin trilogy albums. He continued to experiment with gender and broke societal norms until he died.
Bowie made it ok to be “weird” (read - interesting and fabulous!). This was reflected in his stunning outfits - whether that was the baby blue suit from the Serious Moonlight tour in the 80s or the boho dress he wore on the 1970 album cover for The Man Who Sold the World. Bowie remains a queer icon to this day.
Laith Ashley
Laith is one of the most inspirational famous trans men out there at the moment. He has modelled for Calvin Klein and Diesel. In 2018, he became the first-ever transgender male pit crew member for RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Laith nails the classic look - think plain white tees and 90s-style blue jeans (very Calvin Klein!). He is also possibly one of the smartest-dressed men on the planet at the moment. He usually opts for suave checked suits, floral shirts and darker colours…though he is known to jazz it up with fitted suits in pink or purple. If you’re looking to perfect a more masculine style, look no further than Laith!
Rebel Wilson
Recently out and proud, Rebel Wilson is certainly a queer femme fashion icon! She doesn't shy away from bright colours and sparkly numbers. Rebel also knows how to rock a cape and a little black dress with a flourish. When she wears block colours, she always pairs the outfit with killer heels and vivid clutch bags. Rebel is always red carpet-ready, celebrating her beautiful curves and choosing outfits that express her personality.
A fun print button up shirt is loved by queer icons, non-queer icons, and lots of other folks too! Where to get the best patterns button ups? Look no further than GFW clothing's shirt collection.
Who are your favourite queer icons? We want to know! Tell us all about it in the comments or on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages!