In February 2011, everyone’s favorite up-and-coming queer fashion blog, dapperQ, debuted an ingenious new column: He Said/We Said. At its heart, the column is masculine-of-center queers rocking sharp, sexy clothes, inspired by a designer’s recent menswear line. The ingenious part is that the models weren’t told what to wear or how to wear it — what you’re seeing in the photo shoots is each individual’s take on a designer’s theme. Anita Dolce Vita, the brains behind He Said/We Said, from a recent interview with Curve magazine:
“The models fashion their very own looks – I give the inspiration, they give the interpretation. They come to the shoot camera ready: hair, make-up, their own clothes, accessories and props. I didn’t want the series to reflect how to recreate menswear from an individual stylist’s point of view. It’s always a wonderful surprise to see what each model came up with and all of the different translations of the same inspiration.”
Coming at a fashion shoot from this realistic, attainable angle, as opposed to over-the-top, dramatic themes, empowers readers to try these things for themselves; it gives people the confidence to find their own unique style and run with it. But the honesty doesn’t stop at the clothes — you’re also getting a good look at the real dapperQ community and all the diversity it has to offer. Anita, again from Curve:
“In general, my goal for the feature, and Susan’s overall goal for the site, is to avoid featuring the same people over and over. Our community is sometimes guilty of knowingly or unknowingly recreating the same hierarchies, divisions, biases, preferences, and unattainable expectations that are perpetuated in society at large. We want to break through those barriers by giving everyone a voice – all shapes, sizes, races, ethnicities, ages, and gender presentations are welcome.”
With a year’s worth of photo shoots under their belt, we thought it would be a good time for a quick retrospective. Let’s take a walk down sexy, well-fitted memory lane with He Said/We Said! Here’s the first video of the column, featuring the blindingly adorable Mila Polyak discussing what it means to be a dapperQ and just how easy it is to make the panties drop.
And now to the photo shoots! Click the dates/numbers to see the original posts on dapperQ, where you’ll find more videos and more pictures. You’re welcome!
He Said/We Said: John Varvatos
DJ Angel Boi, DJ Filfy, Lilly Alban, Sabrina Haley
Inspiration: John Varvatos
Photographed by Sabrina Haley
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He Said/We Said: Moncler Gamme Blue
Mila, Tiq, V. Bella, Rachel, Juanita, Senka
Inspiration: Moncler Gamme Blue
Photographed by DJ Vito Fun
He Said/We Said: Moschino
Sinclair Sexsmith, Ariel Speedwagon, Suri, Shomi Noise, Goldie Peacock
Inspiration: Moschino
Photographed by Yi Ching Lin
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He Said/We Said: Marc Jacobs
Jama Shelton, Genesis Tramaine, Ryann Makenzi Holmes, Gina Mamone
Inspiration: Marc Jacobs
Photographed by Maro Hagopian
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He Said/We Said: agnès b.
Syd London, Kit Yan, Lauren Gulbrandsen, Niki Cutler
Inspiration: agnès b.
Photographed by Yann Feron
We’re so excited to be teaming up with dapperQ to give you even more style inspiration and diversity realness. Look for a new photo shoot by Leslie Van Stelten from dapperQ on Autostraddle next week! In the meantime, tell us what you want you want. Any ambitious style features you’d like to see dapperQ and Autostraddle’s fashion writers collaborate on? What pressing, relevant-to-your-interests questions do you have for these sharply dressed experts?
Love me some Kit Yan.
Will someone at Camp teach me how to tie a tie?
I still have to tie my brothers for him..I will be happy to teach you..Any knot in particular?
See, this is a question I should probably know the answer to, but I don’t. Surprise me!
I prefer the smaller, narrow knots like the Four in Hand or the Half Windsor..Plus they are much easier than the wider Windsor knot..You’ll be a pro by the end of camp!
except if you are a short lady with a long tie… then a double windsor does the trick.
i can never remember my log in info. but like that lady up there said…a long tie and short lady like myself = double windsor perfection (especially if an attractive femme ties it for you)
I would argue that ANYTHING done by an attractive femme is perfection.
Woot! Sugarbutch spotting!
This is exactly how I want to dress. Swoon. I’d let that person against the piano in the first row tie my tie any day. :)
so much handsomeness!
These outfits are horrendous. The only message they’re conveying is HEY I GREW UP IN THE OPPRESSIVE MIDWEST AND JUST CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET! Fedoras, really? Do up your shirt collar, lose the embarrassing white tie, pull up your goddamn pants, and stop shopping skater shops for accessories. You don’t need to resort to ill fitting menswear; it makes you look bulky and tacky . Simplicity and TAILORING, ladies..and gents.
whoa whoa easy there killa cam. there’s nothing horrendous about these looks. nothing wrong with a little bow tie, dress pants, sweater action…the deal is DAPPER.
the tailoring seems on point with enough loose fit so ppl don’t feel like they’re in a straight-jacket (literallllyyysss)
so my question to you, oh most hilariously venomous hater, is besides the tailoring, what’s wrong?
helpful critiques are always better than straight up hater-ade, baybee.
get with it.
shed some light, not some rain.
“oh most hilariously venomous hater” okay, i was reading this and i literally spit out my soda. L.M.A.O.!
RLG,
First, some people like fedoras, others do not. I believe both Autostraddle and dapperQ do not shame others, but rather strive to celebrate those of us who are proudly making our own choices. Second, what is not pictured here is the inspiration photo that the models were asked to fashion a look around. The fedoras were, in part, worn because the inspiration was based on a 2011 agnes B. menswear ensemble featured in GQ. The agnes B. model is wearing a fedora, which you can see here: http://www.gq.com/fashion-shows/complete/slideshow/S2011MEN-AGNESBMEN?event=show1862&designer=design_house2214&trend=&iphoto=29#slide=29
While I love my queers all over this great land (including the midwest), I must point out that agnes B. is a world renowned French designer who probably was not influenced by the oppressive midwest.
aww i LOVE me some dj angel boi. she spins dope shit at nowhere bar and mad other places in the city. always gives me mad hugs n love.
yessss a dapper q/autostraddle COLLABO – where is missy elliot with THE REMIX???
I’m totally not interested in fashion, but I am very interested in this post. This dapperQ style really does it for me – they all look so sexy!
i love genesis tramaine. she’s so cute.
Everything in the Marc Jacobs He Said/We Said is fantastic! Excellent examples of how and when to tuck in the shirt or not to, y’all.
Agreed! The Marc Jacobs is my favorite…comfort + style + cuteness.
this is all i ever want to do with clothes. stay sharp, y’all.
I was just sitting here eating take out and crafting a response to rgl, when I cracked my fortune cookie open and it read, “There is no reference for beauty.” I think that sums up what dapperQ is doing with these shoots; that and the fact that the description above states, “Our community is sometimes guilty of knowingly or unknowingly recreating the same hierarchies, divisions, biases, preferences, and unattainable expectations that are perpetuated in society at large. We want to break through those barriers by giving everyone a voice – all shapes, sizes, races, ethnicities, ages, and gender presentations are welcome.” rgl doesn’t seem to see eye to eye with the cookie or the project’s goal, but I think everyone looks fantastic. Keep doing you!
Since I was around 15 Marc Jacobs has been the reason I bother to get out of bed in the morning/can’t pay my tuition/always look good/have about four credit cards.
Mixed feelings, but enless love for him.
Ami, there needs to be a TV show about your life. I love your comments! Shopping, being queer, getting drunk sometimes a bit too much… hey, the real l word will end eventually. We’ll need a replacement.
I don’t even remember making that post. Apparently it was at 2:36 am.
WHOOPS.
wait…. 3:36. Gosh.
(also thank you!!! haha)
OH MY GOD I NEED TO FIND MENSWEAR THAT DOESN’T SWAMP ME.
And I’m 5’8″ and not particularly slender, but I just ordered some men’s small sweater vests and I was swimming in them. :(
Fancy name brands are the answer here, yes? What is there that I can find at like, Macy’s, dapper queers? (I live in a shitty smallish town). IF ANYONE KNOWS PLEASE TELL ME.
I am mostly interested in Anita Dolce Vita, the brains behind this project. I bet she’s a fashionable hottie.
hot!
Love this! Curve had a pictorial awhile back from DapperQ also, and I absolutely love the idea. Stay classy ;)
i love dapper q and he said/we said. i love that they highlight an often ignored sector of the lesbian and trans communities. and the brooklyn boihood bois (ryann mackenzi holmes, particularly) are beyond hot. i was so glad to see them on dapper q.
This is really awesome. Genderqueer fashion has been mixing it up for awhile and this is really hot!
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