feature image by Mark Constantini
Pride is suddenly upon us and I’m sure you’ve already got your outfit all laid out. Right? Well, I hope so. I’m not going to Pride this year because I booked a badly timed vacation, so you’re going to need to look extra good for both of us.
The best way to plan your outfit for Pride is to start with your absolute favorite look. Nothing too dressy; something that is casual but totally cute. The outfit you might wear to see your ex because you know you look particularly hot in it. Don’t consider season/weather, just really pick the outfit you looks absolutely your best in. You’re going to want to wear your hottest look because, well, I know you and you’re probably going to see a cute girl you want to kiss on. For me, that’s high waisted skinny jeans, a v-neck, a silk scarf tied like a bandana around my neck and my navy blazer. If you have a significant other, this is a great time to ask them what their favorite thing you wear is. Even if you’re not out cruising, looking hot at Pride is a source of…well… pride.
Once you have your all-time favorite outfit picked out it’s time to tweak it to be Pride ready for all sorts of events. You need to assess for weather, longevity and gayness.
Check the weather report religiously leading up the parade. If there is a chance of rain you should add in a raincoat and swap out whatever shoes you were planning on wearing for either rain boots or other boots you don’t mind getting wet. Plan on bringing a few items as possible, maybe just some cash, your phone, ID and your debit card. Carrying around a wet bag will just get grosser and grosser as the day progresses. If the weather is going to be hot, make sure you eliminate any jackets or sweatshirts from your look. Carrying around you hoodie under your arm all day is not cute or fun. In complete contrast to a rainy day, for a super hot day you’ll want to equip yourself with some sort of backpack/shoulder bag. Something large enough to carry a bottle of water for you (and maybe one for your sweetheart) but small enough to not be bulky/heavy. You’ll be a real Pride super star if you throw an extra white ribbed tank top in your bag to inevitably loan to a less properly dressed friend.
Next, assess your outfit for longevity. If you plan on going straight from the parade to a club/party, you’ll want to make sure your outfit is consistent with our rules for how to have fun at a gay bar. Generally you’ll want to aim for close toed shoes and leaving home any valuables you can’t shove in a corner. You probably should have on an outfit that neatly fits a flask. Just sayin’. Alternatively, if you have the opportunity to go home before going out at night you might want to plan one outfit optimized for the parade (weather, rainbowness) and one optimized for partying (bringing your hotness). I’m gonna go ahead and say having a flask on hand in this case is also preferable.
Finally, you’re going to want to get your gay on. Normally I’m not a fan of rainbow shit or pride slogans, but obviously Pride is your chance to let go of notions like “tacky” and just go with it. Do you have a rainbow bow tie? Rainbow suspenders? Rainbow kicks? If you do run in to inclement weather, you can absolutely rock rainbow wellies or a big old rainbow umbrella that says “Lesbians Do it Wetter.” Alternatively if it’s hot, you can take this opportunity to wear rainbow sandals. While Pride is the one time you don’t need to worry about being mistaken for a straight chick, it’s still a fun opportunity to flag as you can. That being said, if you are able to go home in between the parade and party, you might want to ditch your gay-gear in lieu of an “oh, is it Pride again? I look this good all the time” type outfit. The choice is yours and yours alone.
The most important thing you can wear, though, is obvs your pride! (And also maybe sunscreen.) It comes but once a year, so take the time to cherish how great our community is, and how proud we have reason to be. (Also, for real, don’t forget sunscreen.)
