Queers! Two things. Well, three.

1. Blake wrote an article for Autostraddle about the history of dandy fashion, and reclaiming it as a Black queer (or perhaps it doesn’t have to be reclaimed?) Check it out!

2. Remember the amazing shirts and trucker hats I got at the Jack Tar happy hour? They are now available for purchase online! Those shirts are seriously some of my favorites. I wear them all the time. The trucker hat pictured above is also a fabulous Sonny-approved way to bring out the queerbro in you. 

3. Androgyny’s new summer colors are out! All have the contrasting inner collar and sleeve designs, and they’ve got a limited edition anchor print shirt. (See my post on them)

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Anonymous asked: You've done a few posts on getting custom made shirts (from places like Ratio and Blank Label). I'm thinking about getting my first custom shirt made, but there are so many places that do it these days! What has been your best custom shirt ordering experience? Is there one company that you'd recommend over all the others?

If you are around New York City or plan on visiting any time soon, my highest recommendation is our tailoring consultant, Rae (aka The Handsome Butch) with Bindle & Keep! You can e-mail her at Rachel@BindleandKeep.com. I haven’t made anything with her yet myself, but she’s queer and amazing (not to mention, uh, gorgeous) so I’m sure she’d fit you for a fabulous shirt.

This could be you! (from thehandsomebutch.tumblr.com)

If you are not around NYC, and you fit within the S - XL range, I also highly recommend Androgyny. Even though they aren’t custom made, their shirts actually fit me better than any custom made shirt I’ve ever gotten. 

I also had a really positive experience with both Ratio Clothing and Blank Label. The email exchange with Eric Powell of Ratio was incredibly in-depth and he took extraordinary care to make sure I got what I needed (and was very up-to-date on queer needs.) It also depends which fabrics and styles you are interested in. Ratio has some amazing new gingham and plaid options that I’m feeling a tad drooly over. However, Blank Label offers more options for collar, placket, cuffs, pockets, and buttons. Ratio also will allow you to send back a shirt for additional alterations as many times as you need; whereas Blank Label offers just one remake.

I don’t have any experience with bespoke women’s shirts, so I don’t have much advice on finding more feminine cuts. But I should add that Androgyny is really cut to look androgynous. Menswear companies like Ratio and Blank Label will have more masculine cuts that emphasize broad shoulders. 

Click on the brands to see my reviews about each: Androgyny | Ratio Clothing | Blank Label

Anyone else have reviews to add of these or other custom shirt labels? Add them to the comments!

- Sonia

I came to New York last night for VEER NYC’s first fashion show of their  curated androgynous clothing collection at the Dalloway. It was almost worth the treck just for the dapper-as-fuck crowd! I didn’t get any good photos of the actual fashion show, but I enjoyed their creative and artsy take on androgynous styles. I’m so excited to see what happens next with them, and hoping it includes some plus sized models. Their collection includes items from Androgyny, Verameat, Kollar Clothing, Claudia Ligari, Riyka, Mörkna, and Sloane & Tate. 

OK CUTIE PICS TIME:

With Ry Ry! Glowing like a glow stick.

Teel jacket, yellow tie. Love

Such cuuute TBS

With C. Haber Dash, my new hella dapper queer friend

One of the models showing off their jewelry, all of which I believe they said was from Verameat

Queer Pomp, TBS, AND Bow tie undone?? Ya-uh

With Susan Herr, the founder of dapperQ

Me and VEER

I found an AQ (Adorable Queer) in my favorite J.Crew Boy’s sweater.

Of course, an amazing 48 hours in NYC with all the DQ’s needed to get balanced out by getting gender harassed by an employee when I tried to use the women’s bathroom in the Apple Store. But Apple, I forgive you, because you then allowed me to steal your internet for 2 hours AND charge my computer for the bus ride back. #Killinit

UPDATE 2/15: The profesh photos are up and look amazing!

- Sonia

VEER NYC: Website | Indiegogo | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

Those who’ve been following Qwear for a while have seen my array of button-ups. I’ve brought multiple brands to the tailor and have even taken the custom-made route. But this number by Androgyny is one of the best fitting shirts I’ve come across. I’ve enjoyed my other shirts a lot, but when I tried this on I went, “oooooh, that’s what it should feel like!” It didn’t require any adjusting or pulling to fit over my curves. And like most of you, I probably would have never known what was possible in a shirt that could fit my body and gender expression until now.

Due to the high production costs of manufacturing in San Francisco and being a start-up who produces limited editions of each style, Androgyny’s shirts are priced at $125. Though many of you have graciously informed me that you don’t have that kind of cash (I think my favorite line was: “this blog is run by a privileged idiot”), if you do have the means or are saving for a special occasion, your money will be well spent. And, if nothing else, it helps to know that shirts made for androgynous folk are now in existence and will someday be more easily acquired!

The name of the company describes the shirt exactly: it hides my curves without creating a more masculine shape than I want. The bottom comes out to accommodate hips but not in a way that’s at all noticeable. l’m certainly not a shirt construction expert, nor can I account for all the body-types other than my own — but from the way it feels I can tell they’ve done their research on the needs of androgynous people with curves. To top it off, their shirts feature contrasting inner collars, sleeves, and buttonhole thread. All their collars allow ties. Some people may find the colors in their current collection “feminine,” but you know how crazy I go over colorful menswear.

I also appreciate that they button on the right side like men’s shirts. Many dry cleaners charge sometimes up to 3 times as much for women’s shirts, so this will save you money. Pretttty cray. Also, these days maids aren’t expected to dress their Victorian mistresses, so it’s not really necessary to keep the left-side button practice.

This Crisp White Magenta shirt and 4 other colors are available at www.wearandrogyny.com in sizes S-XL. I hope all the dissatisfied andros get the experience of trying on one of these babies at least once. For now, they are only available online, but offer free shipping and free returns. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates on their growing color and size options.

Thanks, Androgyny!

- Sonia

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Since there are so many new queer brands starting up, I thought I’d make a list of our favs! If you have the means to do so, I recommend checking these out when considering your next purchase/getting your hair did! You’re especially lucky if you live in San Francisco, New York City, or London. But many of them have online shops.

Androgyny: High-quality androgynous fitting button-ups for women/people with curves in 5 colors and patterns, priced at $125. No plus sizes yet. (Qwear feature coming soon!)

Bindle & Keep: Bespoke menswear company in NYC. Rae of The Handsome Butch works there, and she’s awesome! Email her for fittings: Rachel@BindleandKeep.com.

Chrysalis: First ever lingerie store for MAAB folks! In NYC, online store opening in Spring. Amazinggg/hot vid on website. (See Huffington Post article about them.)

Fourteen: High-end, unique suit separates for weddings and formal events, made in the USA. Their styles come in every size possible, and in two fits: boy and regular. (See our post about them.)

Marimacho: Brooklyn-based masculine clothing brand for female assigned/identified folks. They have 10 items in their shop including a blazer, suit vest, classic white shirt, bomber jacket, and swim suit.

Open Barbers: Haircuts for people of all genders! In London. Pricing is on a donation basis. Email them at openbarbers@gmail.com for appointments.

PHRESH CUTZ: “A spot for queers and friends of all kinds to kick it with like-minded individuals over drinks, snacks, and beats while tightening up their look!” In Brooklyn. (See Autostraddle post about them)

RodeoH (NSFW): Adorable, comfortable harnesses slash cute underwear. Available online and at in-store locations across the globe.

Saint Harridan: Off-the-rack masculine suits for female assigned people. Wide rang of sizes. 100 Pre-orders taken, accepting more soon. (See our post about them.) 

Tomboy Tailors: A retail shop in San Francisco that just opened on Feb 2nd! They have have in-house clothing, custom fittings, a plus line, and shoes for smaller feet. Online store opens in April. (See our post about them.)

Unbound Apparel: Sweet tees and hats to celebrate gender nonconformity. Prices range from $7-15.

Veer NYC: Curated androgynous clothing. No clothes yet, but you can support their Indiegogo campaign here. I recommend the $25 option, because you’ll get a $25 gift certificate when their store opens. Great deal! 

Wildfang: Curated tomboy clothes for people with curves. Opening shop on their website in the spring. Join their mailing list for updates, and add them on Facebook and Twitter . (See our post about them.) 

If there are any other companies you believe should be on this list, message me!

UPDATED FEB 8: Made wording changes to be more inclusive of MAAB trans* folk looking to wear androgynous clothes. 

Thanks to spasmsofreethought and obsidionalis for additions + everyone who commented!

- Sonia

I hadn’t heard of Fourteen until I ran into long-time Boston Dyke March organizer, Christine Hurley and got to talking about my Passion for Fashion (happens within 3 to 5 seconds.) She introduced me to this new queer wedding attire company, founded by lesbian/queer wedding planner Bernadette Smith. And now after getting the chance to talk with Bernadette and Fourteen fashion designer Marialexandra myself, I’ve become wildly impressed with their efforts to combine creativity and craftwomanship to fill the gaping holes in the world of lesbian and FAAB gender non-conforming formal wear.

There are several queer clothing companies out there now making their mark (Marimacho, The Butch Clothing Company, Saint Harridan, and Androgyny; among others) and each one has their unique offerings. But unlike many of these companies, Fourteen also designs for mid-spectrum folks looking for non-dress options that still embrace their curves. By offering 2 fits options: Standard fit and Boy fit, Fourteen serves a wide range of gender presentations. And each separate is very versatile in terms of how you choose to wear it. Wouldn’t this velvet jacket look also amazing with a billowy blouse?

Velvet Jacket, $414 

The team got a head start on research through Bernadette’s years of work as a wedding planner. When they started Fourteen, they conducted many focus groups to ensure satisfying everyone’s needs when it came to fit, style, and varying body types. Marialexandra observed people putting on the clothes to get a sense of how their previous clothing had fallen short of their needs. Most of us, when putting on ill-fitted shirts, tug things here and there to get them to fit right. When the participants tried on Fourteen’s clothes, all their fit problems went away for the first time. (woah, imagine if you didn’t have to tug your shirt down to get it to fit over your hips properly!) Fourteen aims to create well-fitted garments for the whole range of bodies, including those who bind and pack or are post-op.

Solid colored silk shantung bow tie, $64

Available now on their website are a velvet jacket and a Sateen jacket with pockets, each in several classic colors; six vests (one of them has sequins inside!), 2 dress shirts in 2 lengths for untucked and tucked wearing; 3 pants; and 9 pieces of neckwear made to match the garments, available in several sizes to accommodate those with smaller necks and shorter torsos. The designs are edgy, creative, and vintage inspired. It’s clear that designer Marialexandra has a talent for understanding what queers need and want in their formal garments.

One specialty Marialexandra told me about was hidden chest darts. For the boy fit, Fourteen is keeping the sides straight up and down, and using hidden chest darts to leave room in the chest area. This technique is very uncommon, and something none of us have seen on off-the-rack clothing. (Chances are The Butch Clothing Company uses them too, but Shaz won’t give away her secrets!)

As Fourteen continues to get off the ground, they will release more clothing outside of formal wear! Marialexandra is already working on several designs for underwear, binders, and swimwear! All available in about 6 months. And further down the line; maternity clothes! Can’t wait to get my hands on some of these. 

Like Fourteen on Facebook for the chance to win one of their reversible silk ties! And, make sure to add them on Twitter and Pinterest to keep up with everything this amazing company is doing!

(Photo cred: Patty Nash Photography)