What can I say? Raimi and Lee cut hair for 4.5 hours straight. Queers flooded in to shave off their locks. So many people got transformed and cheered on today! R&L are officially stylists/magicians/artists.

Surprise! At the end, Lee gave me a pomp:

I had an amazing time, and look at my new did!!

Thanks to all who came. 

- Sonny (My new nickname)

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Remember that time you asked us questions about what to do with your hair, and Raimi and Lee helped? Remember that time you found our that they aren’t just the queer godesses hair in the sky, but Real Life Homo Stylists in Boston who will cut your hair?

YEAH IT’S TRUE BRUHS! Sunday, 12 to 4 in Somerville near Davis Sq. Email me for the address: sonia@qwearfashion.com and then invite all your friends on the Facebook!

Just think, after Sunday you could look like this:

(from: habermerkezi.se)

Orrrr

(from: salonerkekleri.wordpress.com)

Oh, wait, wait! THIS:

(from: verycynthia.com)

NO WAIT:

(from: mdvstyle.com/lost-in-white)

Nevermind, I mean:

(Kelly Palcy from: modelsofcolor.tumblr.com)

While we’re on the subject:

(from: manzardcafe.blog)

OR NO whattt??

heyoooo (from: austinqueerweddings.com)

(from: theblackworkshop.tumblr.com)

but wait, bro:

(from: dapperlou.com)

So yeah. I’ll be there with the snacks and things, and come hang out regardless of whether you’re getting your hair did, because QUEERS.

WAIT I’M NOT DONE!

(from: szczesliwapaulinka.bloog.pl)

Thanks to for the photos, internet.

See you Sunday - S

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I’m on lockdown right now due to some marathon bomber being armed and on the loose. I’ve been inspired by Buzzfeed’s happy lists. So I thought I’d make my own, equipped with news about the Clintons!

1. This dude has a tie and a bling necklace on AT THE SAME TIME

(from: www.dapperq.com)

2. Just look AT THAT FACE!

(from: leeoliveira.com)

3. Shopbop has a “Crepe Femme Dress.” Let’s just pretend they intended it for the queers.


4. Smiling yet? This hair:

(from: loveisthelawmag.com)

5. Okay, how about the most adorable tomboy-femme couple everrr??

(from: fitforafemme.com)

6. Adorable person I do not know:

Anyone know who this is or where this picture comes from? Cause I don’t!

7. dapperQ has a mysterious commentator under the name “Hillary Cli*ton,” who references Hillary’s exact whereabouts in her comments. 


(From here)

8. We take fashion very seriously:

(from: dailypictur.es)

9. Let’s not forget what The Handsome Butch and Bill Clinton have in common!

(from: thehandsomebutch.tumblr.com)

10. Ellen and Portia get hotter and more fashionable by the minute:
(from: http://nattyv.tumblr.com)

Hang in there, Boston! Got anything to add? Comment! 

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Contrary to popular belief, not all queers have short hair. Last time we tackled short curls, but it’s time to show some love for long curly tresses. We’ve had plenty of questions about how to style long curls, especially from folks who still want an androgynous look. If you have long curly hair, you’ve got some stories. We feel ya. 

Here are some androgynous updos we love:

Pomps: YES! You with long and/or curly hair CAN HAVE A POMP! Not just a short hairdid. And here is the Qwear post on how to have a fabulous curly queer pomp!
(from curlynikki.com)

The pomp’s badass country cousin the Rockabilly is also a style that can be adapted for long hair!

(from creativefan.com)

(from creativefan.com)

Here are some other fabulous styles you can rock!
(from onenigerianboy.com)

(from lanayell.blogspot.com)

(from weheartit.com)

Long flowing tresses can be dapper too! Check A.D. out at Ex-Southern Belle.

(from exsouthernbelle.tumblr.com)

Favorite Curly-Hair Products

For many of us curly-hair queers, finding the right product for our curls is ESSENTIAL and yet SO DIFFICULT. Whyyyyy??!!

We’re gonna help take some of the work out of it for you! The polls are in, and some of our lovely comrades have voted for some of their favorite curly-hair products. The products most widely beloved were the ones that come from companies that specifically cater to curly hair, such as Deva Curl and Miss Jessie’s. Other popular suggestions were natural products such as coconut oil and jojoba oil. The most common recommendation, though? Not using shampoo! So use this great excuse to save water, folks — shampoo is terrible for most curly hair and you just don’t need it!

To better understand our suggestions below, we suggest that you learn more about what type of curls you have from a Hairguide (like this one from Naturally Curly).

Have a favorite, magical product that’s not listed here? Tell us about it! We especially love to hear about more products, especially on the cheaper end!

• There was a lot of love for the Deva Curl 3-step system, suggested by and for people with all types of curls! 
• Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue was suggested by a 2c, but Miss Jessie’s products cover all ends of the curl spectrum, and seem to cater especially well to type 4 hair. (Bonus: If you don’t mind putting in credit card info, you can have two entirely free samples mailed to you!)
• We had many votes for the strong hold of Garnier Fructis products. Fructis Style Pure Clean Finishing Paste and Curl Construct Mousse were especially loved by our type 3s.
• For some great frizz control, a 3B opts for Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Crème.
• We had a couple thumbs ups for Tigi products, specifically Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier for Type 2 hair. 
• One 3B suggested a conditioner and styling product duo: Kinky Curly Knot Today conditioner and Curling Custard. 
• Jojoba oil was suggested as a great care product for all types that are dry, damaged, or prone to tangling.
• Two friends with quite different curls- 2B-C and 4C suggested using coconut oil before shampooing as a great way to take good care of their curls. Seems that many folks agree!
• The same 4C also recommended Curls Unleashed for shampooing and Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk products for styling.
• Aveda’s Be Curly and Bumble and Bumble’s Curl Conscious were both touted as whole collections to check out.
• Murray’s Original Pomade all the way for pomps, spikes, fros, rows, and (yes) even facial hair! There’s a reason it’s a classic. 
• We also had one awesome person suggest lube. Sounds pretty good to us.

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By Guest Blogger Viv Taylor

When I first moved to Boston, I could not find anyone who cut my hair how I liked it. I’m a trans woman. I’m pretty darn queer and identify as a lesbian, given a fairly fluid definition of the term. Before I moved away from Chapel Hill I got my hair cut at a place called Syd’s. It was everything. I’d been depending on my stylist there for a while to navigate that fun place where I was growing my hair out and being open with many folks in my life about being trans, but was not yet living full time in a femme presentation. My stylist was amazing. She did a great job of helping me through a series of looks that were both deeply androgynious, but ultimately queer looking.

When I arrived in Boston I thought I was doing everything right. I got suggestions from my friends, described what I wanted, went where I thought I felt a good energy, but again and again the same thing happened: a hair cut that reminded me more than anything else of a middle aged lady with Right Wing politics on the way to a PTA meeting to complain because she found a swear word in book assigned to her son in his AP English class. It was rough. It wasn’t just that the cuts were unadventurous; it was that they just weren’t me.

It took me a while, but I think I eventually figured out what was going on. The folks who were cutting my hair were doing their best to look out for me. As a butch trans woman, I don’t always get gendered correctly. What I suspect was going on was that I was, consciously or unconsciously, being given the most recognizable “woman” haircut these folks could think of.

There’s often pressure on trans women to present in a very conservative, femme manner, especially if folks are worried about you not being recognizable as a woman. Thing is, you don’t have to present that way. You can play with your look any way you want. If it works, cool, and if not, hey, maybe you learned something.

With getting you hair cut, it might take some work. You need to find someone who you can share a vision with. Even if you don’t know exactly what kind of cut you want, you probably have some clues about what you’re hoping to achieve. Find a person you can talk to about what you are trying to do with your look, a person you feel comfortable asking questions about what they imagine and what they’re planning, and a person who you feel comfortable being totally honest with. A friend of mine had the problem where she could never get her stylist to cut her hair as short as she wanted until she finally had to come out to him.

I actually met my current stylist Nadene Hughs of Shop1 at a bar in Cambridge. I was immidiately impressed by her style, friendliness, and intelligence. I made an appointment to get a cut. We talked about what I was going for (a long but obviously dykey cut) and what I was afraid of (Middle aged Ring Wing Politics hair). The results were awesome. The cut is heavily layered so that it has some length but is also a little spikey and choppy. I can wear softer or tougher depending on whether I straightened it or let it dry on its own. That versatility is key exploring any number of styles.

Looking for a trans friendly hair stylist in your city? The forum can help!

This H&M’s women’s blazer had been in the back of my closet for a while because I felt it was too feminine. But it was actually seeing Esther Quek’s neatly tailored women’s suits that encouraged me to try it again. Now I like the fit, and feel that it matches my androgynous presentation perfectly.

The Hunter Boots are Qwear virgins; got them at the Tannery in Harvard Square for $50 and am always waiting for rainy days like to today to sport them.

Blazer: H&M
Shirt: Ralph Lauren Boys’ Blake Oxford, tailored
Belt: Express (men’s)
Pants: Gap Broken-in Straight Khakis (also womens!)
Boots: Hunter Women’s Brixen Combat Boots, bought at the Tannery

I decided to go tieless today because if I wore ties all the time then A. I’d have trouble distinguishing between dressier and more casual occasions and B. I’d never get to show off top button swag (and in the colder weather, my mad ironing skills.)

Finally, my new haircut! Based it off of Logan Lerman in his holiday sweater and wanted to copy his adorable geeky style, but had also found inspiration from queers I’ve seen around town. I did it at a La Flemme Barber Shop in Lexington, MA; an affordable old school barber shop across from where I work that did a fantastic job. 

Sending warm thoughts from Boston,

Sonia

What are YOU wearing today? Submit to Qwear!

Que(e)ry #1: Currrrrrls, Part 1

By Raimi and Lee

Hello,

We are Raimi & Lee: your hair consultants/fairy godqueers. We’re here to answer all of your hair que(e)ries and conundrums. We’ve got nine years of hair cutting experience between us. We’re not professional barbers — we’re queerer than that. We love making other queers look fabulous. Where possible, we use photos and examples of real people with gaymazing hair. 

So. Folk got lots of questions about curly hair. How to cut it; how to style it; what products to use: lots of questions! We love curls. Curly hair differs drastically from person to person depending on hair thickness, tightness of curls, and how your hair falls. Since we had so many questions about curls, we’ll start specifically with shorter cuts and styles, and we’ll cover longer styles next time!

Here are some short curly hairdids we <3. Play with these for how they would look with YOUR hair!

Curly (faux) hawk*:

Another take on a queer classic. The faux hawk is a versatile style in which the sides & back of the hair are shorter than the hair on top of the head.

Curly Mohawk*:

Mohawks are a punk classic in which the hair on the sides of the head is trimmed shorter—leaving a longer sunburst silhouette on the top and back.

(Rhianna source: stylesnew.com)

Chelsea
The Chelsea is a bold ‘do where the hair on the sides, back, and top, is trimmed short; leaving a longer bang in the front of the face. POW! The bangs are often very blunt and straight across the forehead. But don’t hesitate to experiment!

Asymmetrical

Asymmetry is in. From undercuts, to bobs, & mullets: asymmetrical cuts are ubiquitous, fun, and a little subversive… SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!

(Source: lisamalanij.blogspot.com)

Jazz Age Realness:

For those endowed with luscious curls, dive into the history books for some inspiration! One of our favorite fashion eras is the Jazz Age.

Forget the fingerwaves and pin curls of old; you have the curls! Cut and styled into a short bob, and then you’ve got that flapper realness. A great option for short curly hairstyle that is boyish & femme ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

DIY:

You know your hair best. Curly hair often has a mind of it’s own, so create your own cut (or have a friend or knowledgeable-about-curls stylist do it for you) that works with the particular way your curls fall.

*Hair has meaning. Some hairstyles and language describing them is culturally significant. If you’re wearing a hairstyle that is not from your own cultural background (as is often the case for people wearing “mohawks”), it might be useful to think about cultural appropriation. If you want to understand more, check out this.

——

Go ahead. Ask the experts!

Don’t see your Qweary here? Check the forum!

Who said faux-hauks had to be thin? Not this queer. Sunny’s got her punk on; with torn up black jeans, broken-in black boots, plugs, tattoos, and that fabulous bleached wide faux-hauk. But the bow tie adds a touch of dandy. 

Sweater: H&M
Black button-up: American Apparel
Bow Tie: The Tie Bar
Skinny jeans: CPS jeans
Boots: ALDO
Plugs: gift in Thailand 

Sunny’s Tumblr: tipthevelvet.tumblr.com

Anonymous asked: Qwear, I'm a 23 year old gay carpenter in the south, but dont look the part. I've got mid-back length STRAIGHT blonde hair and am desperate for a change. Any ideas on a good cut for straight hair that still plays up my femininity?

http://i-dream-of-dapper.tumblr.com/tagged/WIWT