DapperQ and You

Photo credit: Featuring Michele Wang and Bettina Chin in the New York Times by Elizabeth Lippman

Take the sharp-tailored suits and the handsome elegance from the lads and blend them with the fierce female form or the transcendent transgender gent and you will find DapperQ at the core of this luscious hybrid.

I gained awareness of the DapperQ fashion blog this afternoon and I love it. I want to pledge my fleeting wardrobe to it. I want this site to re-make me into a sharper, sleeker version of my femme/androgynous self. I want to emulate these ladies and gents and become, in a word, refined.

DapperQ describes itself as a fashion site "transgressing men's fashion" -- in essence, content revolves around the alternative cuts of men's clothing designed for the self-identified genderqueers existing outside the traditional male form. Rugged charm meets kickin' curves, amen.

In their first MaveriQ Style Series interview, DapperQ takes a moment to discuss the fashion sense of professional drummer, Alli Miller. Miller has toured with the likes of Ani DiFranco and Natalie Merchant and can now be counted among Brandi Carlile's touring band. Miller's now taken up the position as band leader of a jazz ensemble for her second album, Boom Tic Boom, along with Myra Melford (pianist/composer), Todd Sickafoose (bass) and Jenny Scheinman (violin). Oh, and did I happen to mention Miller is an out and proud gay gal? It adds an extra something special to her stunning credits, I should imagine.

Here she is:

MaveriQ Style Series Launch -- Drummer Alli Miller from dapperQ on Vimeo.

I'm already plotting how I can pull off a look similar to hers. I love the jacket she's wearing in the first half of the video. Even though it's got a masculine cut to it, she's still got a feminine edge to her. And come on, how cute is that vintage cowboy shirt? I appreciate her connection with the "tomboy" term -- I find myself returning to that personal identification more and more these days. The wardrobe I've got doesn't quite reflect that fact at the moment, but Allison Miller is a model example of what I'd love to find.

With a little effort and a touch of swagger (and perhaps a pretty piece of change, too), I imagine the DapperQ in this blogette will get her chance to strut soon.

Transcendent Transgender

Queen Bee Luscious and Dred Gerestant, Venus Boyz

Gender bending, drag, genderqueer, androgyny, genderf*cking -- it is a gorgeous, vibrant challenge to the confines of sex and gender. It transgresses those silly little lines we draw between the constructs of "Feminine" and "Masculine." It embraces the idea that our bodies and our gender are two separate entities and it confronts the boundaries we place between the concept of "Woman" and the concept of "Man."

But what is a Woman? What is a Man? Can we measure the difference or is it mere performance for the status quo? More importantly, what do we have invested in the gender we use to define ourselves with?

In the films Gendernauts (1999) and Venus Boyz (2002), viewers are drawn into discussions surrounding female masculinity and other transgendered perspectives. Alas, I have limited access to both films -- at the moment, my experience of them has been dictated by the clips available on YouTube. But, I cannot deny that the stories are compelling and the act of blurring the binary is an alluring one.

In Gendernauts, director Monica Treut explores the outer edges of human sexual expression, charting the thoughts and the lives of politically- and socially-conscious transsexuals centred around California's Bay Area. The documentary guides viewers through the perspectives of numerous transgendered individuals including adult film star and performance artist Annie Sprinkle, internet activist Sandy Stone, and the patrons of San Francisco Club Confidential, a meeting place for gendernaut activists.

Sandy Stone offers a striking demonstration of feminine and masculine traits during one interview segment. It's impressive to see the immediate shift in demeanour, voice, and action acted out in real time -- makes you realize just how fragile the divide is between both genders:

In Venus Boyz, viewers are guided through New York's legendary Drag King Night and are exposed to a world of female masculinity where women become men -- some for one night and others for their entire lives. Within the space of their male alter-egos, masculinity is both parodied and explored with special attention given to male eroticism and power strategies. In addition, the film branches off into London where women experiment with hormones and transform themselves into self-identified "cyborgs." Gender is performance, subversion, and existentially required.

This next clip acts as an introduction to the main personalities followed through the documentary. I warn you now -- this is definitely NSFW, though, it's the weekend as I write this, so I suppose we're all in the clear. Regardless, some of the film's central issues are raised during this clip, so it's a vital one to watch:

Gender is such a fickle concept. I love the idea that we can inhabit both spaces simultaneously and that we can even go so far as to break free from both.

So, how about you? Where would you fall on the gender spectrum? Or can you even be contained by "feminine" or "masculine" qualifiers?

I feel the discussion has only just begun....

Butch-Curious: All Hallow's Eve Edition

tomboy vs tomgirl, Kiwi_GaL

So, I've noticed -- the Blogisphere is alight with discussions of Hallowe'en and that ancient act of transforming oneself into another creature entirely. Be it supernatural, experimental, or even organic, we are approaching the ONE day where we have the freedom to explore another aspect of ourselves with no repercussions. It is a radical departure from the mundane to the moving/mad/memorable and other alliterative words.

And you thought Hallowe'en was just about the candy  ..... Though there's also the eye candy involved, so, yes, there's quite a number of ~sweet~ things to look forward to.

I tend to follow the blogs of high femme or femme-oriented ladies and I was quite intrigued to discover how many of them are sticking to their glamourous look for All Hallow's Eve. Hey, no complaints here -- I am drawn to femme women and will gladly worship them in all their incarnations. Sexy vampires, slinky sisters of Catwoman, a naughty nurse or doctor type -- BRING 'EM ON. 

But what of the butch-curious out there who are looking to flex their masculine side?

By the light of day, I would argue I lean toward the femme side of androgynous. I maintain a more feminine demeanor when interacting with folks at work or with new acquaintances, but I tend to adopt a more androgynous approach once I'm in the company of close friends and family. Or perhaps I become less aware of the gender roles ascribed to me...? Not quite sure.

But in the darkened streets of another Hallowe'en, I can't help but shed that image for a more masculine appearance.

I was debating if I wanted to give Dieselpunk a shot (think Angelina Jolie in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow), though my take would be decidedly less detailed than real devotees. As of this moment, I would only have my sweet, lust-worthy military-style jacket and... a pair of swimming goggles. I need goggles to be Dieselpunk, that's just how it is. But I don't have the handy know-how to build me a more authentic pair.

I've decided to adopt my drag alter-ego and give him some space to explore the world from a Hallowe'en slant. I've done drag before -- twice during my third year in university and I had a great time with it. I love the idea of genderf**king and challenging other people's perspective when it comes to the sex/gender divide. So, why not give him some room to strut the streets on a night where I am encouraged to play with my image?

Still not sure what plans will be had this Saturday -- there was talk of a potential foray into Toronto. Not sure how that might play out. 

In any case, my mascara will be called upon for a new purpose -- instant beard, here I come.