“˜Gay style’ stereotype is out of vogue
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 17, 2002 9:00 p.m.
 NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Mark Mimnaugh,
a technician at a UCLA library, poses in an outfit that only
reflects a part of his wardrobe.
By Rosanna Mah
Daily Bruin Contributor
It is a well-known fact that the world’s hottest fashion
designers ““ the likes of Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs and Christian
Lacroix ““ are undeniably wealthy, talented and very much
homosexual.
In the world of fashion, gay men are stereotypically viewed as
the quintessential style gurus. And considering the gamut of gay
male fashion designers running the show, it’s difficult not
to conclude that there is a distinct gay men’s fashion style
as well.
Anyone who has seen popular films such as “Priscilla,
Queen of the Desert,” “To Wong Foo, Thanks for
Everything, Julie Newmar” and “The Birdcage” may
be quick to assume that perhaps gay men’s fashion revolves
around bright colored Hawaiian shirts, glitter and sequined
clothing.
Others who recall Hank Azaria’s role in “The
Birdcage” as the sexy Miami houseboy who dons those tight
cut-off shorts and ripped T-shirts may also fall into the mind-set
that it is common for most gay men to dress in those styles.
With the media depicting gay men’s fashion as such, this
portrayal inevitably translates to a popular stereotype that gay
men do carry a distinctive fashion flavor.
But is this concept of gay men’s fashion as the advocate
of skin-tight clothing and sequins myth or reality?
Herman Chan, a fashion stylist based out of San Francisco who
has styled for Saks 5th Avenue and Macy’s Passport,
vehemently denounces the existence of a distinct gay men’s
fashion.
“There is no definitive gay men’s fashion, and not
all gay men have great taste in fashion,” Chan said.
“It is just too reductionist. Were it true, that would mean I
could stroll down a street and correctly identify each gay man
because he, let’s say, wore a matching slinky tank top and
jean cut-off shorts.”
It is of no surprise that in present times, style that is
expressed by gay or straight men can no longer be defined or
justified by one’s sexual orientation.
 NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Mark Mimnaugh
chooses more casual attire from his closet when lounging at
home.
“I don’t believe that a man’s style has much
to do with which orifice he sticks his penis into,” Chan
said. “Believe it or not, there exists some very stylish
straight men, albeit they are numbered. Likewise, there are some
horrific looking queens out there who need to be quarantined by the
fashion police pronto.”
Indeed, to state that gay men are fashionable creatures because
of some natural predisposition is not only politically incorrect
but also untrue.
“I would be willing to say that because of gay male
designers, fashion has been able to move forward for both men and
woman,” said Mike Sam, fashion editor of
“Instinct,” one of the leading publications in the Los
Angeles queer community.
“It’s possible that in the ’70s with the whole
disco and leather scene, people might still have that image of gay
men today. In the ’80s, we crossed the lines of fashion with
such influences as New Wave and punk. Today, fashion is more about
culture and geographical location rather than sexuality,” Sam
added.
Taking a look at fashion trends in the last few decades, the
strict demarcations that separate “masculine” and
“feminine” styles no longer hold true in the face of a
growing androgynous fashion. The fashion world reveals a conflation
of gendered styles that was considered impossible in the first half
of the 20th century.
Besides, according to Sam, the proliferation of chic is a
universal truth.
 NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Mark Mimnaugh tries his clothes
on for size and creates one outfit among many in his varied
wardrobe.
The gay men of today infuse everything from hip-hop urban styles
to European chic to everyday casual wear.
Considering the diversity of today’s fashion times, any
prevalent style of the moment that is viewed as fashionable is up
for grabs to everyone, queer or straight.
“In general, I don’t think gay men have that more of
a different fashion sense from anyone else. Everyone has their own
personal style,” says Mark Mimnaugh, a technician at
UCLA’s Science and Engineering library.
“At work, I usually dress quite conservatively or preppy.
And in school or casual, really it’s just khakis. If I am
going out clubbing then I might wear whatever depending on the
situation. That dictates my wardrobe,” Mimnaugh added.
The gay stereotypes of the past once strictly defined by the
flamboyant displays of extravagance are long over.
And for those who think that there still exists what is referred
to as “gay style,” think again for what was once known
as gay style has been assimilated into the mass culture under
another name ““ it is now correctly termed as fashion.
