Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

Re-issued with a new preface, afterword and reading list, Don We Now Our Gay Apparel analyzes the trends in dress adopted by gay men as well as the challenge gay style has made to mainstream men’s fashion.

Expand your understanding of the development and history of gay men’s dress with Shaun Cole’s groundbreaking work – from the subcultural world of the early 20th century to the clubs and bars of the 80s and 90s.

Drawing upon first-hand interviews conducted with men across the UK and US, Cole analyzes the trends in dress adopted by gay men as well as the challenge gay style has posed to mainstream men’s fashion. Other sources such as contemporary magazines shed further light on the culture and discourse influencing gay men’s dress and, in the newly extended reading list, the author situates his own work among the landscape of recent writing on queer and gay men’s style. A new preface and afterword also reflect on the value of the research methodology employed by the text, as well as the changes in studies related to the central focus of Cole’s work.

Whether you’re approaching it from a fashion studies, LGBTQ+ studies or sociology perspective, this re-issued text is a vital introduction for anyone interested in gay men’s fashion over the last 100 years.