Who Inspired The Dandy?
More than just a "colorful" outfit Pt II
I am feeling inspired to keep going and stream my thoughts onto words yet again. Someone stop me! Just kidding; nobody
stop me.
"So, you Frabjous Dandy, who inspired you?"
When I was at the goth clubs around 15 - 20 years ago, there was this extremely flamboyant guy there named Dirk. He would
wear the most luxurious clothes of bright colors and rich textures, always surrounded by an entourage that elevated him to
the worthy level of a deity. He was warm, welcoming, and flamboyant beyond measure, and he inspired me. RIP Dirk; you
lived rich, you lived well.
When I first started going to the steampunk cons I met this gay couple, Nick and Jason. They were absolutely magnificent.
Their clothes and demeanor were beyond reproach. And their sense of elegance, style, and presence persists to this very
day; I am deeply fortunate to have them in my life and hope to continue to do so for a very long time. They both
inspire me.
Drag inspires me. Yes, you heard that right: Drag. Whenever I see drag performers being creative with their outfit
designs, with colors, patterns, jewelry, and makeup, it leaves an imprint onto my creative soul that must be appeased by
elevating my dandyism further.
In the spirit of Black History Month, I would be even more amiss to not mention my African
ancestors who embraced color and pattern in the wonderful spirit of the orishas, culminating in everything from Mungo to
Pinkster to Black-Owned businesses who furnish me with divine wares to satiate my imagination. They gave birth to the
Dandy.
And let's be fair: Billy Porter has sent me there on so many occasions that he might as well
become my metaphysical aesthetic travel agent. In a recent interview in Style Collective (@stylecollective on
Instagram), he said, "Sometimes I'm more feminine than masculine. Sometimes I'm more masculine than feminine".
This resonates with my feminine male energy, and I allow whichever side of me to come out in my outfits as I feel that my
imagination will allow. Seriously, this truly amazing man and his show, Pose; they
help inspire me! Now read more about the Ball culture, which Pose lovingly lauds, by clicking here.
There you have it, though, in time, there will be more influences. There will always be more influences. Someday I might
even have the honor of influencing someone else; who knows!
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