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"going out outfits are more elevated versions of the same thing i wear to work... for work, the need to convey 'sexiness' or attractiveness isn't an issue "
Place of residence: London N22, N15
Venues visited: Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Heaven, G-A-Y Late, Circa, Ku Leicester Square, The Yard, Duke of Wellington, Village, Comptons, G-A-Y Bar, The Edge, Profile & Lo-Profile, Shadow Lounge, The Glory, Dalston Superstore, EastBloc, Sink the Pink, Two Brewers ("pre 24-hour travel wouldn't have been possible as it's too far from home"), Black Cap
Dressing up to go out: "Make more effort to go out rather than going to work; you're trying to impress and want to feel good. You get the rush when you go out; you want to feel good about your presentation, feel sexy. Specific nights can be taken to a higher level, even custom-making an outfit, my looks are more 'theatrical' and coordinated to the event, for example a drag show, I would have over-the-top make-up and outfit. Outfits are trial and error, or just one-off experiments. Going to Briefs (cabaret performance show), I make and effort and felt comfortable to do it in that venue, so not necessarily only for a standard night out.
If you're on a normal night out, you know everyone is there for the same reason, whereas the venue or night is geared towards a specific theme, it gives me the freedom to be more extravagent and experimental. Compared to everyday life and work, going out outfits are more elevated versions of the same thing i wear to work. I take more care of ironing/steaming to make sure it looks its best for a night out, whereas for work the need to convey 'sexiness' or attractiveness isn't an issue. At work you don't have to impress people in the same way, you don't have to dress to impress... whereas on a night out you never who you might run into or meet for the first time. "
Left: Customised leather jacket with beading and feathers, lots of jewellery, dark denim jeans and black leather boots - worn to specific theme night rather than a regular night out.
"more flesh on show - sexually liberated and open, you could 'smell it in the air'"
Experiences of venues & neighbourhoods:
KU Bar (West End)
Super casual jeans and a vest/t-shirt, or jeans and smart shirt and suit jacket/blazer. I feel that is acceptable/suitable to the neighbourhood and crowd. Other people there were in a similar 'Soho style', t-shirt & pair of jeans. In recent years though, it seems to have changed to be more 'camp' younger guys with makeup; whereas before it was more 'straight-acting' polished, gym buff, lots of girls, drinks and dancing, conventional, stereotypical 'straight-gay'. If i wore outlandish, crazy things (like feathers, jewellery, over the top makeup, hair extensions pony tail, quiff at the front); people would always comment and compliment me - gay guys, straight girls. But these theatrical looks were always occasion-based, not just regular nights out. Soho is synonymous with gay culture, but isn't the same in day to day life now; it is more gentrified, more mixed, not so much a gay destination any more. The need for the old Soho is reduced, but it is central so becomes convenient for getting in and getting out for meeting friends that live in different parts of London.
Royal Vauxhall Tavern (Vauxhall)
More jeans and vest kind of looks, skin on show more which was very 'Vauxhall', it is a degree of assimilation to signal to others there that you are all on the same page. Same with Clapham, more flesh on show - sexually liberated and open, you could 'smell it in the air' so you can dress a bit more provocatively. Leather, fetish, raw sexual energy. Vauxhall is very sex and male driven, has much more purpose for drugs sex, fetishes.
Two Brewers (Clapham)
High concetnration of gay residents, Clapham Common is popular for gay cruising. It's cleaner than Vauxhall, younger, affluent, white, but going to the Two Brewers is specific as a destination night out. The front is like a casual pub bar in Soho; but if you want to be a bit more hedonistic you can go to the big dance room/club at the back. In the back room, more skin is exposed, tops off, whereas front is more 'straight gay', with a 'flesh field' at the back.
Right: Blazer with studded lapels, leather trousers & boots, leopard print shirt worn with top buttons open - worn to more regular nights out at venues like Shadow Lounge.
