Lesbian Jesus, AKA Hayley Kiyoko, stunned the world last year with her debut album Expectations. In addition to some incredibly swoon-worthy songs and dance moves, Kiyoko also has an impeccable sense of style. For queer women, it often feels as though there is pressure to decide on a certain style of presentation: butch or femme. However, artists like Kiyoko are here to say it’s 20biteen and you really don’t need to ‘choose a side.’ Hayley Kiyoko, King Princess, and Kristen Stewart are all examples of babes straddling that line between femininity and masculinity with their style.
The time of the stylish butch-femme is now. It’s the time of pairing denim with floral, ascots with combat boots, and a good Dickies jumpsuit with a full face of makeup. The era of “choosing a side” is over (arguably never really existed) and it’s time to embrace your most Futch self. Check out some of the following ways to fall right smack in the middle of butch and femme, just like Lesbian Jesus herself.
Add an ascot
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If Barbie’s Ken or Fred from Scooby Doo taught us anything, it’s that ascots can really elevate an already great outfit. They have the perfect ability to add a twist on a femme or masc outfit to give you that Futchy balance. Add a floral ascot to a matching blazer and pant for a really suave dressed up look. Or pair a bright, solid color ascot with a giant denim men’s jacket for a soft dyke aesthetic.
All the rules you’ve been told about Denim are fake
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There are a lot of nay-sayers out there about the Canadian tuxedo, but don’t be mistaken: denim is your friend. I currently have 4 different denim jackets that hare different sizes and washes. The best way to straddle the line of butch-femme in denim is to incorporate an oversized denim jacket in any way you see fit. My favorite combination is a floral jumpsuit with my men’s XL jean jacket from the clearance rack at Urban Outfitter’s. The floral jumpsuit is feminine enough for me and the jacket makes the floral a subtle pop underneath. Lace up some combat boots, and you’re ready to go.
(Doc)tor’s Orders
Speaking of Combat boots, Dr. Martens are a staple of a butch outfit. You can femme them up with any sort of colorful flare. For example, you could wear a solid black outfit with some sparkly Docs or even pair some dark colored Docs with tights and a bright dress.
Suit up, Champ
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Suits truly belong to anyone that feels called to them. If you don’t want to go full butch in a suit, there definitive ways to make a more femme ensemble. You could try a unique patterned suit like this one from Wild Fang. Or go with a more loose suit interpretation, by thrifting a men’s shirt and pairing it with a white button-up shirt and a statement ascot.
Beat and Greet
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You can truly live your best butch-femme life with a solid butch outfit and a full face of makeup. Nothing is a better blend of masc and femme than a solid contour, statement lip, and your fave tomboy outfit. This look is awesome because it pushes back on the notion that if you’re going to present more butch, you shouldn’t dabble in things like makeup.
7 rings..or more
Metal is a truly great accent to any outfit. Something that is a butch-femme move in its own right is wearing as many rings as you want. Adding metal necklaces and earrings can level this up even more. Having your hands full of rings adds a sweet glint of femininity to a look, and the sheer quantity of metal gives a definitive Futchy edge.
Cute as a Button (Up)
Floral button ups are a Futch’s best friend. My favorite place to buy floral button-ups is honestly Old Navy because they have inclusive sizing and their larger sizes can handle the fact that I have DD cups! Tucking a floral button up into a pair of khakis or high waisted mom jeans could be a great BF look.
When in doubt cuff it out
Futch culture can be summed up in one phrase: bare ankles. You can cuff some slacks and add loafers with socks for a queer AF look.
Cop the kicks
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Shoes are a butch-femme’s best friend TBH. If your sneakers truly show out, you could be wearing an outfit of neutral colors or very simple pieces and still look super stylish. My personal fave shoes to wear are these Air Maxes or a retro pair of men’s New Balances.
In(vest) in yourself
There’s truly no better way to futch up an outfit than with a vest. Vests come in many shapes and sizes. You can find vintage vests with floral patterning and bright colors at your local thrift store. You could also go for a frattier style with a puffy vest over a plaid shirt.
All in all, futching up your fashion can sometimes be about pairing two styles you wouldn’t normally pair. Whether you head out to get yourself a Dickies jumpsuit or pick up some colored eyeliner on your way home, I hope you feel more embolden to present yourself however the hell you want.
What Do You Think?