When I initially thought up the concept of this dress, I had pledged to honour my non binary identity in the detailing of the piece, and in the colour palette. The garments primary element is the front bib, which has a built in colour that nestles into the seamlines running vertically, and sits flat, and feeding into a collar that is in the shape of a heart.
The use of pink and blue was an homage to the old "boys wear blue - girls wear pink" attitude that was engrained into us from a young age. Since exploring my identity and rediscovering who I am, I raise a glass to the damaging mentalities of the past I no longer feel held by, and with that in mind, loaded this dress full of pink and purple hues, with a few small details of blues and greens to provide contrast.
When I made this piece, I did not use a pattern and instead formed the shapes from panels of other patterns I had used and liked, which in itself was a reference to the intersectionality that comes with discovering queer identity. The pieces of this dress, masterfully placed to accentuate my form and create a traditionally feminine silhouette, I find, is impactful and is in perfect juxtaposition with my more masculine frame.
