Does Butch Basix Fit into the Butch Suit Bonanza? January 28 2014, 0 Comments

Butch Suits are all the rage - 2 piece, 3 piece, and separates. Custom and semi-custom. In fact, among the queer demographic, the “suit trend” (in quotes because I think we’ve been coveting and wearing suits for decades) is so strong that a host of new businesses have opened up shop, mainstream media’s covering this growing market, and some traditional bespoke clothiers are beginning to cater to people of all genders.

For custom / semi-custom suits, companies such as Saint Harridan’s, Kippers Clothiers, and Tomboy Tailors came into being to serve our mostly ignored communities. In case you missed some of the press surrounding these mavericks, go here, here and here.

Though not a company born from a personal experience of gender marginalization, an example of a custom suit shop that modified its business model to attract women, transmen and the gender queer is New York’s Bindle and Keep. In the article, “The Masculine Mystique," The New York Times reports “women and transgender men now make up one-quarter of [Bindle & Keep’s] customer base.”

In addition to these suit makers and designers, brands dedicated to re-engineering “menswear” to fit the female body have also emerged. Two examples of such companies making dress shirts and ties to be paired with expanded suit choices are Androgyny (dress shirts) and Haute Butch (bow and skinny ties, among other items).

In my opinion, the momentum and growth of this niche is fantastic news! Recently, I posted on Facebook an experience I had trying on one of Saint Harridan’s sample suits. It truly was an empowering moment. Looks good, huh? 

After seeing and feeling a suit that’s been designed and cut with me in mind, I can tell you that the momentum (new businesses, press, pop-ups, Instagram photos, fashion shows, blogs, etc.) surrounding these businesses is warranted! It inspires me, it gives me hope, and it gives me representation and visibility.

While Butch Basix isn’t selling Butch Suits, I believe by offering everyday basics and some accessories to make you and your suit look even more devastatingly handsome, Butch Basix, just like you, helps sustain this Renaissance.  As Mary Going of Saint Harridan said to me, “Together we are totally changing the paradigm!” I couldn't have said it better myself. We look forward to future collaborations with existing and yet-to-be-known businesses so that we can thrive collectively and individually.

Keep us in mind when it’s time to accessorize that stellar suit or vest / jeans combo. Here are a few Butch Basix items that might be relevant to you dapper souls:

1) Mending Kit: 

A split seam, a lost button, an unraveling hem – a guaranteed event for all well-worn suits. So don’t let that stop you. Our 50 Piece Mending Kit is a must have. 

2) Skinny Ties:

The Haute Butch Neck Ties we carry are 2” wide (at widest point) and work well with custom or Saint Harridan Suits that come with thinner lapels (proportioned for smaller bodies). Plus these ties is 57” long, a full inch shorter than most standard men’s ties. 

3) Cufflinks:

Are you splurging on French Cuffs or Convertible Cuffs on your new custom made butch dress shirt? If so, we have a selection of handmade, fixed back style cufflinks to help give your suit a distinctive style. Pictured above are the Wood Grain Cufflinks.

4) Belt Buckles:

If you want to add an urban edge or shake up the “traditional” suit look, then we recommend you try sporting one of these unique belt buckles.

5) Wallets:

Bulky wallets can mess with the clean lines of a suit. For your day or night outing, consider carrying just the basics in one of these mini (slim, low-profile) wallets that are perfect for a suit jacket or pant pocket.

6) Deodorant:

Look good AND smell good. Enhance your swagger with some sexy smelling Schmidt’s All Natural Deodorant. Or at the very least, keep your dry cleaning bill in check - don't stink up that swanky new suit.

The butch accessories that we carry (including wallets, ties, deodorant and buckles mentioned above) are great casual, everyday essentials in addition to complimenting dressier butch fashion. Stay tuned for new arrivals. Our plan is to expand our product listings in our existing categories as well as to add new categories that offer solutions to the retail challenges many of us face.

Happy butch suit hunting, fitting, accessorizing and wearing.