When Janelle Monae came out as queer in 2018, she did us all a favor—not only did she finally confirm that songs like “Make Me Feel” and “Pynk” are as queer as we thought, she also confirmed that her love of suits is not just a fashion thing, but in fact, a gay thing. Fashion has long been used as a way to represent the many wild and beautiful aspects of queer culture. A suit might not seem like a big deal, but in a world that wants to silence queer people, especially queer women of color, Janelle Monae is making quite the statement. (That statement being something like I’m here, I’m queer, and I dress better than your boyfriend. Just saying.)
Here are my top five favorite Janelle Monae suit moments, in no particular order:
This floral suit at the 2018 Grammy’s. A twist on the classic black tuxedo. (and bonus blonde
hair!)
Janelle has always been a fan of black and white outfits—and then she surprised everyone with this red cape at the 2014 Met Gala.
Is it a blazer? Is it a dress? Why can’t it be both?
Definitive proof that shoulder pads are gay. (Just as we all suspected)
When I envision our first woman president, this is what I see. (Anyone else?)
Now go out and try on some suits. They’ll look great on you.
With love,
Caroline