Clothing

For most church kids these articles of clothing were usually referred to as “church clothes” or “Sunday best.” Though we were not from a line of the family with much monetary means, we were still Chappelles; that meant we had to dress for church to Mama and Daddy’s standards.

Dressing up has always been a significant part of the Black experience. It is one of our gateways to freely expressing our creativity. It was always one of the things that white people couldn’t take away from us.

The way I dressed was pretty much the same as most other kids in our area, at least when I was younger. I never liked to dress too flashy. I would try to blend in if anything.

I think I tried to blend in to appease the cishet people around me. It was a part of my “camouflage.” But around late 2008, after I was outed, I began to own who I was and dress in things I saw other Black queer youth wear; more colorful things, shiny things, and tighter clothes. If I could go back in time, I would have owned who I was and dressed how I wanted sooner.

While attending K-8 at Avalon Park Elementary, I had to wear a uniform consisting of navy-blue bottoms, white/navy/powder blue tops. Gym shoes could not be bright red or bright royal blue to avoid the suggestion of gang affiliation.

Once I made it to Emil G. Hirsch High, the colors switched to khakis with white or burgundy tops. I hated wearing uniforms for the most part but had no choice. Around sophomore year, administration allowed us to wear what we wanted, as long as our outfits were in the school colors.