A few days ago, I put out a call for butch haircuts, and received nearly 100 photos! The most common 'do (by far) was the fauxhawk (also called "fohawk"), and I decided it's worth dedicating an entire post to the style. First, let's take a look at some examples of your basic fauxhawk: As you can see, most of the time, the hair is a bit longer on top than on the sides, then brushed up to achieve a "mohawk"-type look. If it was shaved on the sides, with a stark line of hair running down the middle of the head, that'd be a mohawk. See, here are some readers' mohawks. Nothin' faux about 'em: Fauxhawks are one of the wonderful things we butchy queer women share with our gay male brethren (along with barista jobs, librarian jobs, and really cool eyeglasses). Aside from looking cute and trendy and gay, fauxhawks are versatile. You can wear them long, like these: Or short, like these: Or somewhere in the middle, like these: Another advantage of fauxhawks is that, because your hair isn't completely shaved on the sides, you can just part it on the side and brush it over for work rather than spiking it up in the middle, if you want to look more mainstream. Then it looks a lot like a run-of-the-mill guys' cut. Fauxhawks have now been in style for almost a decade, and their fashionability shows no sign of waning. Will we look back on fauxhawks in 20 years the way people look back on mullets today? Who knows. Keep reading BW and I'll let you know when you need to nix it. For now, they look great. Want to see a few more fauxhawks that readers sent in? You know you do. These two demonstrate how a loose, spiky, intentionally misaligned fauxhawk can look terrific: And these two show how thick, wavy hair can work as a fauxhawk or partial fauxhawk: And here are some more! (I don't have room to share all of them, but I'm squeezing in as many as I can...) If you want to try out a fauxhawk, make sure you go to a stylist who knows what he or she is doing. For example, my hair is very thick and hard to cut. My awesome stylist spends about an hour on it, and thins it somehow (magic?). I used to go to a barber. He took 20 minutes and I left with a hard-to-style overgrown buzz cut. Asking for recs from dyke friends can be helpful, and it's good to take a picture to help show what you want.
My next few posts will talk about other butch hair styles and give you some leads on hair products. I know it can be hard to get a good dyke haircut, so don't hesitate to post your thoughts and questions in the comments section.
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In the past 24 hours, I have received some emails, comments, and Facebook messages alerting me that my boots post didn't mention Dr. Martens. (There are, of course, Docs in the Butch Store, and I'll add more tonight.) I've been less of a Docs fan since they moved production from the UK to China, but still, they are undeniably and iconically butch. So I thought I'd add a little follow-up list of my favorite Docs styles and colors. Enjoy! ...So what are your favorite Docs? Everyone knows that butches love boots. It's one of those iconic accouterments that make us feel kickass. So today, I'm giving you a quick guide to casual boots (e.g., boots that can be worn with jeans, khakis, Kuhls... basically anything besides dress pants). There are several types of casual boots. I'll list some, and then you should check out my favorite picks from my new casual boots section in the Butch Store. My choices were mostly about style, but in part about size, since I know that many butches have trouble finding men's styles in small sizes. (If that's a problem for you, you might also check out this site.) Frye Dakota Boot Work Boots It's been a long time since work boots were just used for work. Work boots look great with jeans, and can even be worn to most non-physical-labor workplaces on casual days. Many come with steel toes, which are super cool, but not really necessary (and actually pretty heavy) unless you work in construction or in a machine shop or something. I especially like Frye Dakotas (pictured), but there are tons of great work boot options from many other brands, including Caterpillar, Thorogood (often made in the USA), and Wolverine. Blundstone 510s Chelsea Boots I'm going to lump Australian work boots in with Chelseas, since they look so similar. The basic point is that they fit like a glove and are easy to pull on and off because of the elastic sides. For the quality, it's hard to beat these Blundstones (pictured)--but if you want something dressier, get a pair that looks more like these (the big differences are the polish/shininess and what the sole looks like viewed from the side). Fun fact: according to Wikipedia (which is never wrong), the Stormtroopers' boots in Star Wars were plain ol' black Chelsea boots, painted white. To Boot New York Crosby Chukka Boots I used to hate chukkas, but I have to admit that they've grown on me. They're stylish, come in great colors, and work in all seasons. Chukkas are ankle-height (the equivalent of mid-tops in tennis shoe terms) and usually have just 2-3 eyelets. I like this To Boot New York pair (pictured, also comes in a dark chocolate brown), and Timberland and Johnston & Murphy make nice ones, too, including these and these. Harley-Davidson Charleston Harness/Engineer/Motorcycle Boots I don't usually think of engineers and motorcyclists as heavily overlapping categories, but boot names are the exception. Made of heavy leather, these are usually taller than average boots and have a strap at the ankle and/or the calf for adjusting the fit. Unsurprisingly, Harley-Davidson has some cool styles. BED: STU Culture Boots Trendy/Fashion Boots This is a catch-all category that basically encompasses boots that look cool and don't serve a specific purpose or fall into a specific style (neither the ones I've listed here, nor hiking, Western, etc.). Many of them have features that emphasize form over function--for example, white soles instead of tan or Wolverine 1883 Mayall DGs brown or black rubber ones. There are bunches of great-looking ones to suit every butch's personality, including these "Culture Boots" (eh?) by BED:STU (the blue ones, pictured above), and these Wolverine 1883 Mayall DGs (pictured right). It probably goes without saying that all of the boots I've written about here, as well as most of the ones in The Butch Store, are "men's," so it may be harder for you to find the right fit; if you're like most women, your feet are smaller and/or narrower than the average man's. But with patience, you'll find brands that work for you. (And here's a hint: using these insoles will increase your shoe size by a half to a full size!). Hope you enjoy the new Butch Store additions. Here's the third installment of A Field Guide to Butches. Remember: while some butch species are elusive, with patience and determination you can seek out and find them all. via threeimaginarygirls.com The Rocker Butch Example: Chris Pureka Pros: Romantic. Not clingy. Will write you a song for Valentine's Day. Cons: Lots of time on the road. Looks especially good: With her hands on her favorite instrument. Care instructions: Rocker butches tend to be nocturnal, so you'll need to adjust your schedule accordingly. Wash her sweatshirts regularly; she may not do this on her own. When she's on tour, email her some Yelp links to vegetarian restaurants in the podunk town she's playing in to let her know you're thinking of her. Oh--and unless you're on tour with her, make sure her roadie's not too cute. The Granola Butch (not pictured) Commonly found: At womyn's music concerts, Burning Man, miscellaneous small towns in rural western Oregon and rural western Massachusetts. Pros: Amazing vegan baker, great listener, might have a trust fund. Cons: Liable to change her name to "Melodious Crystal Windchime" or "Earthchild Womyn Rainbowrock." Looks especially good: At dusk, around the campfire. Care instructions: It may be necessary to press certain realities upon her--e.g., Tom's of Maine doesn't actually work; white people look stupid in dreds. And since she's going to insist on playing acoustic guitar anyway, it's probably worth it to invest in some lessons for her. via metroweekly.com The Activist Butch Example: Rea Carey Pros: Righteous passion is hot. Cons: A political defeat can make for a sullen couple of weeks. Looks especially good: In front of a microphone, speaking to a crowd. Care instructions: If she's like Rea, she'll look stellar in a suit. But not all activist butches keep professional duds in their closet, so make sure to help her stock her wardrobe for all occasions. And keep plenty of poster board and markers on hand. via prioloandco.com The Butch Sophisticate (aka The Silver Fox) Example: Kate Clinton Pros: Has plenty of practice, knows what she likes. Cons: Already knowing what she likes can make her stubborn as hell. Looks especially good: In expensive fabrics; in European cafes; stepping out of a cab. Care instructions: She's been there and done that, so you'll have to work to keep her interested. Music tastes may require updating. She has a lot to teach you, so get ready to learn. Butch Don Juan (not pictured) Commonly Found: In your local lesbian bar (even on weeknights). Pros: If you want to have some no-strings fun, she's your butch. Cons: Has slept with half the people in the bar; may wear excessive amounts of cologne; somewhat arrogant. Looks Especially Good: After you've had a few drinks. Care Instructions: Not suitable for long-term use, the Butch Don Juan will woo you for a few days, then drop you abruptly for the next shiny new femme who struts into town. That said, it may be a great few days. The trick is spotting this butch early, so you don't get duped into thinking she's going to stick around. courtesy SHukura The Slick Butch Example: SHukura (budding actor, pictured left) Pros: Can say "Hey baby" without it sounding cheesy or ironic. Cons: Knows how good she looks. Looks Especially Good: In leather; in gold. Care Instructions: Not to be confused with the Butch Don Juan, although the two species are closely related. The Slick Butch can be distinguished by the fact that instead of trying to pick you up, she'll hand you her number and leave the club early with a wink and a grin. Butch in Uniform (not pictured) Commonly Found: Police stations; fire departments; the military. Pros: She's a butch in uniform--what more do you need? Cons: Gets deployed to do various dangerous things on a regular basis. Looks Especially Good: In a white T-shirt and her uniform pants and boots. Care Instructions: Make sure her uniform is neatly pressed. Don't keep her up too late; she needs to get up in the morning. At night, her muscles may be sore, a problem you can easily solve by giving them a nice rub-down. via robinroemer.blogspot.com The Teddy Bear Butch Example: Julie Goldman Pros: Amazing cuddler; makes excellent scrambled eggs. Cons: May not get out of her PJs till noon if she can help it. Looks Especially Good: In boxers and a T-shirt. Care Instructions: The Teddy Bear Butch is closely related to the Classic Soft Butch; indeed, the subspecies sometimes overlap. If the Teddy Bear Butch has trouble getting out of bed, get an eyedropper full of coffee, place it between her lips, and gently release the coffee into her mouth. Repeat until her body is vertical. via gothamist.com Butch Cocktails Some butches are easily identified as one of the species I've discussed here, but some are a mixture of multiple species. This can make things confusing, but also fun. For example, here's one Butch Cocktail recipe: 2 parts Activist Butch + 3 parts Geeky/Intellectual Butch + a dash of Teddy Bear Butch + a tiny pinch of Hipster Butch = Rachel Maddow What's your butch cocktail of choice? Or: what butch cocktail are you? |
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