Ky's Bi Pride Style Guide

This year feels extra-special considering we weren’t able to celebrate it IRL last year, and I, for one, am ready to make the most of it! Pride has always been about being unapologetic in who you are. One of the most special things about Pride for me is that you can see every type of body, in every type of outfit imaginable. It’s the one time of year that I get to wear my loudest and proudest—I’m talking crop tops, I’m talking glitter, glitz, and glam, experimental makeup and hairstyles, and even more glitter.

It hasn’t always been this way. My large body has been a source of discomfort for me my entire life, especially as a queer woman. I felt as though I took up too much space—like I shouldn’t draw MORE attention to my body because it was somehow offensive to the rest of the world. Not only was I the Weird Gay Girl in my small rural hometown, I was the Weird FAT Gay Girl. If you grew up as either or both of those things in a small town, you’ll know what I mean when I say that I just didn’t fit there, in more ways than one.

Once I went to college in the city, I got the chance to meet people who were just like me, and more importantly, people who were wildly different from myself. I started getting more involved in the community, and I started attending Pride every year. What’s really interesting is that I not only gained more confidence in my identity as I shared it with the world, but I gained a lot more confidence in my own body. I started wearing crop tops and short shorts and more form-fitting clothes. I was surrounded by people who weren’t afraid to be who they were, and it allowed me to see that I could do the same, even if only once a year in June.

As disappointing as it was that we were all stuck inside last summer, I’ve done a lot of self-reflection over the past year and I realized that I’ve still been holding myself back in a lot of ways. I’ve decided I’m not going to be afraid to live out loud anymore, which leads me to…

The Summer of YES!

The Summer of YES is something I came up with while thinking about the things I’ve been holding myself back from, whether it be through fear, insecurity, or anxiety. I realized that I’ve spent a lot of time daydreaming about the life I COULD live, but not actually doing anything about it. This summer, that’s all going to change. I’m going to lean into the things I’ve been afraid to do for so long – I’m going to wear crop tops all summer long instead of just one weekend in June, I’m going to embrace gender nonconformity by wearing shorts, skirts, and dresses over my unshaven legs, I’m spending the end of the summer on a 20-day road trip that will just be me, my car, and my own thoughts – something I have desperately wanted and have been too afraid to do for a very long time.

I’m going to challenge you to do the same. This summer, lean into the fear! Think about something you’ve always wanted to do and GO DO IT! Wear that form-fitting bodysuit! Dye your hair green! Get that tattoo! Go on a vacation by yourself! Drive across the country! We can’t let another summer pass us by, because as we’ve learned, they’re not guaranteed.

” I realized that I’ve spent a lot of time daydreaming about the life I COULD live, but not actually doing anything about it.”

Without further ado, here are a few Pride outfits I’ve loved in the past and some Dia & Co pieces I’m obsessed with right now, and how you can achieve a similar look this summer!

CROP TOPS, CROP TOPS, CROP TOPS!
- If you’re venturing into them for the first time, it can be really scary – that’s okay! Embrace it! Remember – it’s the Summer of YES!
- A great way to ease into crop tops is to pair them with a great high-waisted bottom and a jacket/cardigan/kimono – this allows you to experience the thrill, while still keeping yourself comfortable and covered until you’re ready to bare that belly button!
Jumpsuits for every body!
- Jumpsuits are another item that I’ve embraced recently. I truly never thought I had the body for them, but I was definitely wrong! It turns out that I have the body for absolutely anything I want, and I’m going to take advantage of it!
Glitz, Glam, Style, Flash!
- Don’t be afraid to get FLASHY! Pride is about living out LOUD! Rainbows and glitter and confetti reign supreme, and trust me, if you go to Pride without any glitter ahead of time, you won’t experience too much FOMO because you’ll definitely be covered in it by the time you leave.