Prelims

Half Title Page

FASHIONABLE QUEERNESS

Title Page

FASHIONABLE QUEERNESS: STRAIGHT APPROPRIATION OF QUEER FASHION

BY

ANGELOS BOLLAS

Maynooth University, Ireland

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL.

First edition 2024

Copyright © 2024 Angelos Bollas.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83608-139-5 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83608-138-8 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83608-140-1 (Epub)

Contents

Preface

In visual culture, the depiction of gender, particularly masculinity, has undergone profound transformations that mirror broader societal shifts. This book focuses on the intricate relationship between celebrity culture and contemporary masculinities, using the public appearances and fashion choices of Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal, and Barry Keoghan as prisms through which to explore these changes. The first chapter ‘Masculinities on Display’ sets the theoretical foundation for the study, tracing the contours of hegemony and the performative nature of gender as theorised by scholars like Judith Butler and Michel Foucault. By focusing on these Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal, and Barry Keoghan’s sartorial choices at high-visibility events, we begin to understand how celebrity culture can both challenge and reinforce traditional gender norms. Employing a critical visual media literacy framework, the subsequent chapters dissect various facets of this phenomenon. The second chapter, ‘Staging Masculinities’, investigates the site of production of mediated representations of these actors at promotional events and its role for new gender narratives. Here, the focus is on how traditional gender norms are queered and subverted, revealing the layers of intentionality behind celebrity fashion. The third chapter, ‘Tailoring Masculinities’, shifts our gaze to the site of the image itself, analysing how the composition and presentation of celebrity fashion at public events challenge conventional gender presentations. This analysis is enriched by a detailed examination of the technological, compositional, and social modalities that shape these visual representations.

The fourth chapter, ‘Audiencing Masculinities’, synthesises the insights gained from the earlier discussions, examining the broader implications of these celebrities’ fashion decisions for societal understandings of masculinity. This chapter speculates on the potential for celebrity-driven fashion to act as a catalyst for redefining traditional masculinity, suggesting a gradual yet significant shift in societal norms and expectations. This book aims not only to document and analyse the evolving landscape of gender expression within celebrity culture but also to contribute to the ongoing dialogue about gender identity and power dynamics in contemporary society. By examining how these actors navigate the complexities of style, performance, and gender, we gain a deeper understanding of the possibilities and limitations of fashion as a form of cultural commentary.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr Sarah Meehan O’Callaghan and Jeremy Murphy from JM Agency for, once more, bringing clarity to my writing. Dr Daniel Ridge for believing in this project, my husband for his kindness in giving me time and space to do research and write, and my dear friend Eleni Kaipanou for her help with sourcing the images included in this book. Finally, I would like to thank Dr Ashley Morgan for the support, very useful advice, and overall academic generosity.