When I heard that Autostraddle’s Gabby and Katrina would be hosting a queer ladies speed dating event on Tuesday, December 10th at the Strand Bookstore, I immediately posted the notice on my social media for all the single ladies (ALL THE SINGLE LADIES!). And, just as soon as I posted it, some of my friends who are interested in attending contacted me asking what they should wear to the event.
Putting together a great ensemble for speed dating is not as easy for some as it may seem. Some people don’t like dressing up, period. Others struggle with styling casual cool looks. If you’re like me, you have a closet full of super dressy attire and sweats. Striking that balance between formal wear and pajamas to achieve “effortlessly stylish” has been my greatest style challenge over the years. And, effortlessly stylish is exactly the look that is best for speed dating, because you’re not going on a fancy schmancy one-on-one date, yet you want to let your personality shine while feeling comfortable in your own skin and making an impression with what little time you have to make one. So, here’s some inspiration I’ve pulled from some of my favorite style blogs:
FOR THE (UN)HIPSTER
via Closet Freaks
Anthony Urbano (pictured above) of the queer style blog Closet Freaks calls this look rebel prep. (Click here for outfit details.) It is perfect for those who have a more classic prepster style but want to add a little edge so as not to look as if they’ve come to a speed dating event dressed for work.
FOR THE PROFESSOR
via Qwear
Sonny Oram of the queer style blog Qwear demonstrates how to achieve weekend professor style, which works for those who are grad students or academics (or who just love the smarty pants professor look). The vest and pocket square add a bit of dressy detail without having to wear a tie. Ties can make you feel like you’re choking – not a good feeling when you’re already nervous and awkward. For outfit details, click here.
FOR THE TOMBOY FEMME
via Dream On
This is effortlessly casual chic done right! And, the best part is you can take all of the components of this simple ensemble (graphic shirt, suspenders, striped jeans) and mix and match them to create other looks. Check out our post on masculine accessories for suspender ideas here. You can also look for striped jeans at retailers like Levi’s, Gap, and ASOS.
FOR THE GRANDPA
Anthony Urbano via Closet Freaks
Do you live in comfortable clothes? Are you not interested in tricking someone that you actually care about style, but actually want to look sorta awesome for your speed daters? Throw on a grandpa sweater and rock out a comfy cas look. For outfit details, click here.
