Please welcome Roxane Gay to Big Undies! Though she probably needs no introduction, Roxane Gay is a 50-year-old writer living in LA & NYC. She’s the author of Hunger & Bad Feminist, and she writes The Audacity. Roxane and her wife Debbie Millman recently bought The Rumpus, which they’ll be relaunching in the fall!
When I started doing Style Questionnaires, I thought, wouldn’t it be amazing if I could get Roxane Gay to do one? It’s been my dream! I’m so honored to have Roxane here.
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What are you wearing right now?
I’m wearing my “home uniform,” which is basketball shorts, boxers, and a black Lacoste t-shirt.
What was the last item of clothing you bought?
The Universal Standard “Vineyard Linen Jacket,” in black.1 I love it so much I’m going to buy a second one.
Where did you get clothes as a kid? Describe a favorite childhood outfit.
For most of my childhood, my mother made my clothes and in retrospect I realize what a gift it was and how damn talented she was at sewing. Whatever we wanted, she said she could make and then she did. One of my favorite outfits was a denim vest and jeans she made me when I wanted a denim jacket. I wore it for the first day of school and I still love that outfit. I paired the vest with a canary yellow oxford shirt and and jeans, also made by my mom.
What did you wear to the last party or event you attended?
The last event I attended was the premiere of Mariska Hargitay’s My Mom Jayne and I wore jeans, a t-shirt, these shoes, and the Vineyard Jacket.
I remember reading in Hunger that you had essentially two wardrobes: the one you wore every day, and one that you didn’t feel brave enough to wear. I think this is so relatable for many, many reasons. I’m just curious if you still have this relationship to clothes in your closet or if that has shifted in any way.
That relationship to clothes still lingers but I have also gotten much braver about what I wear, for a lot of reasons. For one, there are just so many more extended size options now (if you can afford them, which is certainly an issue for a lot of us). I’m also a different size than I was when I wrote Hunger which has also given me more options. And the older I get, the more tired I am of being so self-conscious and worried about what other people think. Like, at my big age, why the fuck do I care what someone thinks about my pink shirt or my rainbow striped pants? Honestly.
If you had to wear a uniform (same thing every day) what would it be?
Dark jeans and a black t-shirt which is, in fact, my daily uniform. It’s practical, comfortable and it makes me feel safe. I even got married in this outfit because we eloped!
Describe a favorite outfit or piece of clothing in a work of fiction.
Is it weird that the first thing that comes to mind is the astronaut suit Matt Damon wore in The Martian?
What does queer style look like to you? Is there anything you wear or don’t wear to feel aligned with your gender or your identity?
Queer style is people wearing clothes and accessories that make them look and feel sexy and confident, in whatever ways they interpret those characteristics.
As for what I do or don’t wear, I don’t wear skirts or dresses because they aren’t my vibe and I do love a fine blazer.
Tell me about an accessory or piece of clothing that you lost or ruined but still think about.
This one time, I was wearing a ring I absolutely loved and it was a bit loose but I didn’t think anything of it and I was in a public bathroom, turned around to flush, and the ring slid off my hand and into the toilet. I stared at it for a moment but I sure wasn’t going to reach into pee water in a public bathroom to rescue the ring. I’m still sad about it.
How has getting dressed changed for you as you’ve grown older?
My career is always surprising me; the biggest of those surprises is the number of public appearances I do. While I do have an everyday uniform, I do need variety for work-related appearances, and especially for photoshoots, speaking gigs, and film/TV type things. In those instances, I do try to make an effort—a button down shirt and jeans, or an interesting blazer, fun shoes. For the more visible gigs I have been fortunate enough to work with great stylists. Courtney Mays and Meaghan O’Connor are two such folks and I highly recommend them.
Is there an item of clothing you wish you could buy and wear but can’t find?
I am still in search of a really gorgeous pair of tailored slacks with cuffs that fit and are also comfortable to sit in, but don’t billow around while I am walking. It’s surprisingly difficult to find.
Who do you think has good style?
Queen Latifah has such lovely style. I really enjoy seeing her on red carpets and out and about.
I also enjoy Janelle Monae’s looks, Rihanna, Tessa Thompson, Michelle Buteau and Jodie Foster in Inside Man.
Anything else you want to tell us about getting dressed?
My favorite part of the day is taking my bra off on days when I actually have to get dressed in hard pants and leave the house.
Roxane, thank you so much for being here! Please subscribe to The Audacity. and get yourself a copy of Hunger. You find find Roxane on Instagram, Blue Sky, at her website—and stay tuned for The Rumpus relaunch!
I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments!
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Sold out in linen! Available in cotton twill.
Roxane on Big Undies!!! Corinne, you win the internet today. Loved this.
Gah total dream guest!