Author | Christiane Nickel | Fashion Editor
Femme in Residence is a new Posture fashion series that seeks to highlight the stylishly progressive queers that profess a distinctively femme spirit within our community. For our first installation I had the enlightening opportunity to interview Sarah Jenny, an activist, community leader, and promoter of the iconically queer and all encompassing Hey Queen! party.
How did you get into party planning?
I spent five years as the new media director of $pread Magazine and during my time there, organized the launch parties. They were a lot of fun. At some point, I attended a new party by Avory and then co-organizer Scout at Sugarland. They had me selling shots at the next party and the rest was history. Avory and I have been working on Hey Queen! for four and a half years.
How would you define your personal style?
I think my personal style these days is both muted and eclectic. In my early twenties I wore a lot of vintage but I’ve found that fewer stylish options exist for bigger bodies which requires more creativity. One of my favorite places to shop was Re/Dress — a queer-owned plus size vintage and resale shop in Brooklyn which has since closed its doors, but exists in another incarnation online. I find the femme community — especially fat femme community — really helpful in guiding my style. Some of my favorite fashion blogs are In The Thick of It and the blog run by Marie Claire’s fashion expert Nicolette Mason.
What’s your favorite color?
Grey, it’s my neutral.
What’s your favorite print?
Leopard.
What are your top three statement pieces?
(1)A vintage Oscar de la Renta strapless 80s bathing suit with a pearl trimmed ruffle along the top
(2) A strapless mini dress with large rose gold sequins
(3) A black and white animal print bolo shrug
Who are some of your style icons?
Lupita Nyong’o, Fran Drescher, and my peers
Where do you get your inspiration from?
(I have no good answer to this — how terrible is that?)
How, if at all, has your personal style changed over time?
My style has changed quite a bit over the years. I had none for a long time and then in high school I fell in love with RuPaul and Kevyn Aucoin. My mother would get upset and ask me why I wanted to be a drag queen but I didn’t have the language to talk about being femme. My style is pretty compartmentalized — I have a wardrobe for nightlife and performance (tiny + tight everything) and another work (more modest + subdued) and can often be found in sweatpants and a t-shirt on weekends.
What 5 accessories can’t you live without?
(1) Vintage jewels
(2) Earring collection
(3) Snakeskin clutch
(4) My heirloom Hamsa necklace
(5) Gold Coach ballet flats
Where do you like to to shop for your accessories?
Brooklyn Flea. And there are a slew of stores on Flatbush Ave. I’ve also found some timeless pieces at the Rose Bowl in San Francisco.
Lets say your friend/ SO surprised you with a trip somewhere and won’t tell you where you’re going, what would you bring and why?
Definitely every bikini I own and a couple very tight dresses. If we aren’t going on a beach vacation I would be very disappointed.
How do you think femme identity plays into NYC queer culture and how has it evolved?
Since I’ve been in New York, I’ve always found that femmes have had a visible role in queer community from the Brooklyn Girls calendar to drag culture to Heels on Wheels Roadshow — and they are just a few of the different ways that I’ve seen queer culture inform and inspire an understanding of femme.
What is femme visibility and how do you see it as becoming ever more present?
For me, I think femme visibility is making space for all types of femmes and a commitment to honoring/affirming/centering the most marginalized femme voices, including but not limited to those who are transfeminine, femmes who lives with disabilities, fat femmes and femmes of color.
The next Hey Queen! is Friday, March 14th with Queen of Honor, the inimitable femme Bryn Kelly. More info at heyqueen.org
Below are clothing items and accessories that are personal favorites of Sarah Jenny:
