HIGHLIGHTING THE ART OF GETTING READY IN ALL ITS FORMS
AN INTERVIEW SERIES
CLOSET CONFIDENTIALS is an interview series
dedicated to highlighting the art of getting ready,
through the stories of some badass individuals,
in all of its shapes & forms.
This entry follows the tale of LULU OLIVEIRA, the 24-year-old trans-non-binary bombshell from San Paolo, Brazil. This summer lover has been gracing the Montreal scene for 7 years now, spreading joy through her oh-so-colourful wardrobe, hitting up Jeanne-Mance park for a little tan when she can, & fuelling her body with never-ending walks & mass amounts of coffee!
I know that the moment I leave my front door, I’m going to be judged. So what kind of image do I want to convey? What kind of attention do I want to receive? I get to decide.
PERSONAL STYLE
Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
LULU: I am an Aquarius. So the thing is, I feel that I change my opinion all the time...which is okay! I love being this fluid & ever-changing person. But when it comes to expressing my identities, plural, which is related to the way I see my non-conforming gender, I feel that I'm pretty feminine. Even though I may have this body that is understood as a "male body" in our society, I see myself as this feminine little angel/witch/Latina bombshell! My style is very flowy, I love glitter, I love layers, big earrings & big hair! My friend actually described my style perfectly as boho-chic beachy vibes!
Q: WHAT DOES YOUR STYLE SAY ABOUT YOU? L: I think that my style says that I’m this person who’s kind of chill, pretty formal & very approachable. I like playing with colours & glitter, wearing things that are playful to create a welcoming atmosphere for other people to come up & talk to me. I do love exposing my skin, that’s also related to this tropical vibe that I have going on. Whatever I end up wearing, I want it to portray the open & accessible person that I am. À bas la hiérarchie!
Q: WHAT ASPECT OF FASHION EXCITES YOU THE MOST?
L: I do love playing with accessories. Earrings, rings, necklaces - all of it! I even see my tattoos as an accessory, something I can play with. These accessories are a fun way to modify my body & question how I can be read differently. I know that the moment I leave my front door, I’m going to be judged. So what kind of image do I want to convey? What kind of attention do I want to receive? I get to decide. If I’m feeling shitty & don’t want that much attention, maybe I’ll tone down my accessories with something a little less colourful, but I will not hide myself into this “male” body. I don’t see my body as a male body, therefore I am not male. I find that accessories are a powerful tool that allow me to show off the person that I know myself to be. My most important fashion accessory would have to be what I mark myself with - my tattoos.
Q: FOR YOU PERSONALLY, WHAT FINAL DETAIL CAN MAKE OR BREAK A LOOK?
L: I would say shoes. I’m addicted to high heels. As the shoe person that I am, I find that it’s so important to try & combine the right shoe with what you’re wearing (although we’re all free to explore & do what we want!) From my understanding of fashion & how I choose to use it to express myself, shoes are really important. If I’m not wearing shoes that elevate my outfit, I have to change. That's final!
Taking care of my body = loving my queerness, fully understanding it & embracing every part of it.
THE PROCESS
Q: WHAT DRIVES YOU TO GET READY?
LULU: I love myself so much, girl. Even if I'm not in the mood to leave my place, I love getting ready, I love playing with my body & I love the attention. I just love getting ready to show off to my roommates that are home or post a little something on Instagram, even if I have nowhere to go. During those first months of the confinement, I was going nuts just asking myself how can I be queer when I'm all alone here in this studio? In order to be queer, you have to have access to the norm. You have to be put in this social context where you are perceived as the weird one - & I love being the weird one. So during that time, as a way to express my queerness, I had to play with my outfits. For me, getting ready is my chance to reclaim my identity & express my queerness, even if only for myself! Taking care of my body = loving my queerness, fully understanding it & embracing every part of it.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR GETTING READY PROCESS?
L: Every single time I wash my hair, I feel so powerful. Clean hair is ah-mazing. I love taking care of my face too. I drink a lot of coffee so I'll actually keep the grounds to use as an exfoliant for my face. It's organic & makes me feel all connected to Mother Nature. I just love it! But my favourite part of getting ready is definitely playing with my hair. I love playing with the colour & basically change it every fucking week. I'm embracing my natural curls, now that I've discovered that I have them! The process of growing my hair out was an important part of claiming my femininity & re-connecting to my identity. I actually look a lot like my mom right now. Hair, for me, is strongly linked to my womanhood & to the intimate bond that I have with my mother. Healthy hair = honouring her & celebrating my womanhood.
Q: HOW DO YOU CHOOSE TO SHOW SELF-CARE?
L: Changing my diet was probably when my whole self-care process actually started. I am a vegetarian & have been for a while now. I don't judge the people who choose to eat meat. I don't care. For my mental health & wellbeing, I avoid those products. I see that as self-care. Taking care of my body, my skin & maintaining a good hygiene routine is really important for me. In Brazil, we take a lot of showers per day because it's so hot all the fucking time! So I do tend to take a lot of showers. From taking care of my hair to reading, my self-care is a little bit of everything! I love having incense, meditating, waking up to Shakira*...music is very important. I cannot live without it! I also try to make a habit of talking to my brother & my parents every week. I heard a quote the other day that read "l'arbre sec ne portera pas de fruits," meaning you have to show up & water your tree if you want anything to grow. When it comes to relationships if you don't cherish your loved ones they will disappear from your life. You have to show up, make an effort & express your love. You have to take care of your relationships. Yourself included. To me, that is self-care.
*like old school Shakira, when she only sang in Spanish, before "wherever, whatever"...
It's not only a piece of fabric. My clothes are a representation of who I am & how I feel. They're an extension of myself.
THE CLOSET
Q: WHAT ITEM CAN YOU NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT?
LULU: Oh, earrings! YES. Earrings for sure. I don't spend a single day without earrings on...like the big ones. I only wear small earrings when I go to Tam-Tams because I want to dance & shake my head. But even when I don't leave my house, I have to have something on. This accessory has the power to completely change your look & your attitude.
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE ITEMS IN YOUR CLOSET?
L: I love my beautiful pink high-waisted skirt. It's covered in flowers with kind of a flamenco vibe to it. It's one of my favourite skirts to wear for Tam-Tams. I also have this adorable little gold sequinned top. I love it because it goes really well with my skin tone & my beachy hair. Another favourite would have to be this beautiful tropical bathing suit with a fully exposed back. I love wearing it with a good pair of high-waisted jeans.
Q: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SHARING YOUR CLOTHES?
L: In general, I wouldn't say that I'm that attached to things. However, my clothes are strongly connected to how I express my gender, my queerness & myself. I don't mind sharing that part of me but it's very personal. It's not only a piece of fabric. My clothes are a representation of who I am & how I feel. They're an extension of myself. So to have someone take over my closet, I must be honest, makes me a little uncomfortable. I don't mind lending maybe one or two pieces, but in reality, it's as if I were lending to that person a little part of myself, even if only for a few moments. We're talking about vulnerability right here. It's a very powerful thing. But I'm definitely mindful of who I'm willing to share that with.
CONFIDENTIAL
Q: WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST YOURSELF?
LULU: Feeling the most myself started with my second coming out. It was about four years ago. It was not related to my sexual orientation, but to my identity & how I understand myself in society. The moment I told my parents - who truly are my best friends - that I am this trans non-binary person, who loves life & loves themselves, it was so empowering. My parents were very curious so they asked a lot of questions. We continue to have conversations about it as they want to do all they can to support me. Playing with language is also really important. The moment I stopped using the "masc" marker in language, I took a huge step towards being a more authentic version of myself. My native language is Portuguese, which is a very binary language, every word is either feminine or masculine. When you say that you don't identify as either of those things, how can you possibly be represented in your natural language? So to have my mom use a neutral form for the first time was absolutely beautiful & so special to me. When I came out, my parents also came out of this binary understanding of the world. They see me as their kid but also as a representation of a whole other possibility of living. In some ways, I feel like we all came out together!
Q: WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL?
L: I feel the most beautiful in the summer! Le soleil, la plage, being almost naked, playing with my body, wearing nothing but beautiful light fabrics - I love ALL of it! I definitely think I'm the most beautiful when I'm enjoying the summertime. Here in Montreal, I would say that happens most when I'm at Tam-Tams. For me, it's really a whole event in itself. I do think about my outfit every Sunday, I want to be seen, I want to make a statement. I love having this platform where I can dance, enjoy myself & take up space as a non-binary person. That's truly when I feel the most beautiful.
THANK YOU LULU FOR SHARING YOUR CLOSET WITH LION|OF|THE|CEA!
XX
PHOTOGRAPHY: CÉLINE BLAIS @babycealion
MODEL + STYLIST: LULU OLIVEIRA @luludobalacoche
OUTFIT ANTHEM: LOUVAÇÃO A OXUM BY MARIA BETHÂNIA