Look 1 - Dysphoric

For this look I wanted to capture the beauty of myself prior to transitioning. There's such a stigma around referencing anything around trans people before their transition, but I wanted to reclaim that and show there's beauty in both pre and post transition. Phillip was just as beautiful as Gigi. Phillip walked through my adolescent years, made several of my very close friends, and got me through half my journey at SCAD. Gigi just reflects who I've always felt on the inside.

The inspiration was caged coral, like the fossilized coral trapped within the petoskey stone, the true self is trapped but undeniable to oneself. The coral encased within these oversized hips is to visualize gender dysphoria, but to represent the beauty of what I had to overcome to be where I am now. I chose sheer fabric to reveal what's within, both literally and figuratively. I wanted this look to be for every pre-transition trans person who needed to be told they were always beautiful.