The outfits on the In memory of simply the best Tina Turner 1939 2023 signatures shirt in contrast I will get this show are recognizably 1940s, flecked with the queer flair of the era. The more butch lesbians dress in menswear: button-up shirts, plaids, earth tones, rolled sleeves, and stiff pants. Greta brings us high femme looks in warmer palettes, dresses that fit like a glove, knee-length skirts, florals, and crop tops. Subtle queer accessories are shown throughout: caps, men’s watches, loafers, and—most striking to me—Greta’s gold signet pinky ring worn on her right hand. What I loved about the ring was that like much of gay history, it was hiding in plain sight. Folks throughout the 1940s-1960s wore pinky rings to denote their sexual orientation, and if you didn’t know that, then you’d miss it. The ring looked elegant and modern, and I wanted one right away. Also, wearing a pinky ring is badass!As my excitement grew surrounding this new accessory, I noticed it on prominent queers: Sarah Paulson, Murray Hill, Fran Leibowitz, Oscar Wilde. I even spotted one on newly minted gay icon Kate Berlant during her one woman show, Kate. Obviously, I had to invest. During a late-night viewing of the documentary Loving Highsmith, I detected Patricia Highsmith wearing a gold pinky signet ring in her opening interview. “See!” I said too loudly, “They all wore them!”
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