LGBTQ+ Communities, Fashion, Style, and Dress: A Scoping Review

In our review, we assess the intersection of LGBTQ+ identities with fashion, style, and dress, providing a comprehensive overview of current peer-reviewed research on the topic. Drawing from a scoping review approach, we analyzed studies published between 2000 and 2024 that address the relationship between LGBTQ+ identities and fashion-related practices. The research identifies key themes and trends, highlighting the evolving academic landscape of LGBTQ+ fashion studies. By examining studies from a range of academic databases, we categorize the literature by theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and geographic contexts. Overall, most articles focused on negotiating identity via clothing of a variety of identities within the LGBTQ+ communities, used qualitative methods, drew upon diverse theories, and focused on the United States context. Continued engagement with the wide array of identities already studied-and those yet to emerge-will enrich our understanding of how fashion operates as a dynamic site of identity construction, community formation, and cultural critique within LGBTQ+ lives.