Fashion is my Foreplay

Low-Waisted Trousers, Reality TV & Reinventing Yourself | Ruben (Part 2)

Part 2 with Ruben is here 💚 In this episode of Fashion Is My Foreplay, we move beyond building sites and Berlin clubs and dive into: • Shopping almost exclusively in charity shops • Why making your own clothes changes how you shop • Falling out of love with creativity (and how to stay in love with it) • Sharing vulnerability online • Body image, insecurity & confidence • Going on I Kissed A Boy and being perceived by the public • What reality TV teaches you about yourself • Dressing for confidence (low-waisted trousers supremacy) • Everything showers to set you up for a good day/night We talk about being “perceived,” queer representation, platform vs identity, and what it really means to reinvent yourself publicly. This is the softer, more reflective half of our conversation, and honestly one of my favourites. Follow Ruben: Fashion: https://www.instagram.com/rubenbodower/ [https://www.instagram.com/rubenbodower/] Personal: https://www.instagram.com/rexyruben/ [https://www.instagram.com/rexyruben/] Follow me: @fashionismyforeplay fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com ⚠️ Content note: discussion of mental health, internalised homophobia, body image, queer identity and reality TV exposure.

Painting Myself Green on a Construction Site (and Unlearning Masculinity) | Part 1

This week on Fashion Is My Foreplay, I’m joined by Ruben, creative, designer, body-paint enthusiast and self-described fashion alien. I originally found him on Instagram after a Reel where he talked about working on a construction site while secretly listening to Drag Race in his headphones. Fast forward to painting himself green, building avant-garde queer fashion, and unlearning internalised homophobia, and I was obsessed. In Part 1 we talk about: • Being queer in hyper-masculine spaces (like building sites) • “Performing masculinity” vs performing authenticity • Growing up in a Steiner school (yes… eurythmy included) • Why lockdown changed everything • Drag Race, Bimini & Gottmik’s impact • Internalised homophobia & trying to be “palatable” • From furniture design to Berlin nightlife fashion • Making clothes for queer bodies , without formal fashion training This is about creativity, queerness, identity, fantasy, and the freedom that comes when you stop trying to be “normal.” This is Part 1 — Part 2 drops next week. Follow Ruben: Fashion: https://www.instagram.com/rubenbodower/ [https://www.instagram.com/rubenbodower/] Personal: https://www.instagram.com/rexyruben/ [https://www.instagram.com/rexyruben/] Follow the podcast: Host: @fashionismyforeplay Email: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com ⚠️ Content note: Discussion of mental health, internalised homophobia, queer identity, nightlife culture and brief mentions of anxiety/depression.

Dirty Talk at CHALK: The New Queer Night You Need This Friday

This week on Fashion Is My Foreplay, I’m joined by Ben, the creator of Brighton’s brand new monthly queer night: Dirty Talk  This episode is a little different, more of an event special, where we talk all about what Dirty Talk is, why Brighton needs more queer nightlife spaces, and what you can expect from the launch night this Friday 6th February at CHALK. We cover: – The vision behind Dirty Talk – Drag, pole, go-go dancers + runway moments – Building inclusive, accessible queer spaces – Brighton nightlife culture – What to wear, who it’s for, and why you should come dance Dirty Talk Launch Night 📍 CHALK, Brighton 🗓 Friday 6th February 🎟 Tickets: https://www.fatsoma.com/e/cyajde51/dirty-talk-01 [https://www.fatsoma.com/e/cyajde51/dirty-talk-01] Follow the event: @dirtytalk.btn https://www.instagram.com/dirtytalk.btn [https://www.instagram.com/dirtytalk.btn] Content Warnings: Adult themes, mild sexual humour/language, queer nightlife discussion. Follow the pod: @fashionismyforeplay Guest enquiries: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com

Politics, Protest & Gray Sexuality (with Violet) | PART 2

PART 2 of my conversation with Violet (@imissviolet) goes deeper, into politics, protest culture, trans survival, sexuality, confidence, and what it actually means to build a livable future while you’re exhausted. We talk about: – Protest culture, burnout & why communities turn on themselves – ACT UP, AIDS history & what’s been erased from collective memory – Being trans in the current political climate – Experiencing hate crime & navigating safety – Gray sexuality, desire, communication & sex as “drag” – Confidence, self-love, affirmations & building yourself up – Foreplay as ritual, music, comfort & care This episode is raw, funny, heavy at times, and deeply human.  This is PART 2 of a two-part conversation. If you haven’t listened to PART 1 yet, start there first. Content Warnings (PART 2): Adult themes, sex & sexuality, gender identity & trans experience, hate crime discussion, political content, protest & activism, mental health, medical discussion (endometriosis, HPV), strong language. Follow us: Host: @fashionismyforeplay Guest: @imissviolet Listen on Spotify & watch on YouTube — search Fashion Is My Foreplay Guest enquiries: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com

One Boob, Open Relationships & London Fashion Week Chaos, with Violet | PART 1

Welcome back to Fashion Is My Foreplay, and we’re kicking off with Violet (@imissviolet) for a chaotic, honest, hilarious conversation that covers everything from London Fashion Week shows to identity, hormones, dating, and why pretending to be “normal” is overrated. We talk about: – How we met through the Dr Noki /fashion show circuit – Modeling, TikTok, agencies & unexpected fashion moments – Burnout, politics, community, and creating more than you consume – Gender fluidity, pronouns, hormones & the reality of being perceived – ADHD/autism, oversharing, and being real online – Dating, falling fast, open relationships & communication This is PART 1 — PART 2 is coming next week! Content Warnings (PART 1): Adult themes, sex & relationships, gender identity / trans experience, body image, mental health, eating disorder mention, neurodiversity discussion, discussion of surgery (FFS), and some strong language. Follow us: Host: @fashionismyforeplay Guest: @imissviolet 🎧 Listen + watch: Spotify & YouTube (search Fashion Is My Foreplay) 💌 Guest enquiries: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com