The aesthetic obligations of being a techno-head will differ based on what drugs you take and where you like to take them. People who huff on cheap Ketamine in decrepit warehouses tend to dress in soiled jeans and second-hand vests, which is quite different from the so-called ravers on TikTok who wear neon swimsuits to drink adaptogenics at Burning Man. For those who go to Boudica – the queer club night founded in London in 2019 – fashion skews venal: belted chokers, leather corsets, and rucksacks fashioned from the limp body of an old plushie. There are harnesses and mesh crop tops and barbed chain necklaces – which are standard fare items in an LGBTQ+ venue – but when worn with tartan kilts, yeti boots, and old maiden lingerie, the Boudica look is accented with a mutant brand of Harajuku kitsch.
“Nobody wears the standard techno uniform at our parties,” says founder and DJ Samantha Togni. “And we’ve never imposed a dress code. It just naturally established itself and I love that. People at Boudica push boundaries and mess with different aesthetics, throwing the hottest and most epic looks.” Named after a queer-coded ancient queen from 60 AD, the night provides LGBTQ+ people with an intimate, safe place to see the same headline acts that would otherwise be hired at behemoth music festivals. “It’s a space for those who want to get lost in the wilderness,” Togni says. “An unrestrained atmosphere, a celebration of all bodies in our community. We’ve hosted many UK debuts of names that are now leading the Electronic Music scene, like Sara Landry and Dana Montana.” Click through the gallery above to see all the disjointed, deviant looks that surfaced in the smoking area of the most recent Boudica.