My first Pride was in 2019—I wasn’t fully “out” yet, but was determined to look the part. So, as you do, I scrambled at the last minute to my nearest Forever 21 and threw together a combination of rainbow items I thought went okay together.

I was proud of my look. I took selfies in the back of an Uber I couldn’t afford and convinced myself nobody could tell that the only people who knew I was gay were my parents and my younger sister. Much to my dismay, when I entered House of Yes in Brooklyn for the festivities, despite a handful of fellow baby gays who didn’t get the memo, there was not a rainbow in sight. Everyone was just dressed “cool.”

As a (slightly) more seasoned queer, I am not one to dismiss a rainbow entirely, but I’ve come a long way from the Pride section of a fast-fashion establishment. I now know that you can wear whatever the heck you want to Pride, but it’s extra fun to lean into your queerness, whatever that means to you.

However you plan to celebrate this month, whether you're a member of the LGBTQ+ community or a spirited ally, here are some outfits to take you from marching to dancing to drag shows, and everything in between.