Beginning with a montage of various outfits and "uniforms" worn by lesbians over the last four decades, this entertaining documentary traces the herstory of how apparel has helped shape and define the lesbian mystique — its attitudes, politics, sociology and personal role playing. By tracing the fashion trends of lesbians, the film touches on such themes as the traditional butch and femme look, lesbian clones of the '70's and the Birkenstock-and-flannel radfems to today's world of greater freedom and individuality — where fashion definition has been blurred and where lipstick lesbians and dykes with long hair, makeup and dresses are as much a part of the lesbian culture as women into body piercing, leather and even corporate drag. Intercutting archival photos with clips from movies (Katherine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich in drag) and interviews, director Karen Everett takes us through a fascinating journalistic tour of the evolving lesbian community, its culture and its shifting self-identity. A vital addition to the recent collection of films (Last Call at Maud's, Forbidden Love, and Thank God I'm a Lesbian) which aim to create greater awareness by uncovering lesbian history. Originally made as Karen Everett's master thesis at UC Berkeley.

60 Minutes, 1996, USA
Director/Producer Karen Everett
Awards Best New Documentary Nomination — American Film Institute
Distributed by Wolfe Video and Frameline

To order a copy contact Karen Everett

Karen Everett is an independent filmmaker living in San Francisco. Her works include Sweet Boy (2001); My Femme Divine (1999), which won Best Director's Award at the San Diego LGBT film Festival; the award-winning Biography I Shall Not Be Removed: The Life of Marlon Riggs (1996), which aired on PBS and Framing Lesbian Fashion (1992), named a Best Documentary by the American Film Institute. Everett currently teaches in the documentary film program at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, where she received her Masters degree.