Trendsetter: Get to Know Local Poet Ren Liu
The Chinese American poet sources their wardrobe from clothing swaps and finds comfort through attire.
Photograph courtesy of Ren Liu
How do you choose an outfit for a spoken word performance?
In my poem [redacted] I talk about how since my body has been a source of trauma through abuse and sexual violence, when I was a teenager, I was constantly trying to figure out how I ‘should’ dress so I wouldn’t be sexualized. These days, everything in my closet reminds me of someone I love. When I’m performing, I want to rep that and feel power through getting dressed, and it’s an exciting process rather than an uncomfortable one.
What’s your favorite local shop for scoring finds?
I think I’ve accumulated 90 percent of my clothing from the clothing swaps I’ve hosted with friends and community. It’s a great way to part with things I don’t need anymore while not buying new. I have a hard time getting rid of clothes that are significant to me, but there’s something special about seeing a friend or someone you’ve met in person give it a new life. After the swaps, the extra clothes have often gone to places like Youth Pride or Haus of Codec or distributions at Kennedy Plaza.
You deal with chronic pain and disability. How do you incorporate your cane into your style?
I think a lot about how I want to interact with my cane. I used to see it as taking away from my style because we associate mobility aids with very clinical settings. Sometimes when I’m wearing black shoes with a tie and blazer, walking with it, I feel very dapper, and I do feel it adds a certain aesthetic. Mobile aids are really expensive and they’re not exactly made to be beautiful anymore. So I’ve stickered mine all over and adorned it.
How do your tattoos aid in your self-expression?
I used to be self-conscious of my arms, but having art on them has made me see my body less as something to be hidden. I think of everything aesthetically in my life as if I’m building an altar that pays homage to the ancestors/lineages that shaped me in my life, and that’s expressed a lot through my tattoos.
You’re a staff member at the AS220 Providence Poetry Slam. How would you describe the fashion in that community?
Everyone is saying something about their personality and communities through their clothing. The group at Prov Slam is very intergenerational so I always like to see how that meshes. Everyone reps their culture and neighborhood and there’s plenty of conversation that sparks from style.
What advice would you give to someone struggling to present themselves as they’d like to?
It can be incredibly difficult to navigate queer and trans identity, so I just want to honor the fact that making visible changes to yourself is scary. My advice is to try items on around people who see you for you and help you feel seen. Community is the biggest thing, and you deserve to play with fashion with people who perceive you how you want to be perceived.
