In case we haven’t met trust me, you would remember!

Hello! My name is Peyton, Pey Pey if you’re lucky. Welcome to Drunk on Couture, a space where I’ll be sharing my thoughts on fashion, pop culture, and the general chaos of being a slightly lost (but optimistic) 24-year-old.

I grew up in friendly Winnipeg, Manitoba, surrounded by an incredible community. That said, I’ve always been a little… or a lot… different. I’ve had a passion for fashion since I was a wee lad some of my earliest memories involve clomping around in heels, attempting to tie blankets around my waist to recreate Princess Diana’s iconic wedding train.

Growing up, I had a deep need to fit in, so I suppressed a lot of my “gayer” side in public at least until the end of high school. Still, it wasn’t exactly a secret that I was the gay of my school. Fashion became my outlet. It was how I expressed myself, but also how I hid. Being surrounded by beautiful people (inside and out), I often felt like I didn’t measure up. So I compensated throwing on outfits that would make people talk, whether good or bad. And weirdly, that made me feel powerful.

Sometimes I wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t hidden behind French lace and had just shown my full self-earlier. But that was six years ago, and since then life has been a mix of highs, lows, and everything in between. I’ve built a village, let go of a lot of anger, and learned to live by one simple rule:

Never dim your light for anyone.

If you know me, you know I’m usually the first to arrive at a party and the last to leave sometimes to a fault. From a waytoo young age, I’ve loved a good kiki with friends. We’re talking Rona Fair at 14 with Crown Royal hidden in a wood-print S’well bottle, questionable life choices at 16, Wine Wednesdays in my late teens, and more recently, $6 schooners in Melbourne with my dear friend Steele.

I’ve always loved a drink, for better or for worse. I’ve always loved being surrounded by people loud rooms, big energy, slightly chaotic, fabulous humans. Someone once told me, “Be nice to everyone, you never know when they’ll come back into your life.” I think about that a lot. Maybe I forgive too easily. Maybe I’m too nice. But it’s gotten me this far, and I wouldn’t trade the community I’ve built for anything.

For the past six months, I’ve been living in Melbourne, Australia, with my best friend. Ever since I was young, I’ve had this pull toward big city life, like something bigger was waiting for me. And while it’s been a journey, I’ve never felt more at peace.

Back home, I could walk into almost any room and be greeted with a hug. Here, I’m the one watching from the sidelines, missing my people more than I expected. It’s made me realize just how special that sense of community really is. There’s a reason people say: you stay in Winnipeg for the people.

That’s all for now. If this is our first time meeting, I hope you got a little taste of who I am. If you already know me, maybe this helped you understand what’s going on in my slightly chaotic brain.

Thanks for reading Drunk on Couture, until next time.

XX,
Pey