Pretty Bitter on Style Evolutions

From coming out to taking feminizing hormones to adopting a monochromatic wardrobe and more, Pretty Bitter give their stylish takes below.

We are spotlighting the myriad voices redefining what it means to be stylish in the nation’s capital — from designers and stylists to entrepreneurs and athletes whose unique stories and perspectives shape bold visions. Check out our full Curators of Style roundup in the May issue here. 

D.C.’s synth pop stalwarts Pretty Bitter — a five-piece band made up of multi-instrumentalist Zack Be, vocalist Em Bleker, drummer Jason Hayes, guitarist Chris Smith and bassist Miri Tyler — shared a look into the creative ethos behind their style both onstage and off. From coming out to taking feminizing hormones to adopting a monochromatic wardrobe and more, members Be, Bleker and Tyler give their stylish takes below.

District Fray: Describe your personal style in three words.
Zack Be: I wanna say “overeducated ottercore,” but “black-out closet” is probably more accurate.

Em Bleker: Soft gender neutral.

Miri Tyler: Thrifted sporty punk.

What’s something unexpected that has had a positive impact on your style?
Be: Mustaches. A mustache on a therapist who mostly provides sex therapy is a powerful aesthetic.

Bleker: Coming out. I was never really comfortable in any of the clothes I was choosing to wear before. Now it feels like the way I style myself and the way others see me is a lot closer to who I am.

Tyler: Growing titties (or the changes that come with taking feminizing hormones).

How does your style find its way into your professional work? How do you use your medium to express yourself?
Be: The all-black aesthetic is simple, neutral and easy to style, such that I can transition directly from my therapy office to the stage to a date and still look like I belong there.

Bleker: It’s such a fun medium to play with as an indicator of how I’m feeling on any given day, and I think that can’t help but bleed into performance. I like to mess around with different face paint — for lack of a better word — on days when I need to distract from the anxiety of knowing a crowd of people is seeing my body. Painting a big pink heart on the side of my face is a great conversation starter, but more importantly for me, it makes the first thing people notice physically centered in art or color rather than “body.” For me, that allows for a more genuine performance and more genuine conversations afterward.

Tyler: It’s more like I’ve curated my professional life to make my style fit. I’m stubborn like that; you’ll never catch me wearing what someone else wants me to wear. Everything I do is music related, whether I’m playing or working a show, or teaching a kiddo how to play “Seven Nation Army.” I used to teach at a place that tried to enforce a uniform, so I quit and found a new place to teach.

How do you see your style evolving in the next five to 10 years?
Be: My intention is to continue to simplify and minimize my wardrobe into a capsule (think Steve Jobs 2007, but blacked out, athletic and tapered). I prefer not to have options.

Bleker: I feel like the Riverdale meme saying this, but I love weird clothes. I only hope in the coming years that my clothes get more weird.

Tyler: I’m just gonna keep collecting band merch until I die.

For the latest from Pretty Bitter, follow the band on Instagram @prettybitter.mp3.

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M.K. Koszycki

M.K.'s entire life revolves around music, whether it be scouring Twitter for the band of the moment or catching a live show at one of DC's many venues. When she's not at a gig, find her hanging out with her golden retriever, drinking beer with friends or re-watching Twin Peaks for the hundredth time.