25 Black TV icons whose fashion game was always on point
By Sundi Rose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8pGB4eE1RQ
Lafayette Reynolds –True Blood
What we know: As one of the only LGBTQ+ people in a tiny Louisiana town, Lafayette had to put up against a lot of ignorance and small-mindedness. Not only did he give those dummies a giant middle finger, he evolved into one of the most badass monster fighter in town.
He and resident vampire-lover Sookie became really close, and this means he had to equip himself with all the necessary skills it takes to fend off werewolves, fairies, angry, ancient gods, and the ubiquitous vampires.
What we saw: Fearless self-expression. Lafayette is a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover (if you’ll pardon the cliché). In some ways, he is about as Southern “good ol’boy” as you can get. Between the accent, those biceps, and his talent with a firearm, he’s Louisiana through and through. But if you look a little closer, you’ll see a little eyeliner, a touch of gloss, and always (always) an insanely chic pair of sunglasses — often bedazzled with crystals.
It was nothing to see Lafayette staring down a supernatural creature, backing then all the way down, wearing a pair of mink eyelashes and a stack of bangles. Of all the characters on this list, Lafayette was his most authentic self, if you really wanna know what I think. He wasn’t afraid to deal in contradictions, and his character carved out a conversation about gender fluidity that America just wasn’t having at that time.
How to take it all in: Since True Blood was an HBO original, you can only get the episodes there, unless you have the Hulu add-on. If you haven’t seen this series, do what you need to do to get your eyeballs on it. Nelan Ellis is one of the truest delights of my life.