Hannah Trott is the operations manager of the Provincetown Independent. “My theme is ‘jellyfish witch,’ ” says Trott of her Net Gala ensemble. “I repurposed things from the Christmas Tree Shop, some Christmas ornaments, and random things from my sibling’s drag closet. I feel relaxed. It’s a low-key look.”Zee Machine was the opening performer at this year’s Washashore Festival. “This caftan is from a brand called Royal Rubbish,” says Zee, who flew in from California the day before performing. “I set up a bunch of rehearsals, and when I eventually wore this to one, it was like it opened everything up.” This is Zee’s second festival. “I can’t tell whether to be honored that I’m the opening set or whether they just want to get me out of the way. The plus side is I get to just watch the rest of the show.”Seraphim Sea lives in Provincetown. “I thrifted this dress and put on fishnets and turned it into a look,” says Sea.“I thought I was going into Marine Specialties to buy a pirate hat, and I came out wearing this squid,” says Stephen White, who’s been calling himself “Cardinal Squiddlo.” White is a tech support volunteer at this year’s festival and has lived in town on and off since 1984. He spends the rest of his time in Dorchester, where he does climate action work for the Commonwealth. “This jacket has a P’town provenance,” he says. A friend of his who died of AIDS made it and wore it in Provincetown in the 1980s. “The boots were $12 and came from the Methodist Church. They were a gift from my best friend.”“I just rolled out of bed. Actually, a few beds,” says Jeff Schaffer, who won this year’s Bearded Mistress Pageant with the talent of folding fitted sheets. “For the Net Gala, I thought of the oyster because of its lumpy, flowing shape, and I added yellow and blue for the ocean.” Schaffer is a Sexual Health Program manager at Outer Cape Health Services and says that events like this weren’t an option when he was young. “I grew up watching The Little Mermaid, and that inspired the white facial hair. I thought I’d make it a little gay by just doing the mustache.”“The outfit’s pieced together,” says Christeene, the night’s closing act. “Who made this?” she asks herself, checking the label. “Edwin D’Angelo.” She looks up. “I found it on a rack at the thrift store and I thought, ‘This person really threw in the towel.’ ” Christeene hails from Brooklyn by way of Louisiana. “P’town’s where I go to get out and get my head together.”
