---
name: Yellow Tassles
image: SS4_chicagodetroit_modern_ballroom_Yellow Tassles.png
archetype: Chicago Detroit
swag_score: 4
date_added: "2023-11-28"
---

# Yellow Tassles

## Visual Elements

Dangling tassel in gold; a bigger abstract shape with three dangling smaller shapes.

## Cultural Context

Though it was rooted in Harlem, the ballroom culture expanded to major U.S. cities including Chicago and Detroit, creating vibrant regional scenes. Chicago is often credited as “birthplace of the ball”, with the House of Avant Garde making itself a pioneer. As Detroit emerged as a Black and Latino/a queer space for performance, gender expression, and HIV/AIDS prevention. Both cities share a history of Black and queer resilience, using balls to create safe spaces and challenge societal norms.

<!-- justification
## Justification

Tassel earrings channel ballroom culture's emphasis on dramatic, expressive fashion -- a tradition rooted in the same Chicago and Detroit scenes that birthed house and techno.
-->

---

**Dominant Colors:** Light gold
**Archetype:** Chicago Detroit
**Ancestor:** [Ballroom](../../../core-lore/ancestors/ballroom.md)
**Swag Score:** 4
**Date Added:** 2023-11-28
**Sources:**
- https://www.michiganpublic.org/arts-culture/2013-12-19/exploring-ballroom-culture-in-detroit
- https://archive.org/details/butchqueensupinp0000bail