“Pride Is on Its Way: And Honestly, We’re Already Losing Our Minds about It” by Oliver at Esmale

Pride is creeping back onto the calendar, and here at Esmale, we are, without a hint of shame, completely buzzing about it.

We sell the kind of things that make a good night even better, including, let’s be honest, knowing where to buy poppers that aren’t a dodgy, unlabelled bottle from someone’s bumbag, so it’s fair to say we’re a little biased. But Pride isn’t just good for business, it’s good for the soul, the friendships, the wardrobe, and frankly, the ego. Here’s exactly why this is our favourite time of year, and why the whole office has already started arguing about which parade route to “accidentally” walk past four times.

The Parties Genuinely Don’t Compare to Anything Else

There’s a very specific kind of joy that only exists on a Pride dancefloor. Strangers become best friends within four bars of a chorus, someone’s glitter ends up on your face, and you have no memory of how, and the bloke next to you in nothing but a harness and the most confident smile you’ve ever seen feels completely normal. That’s the magic of it. For one glorious month, queer joy isn’t tucked away; it’s the whole point of the party, and everyone’s invited to lean into it. If poppers are part of your usual Pride kit, it’s worth two minutes brushing up on how to use poppers properly before the night gets going; a bit of know-how now means more dancing and less faffing about later.

It’s the Perfect Excuse to Actually Try Something New

Pride has a brilliant way of making people feel braver. Maybe it’s the collective confidence of thousands of queer people taking up space at once, but every June, we see a noticeable spike in people finally deciding to explore a side of themselves they’ve been curious about for ages. If that’s you, we’d gently point you toward our guide on anal toys for beginners, because “curious” doesn’t have to mean “clueless,” and starting small with the right toy makes all the difference between a great first experience and a frustrating one. No pressure, no judgement, just good advice from people who genuinely love talking about this stuff (sometimes a bit too much, according to our partners).

And while we’re (obviously) going to say it, we do think we’re the best place to buy gay sex toys in the UK, not because we say so loudest, but because we’ve spent years building a range specifically for men, with real advice attached rather than just a product photo and a prayer. Pride is the perfect nudge to finally order that thing you’ve had sitting in your basket since March.

Sorting Your Kit Before the Big Day

Pride mornings have a habit of vanishing into last-minute panic, forgotten flags, an unfinished outfit, glitter ending up everywhere except where it’s supposed to. Take one thing off that list early: you can buy poppers online from our sister store Poppers Super Shop, so it’s all sitting waiting before the first float even passes, rather than relying on a dash to wherever’s still open on the morning.

The Floats, the Charities, and the Bit That Actually Matters

Underneath all the sequins and shirtless dancing (no complaints here), Pride is still fundamentally a protest with a party attached, and we never forget that. Every year, we put effort behind communities doing the unglamorous work the rest of the year, because the parade only happens because people fought, loudly and repeatedly, for the right to have it. We’ll be cheering from the crowd, but we’re proud to be part of what keeps the wider community supported too.

Aftercare Isn’t Just for the Bedroom

By the time the last float passes, and the music finally stops (somewhere around 2 am, if history repeats itself), your feet will hurt, your voice will be gone, and you’ll have at least one new friend whose surname you never caught. That’s a good Pride. Drink water, look after your mates, and don’t be too proud to admit you peaked at 6 pm and went home early; there’s no shame in a good night ending on a high.

From all of us at Esmale: have an absolutely brilliant Pride. Be loud, be safe, be a bit ridiculous if the mood takes you, and we’ll see you on the dancefloor.

With love, Oliver.