The Inside Job with Nick Verreos

Recently I was approached to write a fashion and style column for "Frontiers" magazine. This is my first article that was published in the June 20th "Pride" issue. Unfortunately, it isn't available on their website online, so I thought I would share it here. Hope you enjoy it!

After taking a look at some photos of the fabulously dressed guests arriving to the recent Metropolitan Museum of Art’s party for “Anglo Mania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion”, an obvious trend emerged: Gay Designers as the new Accessory. They are the new Hermes Jane Birkin bag. John Galliano, the designer for Dior, looking like a drunken tranny from the island of Cyprus, with Charlize Theron; Alexander MacQueen dressed as a Scottish Highlander with his arm-candy, the fabulous Sarah Jessica Parker; Michael Kors (wearing aviator sunglasses at night!) with the beautiful Angie Harmon. The designers, of course, are trying to suggest to us that these actresses are “clients” and/or friends. Please! It does not hurt that they might be the face (as in Charlize Theron’s case) of the company’s perfume ad campaign. The best however was Donatella Versace. Leave it to her to take this trend to a whole new level. She arrived with Rupert Everett, the “out” gay actor. Donatella trumped them all! She gets instant “Atta girl!” points in my book. I quickly pondered the idea, “I need to be some actress’ Rent-A-Date.” It would make my entire life come full circle. Back in high school I was the quintessential Rent-A-Date for the local all-girls Catholic School where I lived. Now all I need is the perfect outfit and a multi-million dollar cosmetic contract to lure in the ideal A-list actress. I would probably wear a tuxedo jacket, a vest, a slim tie and a pair of those new skinny jeans.

The skinny on the jeans: On the subject of skinny jeans, I recently decided to take the leap of transitioning from wearing my boot-cut True Religion and Rock and Republic jeans to skinny ones. I began paying attention to these jeans as I noticed them on the “Rock En Espanol” and “Faux Goth” kids on the streets of Mexico City. Then, more recently, I saw more of these styles on the young Latino kids walking around my hood in Echo Park and Silverlake. I consequently thought that they were cute, sexy, and a great alternative to a sea of boot-cut/flared jeans. Soon enough, skinny jeans would become the latest must-have for the stylish young woman (and now man). I just got back from New York City and EVERY girl had on a pair. It seemed as if any girl worth their “fashion salt” in NY received the following e-mail memo: Put Those Boot-Cut, Low-Slung Jeans AWAY and Get Thee a Pair of Skinny Ones ASAP! I decided to experiment. I bought a pair at H&M, where you can pick up a pair of jeans for under 50 bucks. H&M is the perfect place to test out those questionable trends without breaking the bank. On the pricier side, True Religion also makes a great style for men.
Do-it-yourself skinnies: Another option, if you are not ready to put down $200+ for an item that might be “done” when Fall rolls around, is the following (Warning: Sewing/Fashion Industry terms on the horizon!): Take a pair of jeans that you stopped wearing because you bought a newer pair and turn them inside out, pin the excess at the inseam (inner leg) and in the crotch (just grab that extra fabric!) and turn on your sewing machine. Yes, this requires some sewing. Sew the pinned area and Voila: “Breakfast is served” (stealing a line from Sixteen Candles), you have skinny jeans. If you are not the sewing type, then you can go to your local Tailor or Dry Cleaner and have someone else alter your jeans for you at a price much lower than purchasing a new pair of Chip And Pepper. As Tim Gunn would say: Make It Work.