FASHION

Is Casual too Casual?

All around me, people are having sex: It can be great and not so great. Sex with an ex or Rex, a complete stranger, can be good and plenty. If “sexaholics” are the new “shopaholics,” then casual sex is the new black. Is casual sex something to try on or should it be left hanging in the sale section?

Some people cannot live without sex. Some need to take their potential trysts from point A to the park bench. However, who should suffer at the handcuffed hands of these shameless sex addicts? Which leads to my ultimate question: in the age of un-innocence, should we buy into things that we can’t return?

However, something should be said about the number of people hooking up at an alarming rate. With the age range being from grade school to the retirement home. It effects us more than you think. The guy I dated told me about a past sexual encounter, starring the surprising tight grandma. I gagged–literally.

“She was recently divorced, and my friend’s grandma was always nice to me,” he said. “So, I said fuck it lets do it. Shit, it was the best ass i ever had.”

I can’t. Could you imagine? That sounds like a gift that repeats. I wonder why he is now dating men. I guess I have to compete with grandma for the best ass in the city.

However, the lure of a casual encounter can be so enticing that all logic is thrown out of your bedroom window. Within a snap I could be on app. Usually that time would have been best spent taking a nap. A warm body next to mine is preferred after midnight. Why the sudden craving? It’s certainly better than Warm Bodies, that tragic movie about a Vampire and a human falling in love. Don’t get me started. The premise alone makes me want to grab an apple martini and run for the hills.

Casual sex is like a cheap champagne. A mixture of manufactured emotions and bottled up urges popped and released after shaking it too much. The next morning you wonder who’s in your bed and more importantly when are they leaving. So, you quickly tell them that you have to go to work and that he needs to go; or in the words of Sweet Brown, he needs to run for his life without no shoes on or nothing Jesus.

Thoughts turn to a situation I had when I asked a guy to leave; he had the nerve to ask me for money for his metro card. Oh no he didn’t. I knew I should have invested my time in a better bottle of champagne. In therapy, they would have called this a break-through.

When the time arrives, have a couple try-on sessions, get a second opinion, and make sure they have a generous return policy. No one wants buyer’s remorse.

The Way We Wore

by Walter Reed

Over the past few weeks, Manhattan has been overwhelmed with gay bashings, culminating to murder near the Grey’s Papaya on West 8th street and Sixth Ave in the West Village. It’s shocking to hear that these hate crimes are being committed in our gayest neighborhoods. These casual criminals were as bad as the knock-offs on Canal street, getting caught within minutes of committing their crimes. In a status quo that set us back two decades, will it be safe for gays to don there most daring fashion choices?

Marc Carson, who was murdered in the West Village, was identified as being gay because he wore shorts and boots. He was targeted based on what he wore. This news was disturbing, since I liked to strut in the shortest shorts of the season. Such violence was expected in the Himalayas of Brooklyn. There are parts of Brooklyn like East New York or Flatbush where one wouldn’t dare wear pom pom shorts past happy hour for fear of being attacked. Yet this was happening in the movie making, celebrity filled Manhattan. Why the sudden change in a post Sandy world?

Religion and fashion went together like strangers giving out candy. I came to the city that never sleeps to practice my fashion choices in peace. What we wore, shaped and defined our lives. It was as essential as breakfast in the morning. I had no intentions to revert back to the political stylings of the nation’s conservatively dressed Capitol–where I was born and raised. A gay man’s right to shoes should be protected as well as skirts, kilts, and dresses–oh my!

It’s neither always sunny on Independence Day nor is it always snowing on Christmas. However, that didn’t deter me from wanting to see the fireworks while remaining completely dry. It also did not keep me from wishing for a White Christmas ever winter. We don’t live in a perfect world. The shenanigans of these shady thugs can’t force us back into the closet. Besides our wardrobes didn’t fit in the narrow cages that imprisoned their minds.

Is there is a way for us all to co-exist in an environment as diverse as the concrete jungle? There is no such thing as a life without conflict. However, we do have our gay-borhoods. So if one isn’t pro gay then stay out our neighborhoods and take that homophobia elsewhere. We have to try as people to be better than we were the day before. I embraced my freedom to wear black as often as possible. Skirts and dresses were my preference to layer over leather pants and skinny jeans, not my sexual orientation. I have the right to define my humanity, through the way I choose to dress in any city, borough or district.

My interview with Modern Bear’s Travis & Chris- WOOF!

by Ryan Shea

I have been a fan of the Modern Bear guys for quite sometime, when I stumbled upon their website through a photo my friend shared not of a hot bear, but of a particular “modern” design photo that I had a similar interest to. My thought process here was, “Finally! A bear page not 100 percent devoted to shirtless men. There is thought behind this!” And that is what the Modern Bear message is truly about. They equate it to the following- Modern Design + Bears + Retro + Beefcake= THE MODERN BEAR! Travis Smith and Chris Bale, who are based out of Palm Springs, California, visited the Urban Bear festival a couple of weeks back and I got the opportunity to talk with them about a variety of things they have going on currently. Something I definitely wanted to mention was their fantastic new book called “Guide For The Modern Bear”, where they visited a variety of cities and found where is the best places to eat, shop and bar hop for the everyday MB (Modern Bear). Take a look.

So Travis, how did this whole “Modern Bear” thing start for you guys?

It’s a combination of starting it three years ago, so that was a really good time to be starting a good commercial Facebook page anyway. It was an experiment for us, a petri dish if you will, to see if anybody was interested in a “Modern Bear” concept and our formula of modern design plus bears plus retro plus beefcake. Those are the things we like. It was a free way to put it out there, and see if there was any interest in that concept and then determine if we should go further with it and produce a book and all the other things we ended up producing. There wasn’t an immediate response to it, but I would say in the last six months we added 5,000 people. It took us the past three years to get to 25,000 fans overall.

What is that increase in fans attributed to?

I think the bear thing is going mainstream, we are kind of last to become part of this trend thing. I think you will be seeing a lot more bears popping up in movies and television. Like Anne Hathaway’s best friend role in her next movie will go to a bear. It’s starting to happen. That’s one of our goals is to get a TV deal, but doing the book first is the perfect baby step for us because by processing and writing the book it also helped formulate what Modern Bear was going to be as a commercial entity.

Tell me about the book you just released.

What we love about the book and how it turned out is how accessible it is. A lot of straight people buy our book. Wives and girlfriends approach us and say “What is my boyfriend? Is he an otter? A wolf? WHAT IS HE!” It’s hysterical. It’s really funny when the book is at shelves, children gravitate toward it because it’s really cute looking of course. The shop owner usually has to explain to parents what it really is about, and sometimes they even buy it.

Chris, tell me more.

Well, the book is a hybrid. It’s a guide to all the different characters in the bear world. You got your straight up bears, you got your muscle bears, cubs, wolf like me. We are going to do this book every year and update it like so. Each of these characters right now lives in a different city and talk about the bear bars, a few places to eat both fancy and low brow, you know for the bears who want their diner food. The Modern part is mid-century modern furnishing and the stores in each place. So you got Miami, Los Angeles, New York and Barcelona and London to name a few. In the future we are going to have Vancouver and Phoenix which is actually where this whole thing started.

As an avid New Yorker would you say it is the best place to eat from your research?

Well, we did ELMO which is the best Mac N Cheese in town. Let me refer to the book actually! The Breslin is really good. That is this amazing restaurant in the ACE hotel. The Shake Shack is amazing, and Westville is my favorite place for Breakfast. We had a super cute experience at Kitchen last night. We had comfort food like Fondue which was yummy.

What are you ultimately hopeful for?

Well, we’ve always joked about being Beartha Stewart. We are two bears, a bear and a wolf, that are into design and into hot men and bringing those two worlds together in any which way we can.

On top of being incredibly friendly and sexy guys, they are also very down to earth and have a great message to share not only to the bear community but straight women and beyond. For more information on The Modern Bear guys and their story, check out their Facebook, Twitter and to shop for the book and anything else log on to their main site here.

Glam on the Go NY; My Interview

by Ryan Shea

This week I had the pleasure of talking to an amazing business owner and glamour specialist, Miriam. Miriam is an owner of a beauty on the go service, Glam on the Go NY. Glam on the Go NY is a mobile beauty provider who will make a house call for your hair, make up, on even a little Botox. Miriam is a registered nurse and started the company a year ago. Over the past year the company has expanded and now provides almost any beauty service you can dream up. You can check the website out at http://www.glamonthegony.com/.

Glam on the Go provides services to men and women of all ages and backgrounds. This service is especially helpful for those single working moms who barely have a minute to get to a salon.

When did you start glam on the go?

Glam on the Go NY was started a year ago.

What services do you provide?

GOGNY provides any and all beauty services and treatments including, but not limited to: Botox and fillers, makeup application, hair extensions, eyelash extensions, permanent makeup, all facials, massage, velashape, personal training, spray tan, manicures, pedicures, fat burning aides, laser hair removal, beauty products, etc.

What is the best part of having a business like this, a mobile beauty company?

The best part of having this business is being able to bring these services at clients’ convenience and location. I love meeting new and interesting people and I love that any beauty service or treatment can be serviced by one company.

What is your background in this industry?

I am a registered nurse, certified in Botox and fillers. I have worked with several plastic surgeons in the NY area. I have a love and passion for helping women in particular improve their self esteem.

What kind of clients have you done work with?

I have worked with all kinds of clients, all ages, both men and women, all professions, from housewives to lawyers to car salesmen to Ford models.

What is your favorite service that the company provides?

My favorite service is the Botox and fillers.

What are your goals for Glam on the Go?

My goals for GOGNY is to franchise and have GOG in different states. I would also like to have a mobile bus to provide all services literally on the go.

What are some of the beauty trends for this Summer season?

Beauty trends for the summer season include rejuvenation, fresh glowing skin, sexy effortless chic!

Charity, Music, and Prom; My interview with Brittany Smooch

by Ryan Shea

Brittany Smooch is a young, up and coming teen pop star and Hip Hop artist. Brittany’s music is fun and catchy and her personality is similar. I had the pleasure of speaking to Brittany yesterday about her music and charity work she has participated in. On the phone, Brittany seems sweet and determined. She knows what her goals are and she is pursuing them with great success. Brittany recently did work with the WGirls for their charity Project G.L.A.M, which gives prom dresses and accessories to girls who can not afford them. You can check it out at http://www.wgirls.org/get-involved/project-glam/

As soon as Brittany answered I knew she was going to be fun to interview.

When did you get into hip-hop?

I have always been into hip-hop music. But when I started writing my own songs it just came out that way. It just sounded like a rap.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in music?

I have been involved in music my whole life! At 5 years old I was taking singing lessons and by 7 I was writing my own music. I have always known that this is what I wanted to do.

Who is your favorite rapper?

Oh my God! I have so many favorites. But I guess if I had to pick it would be T.I. He is amazing!

You have a unique Urban style, where do you love to shop?

I love Patricia Field. They have a store in the City and the clothes are so crazy and cool. I really like anything that has a unique feel. I also really like Betsey Johnson.

How did you become involved with the WGirls and Project G.L.A.M?

I have always been involved with charity work. I really enjoy it. I was working with the NY city charity NY Cares and when the chance to do Project G.L.A.M came along I took it. Its really an awesome charity and I love being able to help young girls.

This charity is so amazing, and it must have been cool to see the girls faces as they got their dresses, how was that?

Seeing their faces was priceless. Watching the girls try on dresses and find ones they loved was really exciting.

What did you wear to your prom?

Well, I’ve actually been to a few proms. But my favorite dress was one I wore to a Long Island prom. It was really girly and looked like a Princess dress. It was pink and lacey. Usually I don’t like really girly clothes but this dress was beautiful and really made me feel like a princess.

Do you have any advice for prom goers this year?

“Don’t fall into peer pressure.” Have fun and enjoy this time in your life but don’t think you have to do something you don’t want to. That is really important to me.

What do you have coming up?

Well, I just released my EP and now I am working on my new album. I just finished up my High School concert tour and am getting ready for my next performance. I am performing at Six Flags Boston on June 29th.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Well of course, T.I. since he’s my favorite rapper, but I also think it would be really cool to work with powerful women in music. I’d love to do something with Nicki Minaj, Fergie, or Britney Spears.

What is one lyric to describe your life right now?

It would definitely have to be the chorus of my song, “Super Turned Up.” Because that’s how everything in my life is right now, “Super Turned Up.”

You can check out Brittany Smooch on her website http://www.brittanysmooch.com/

You can also check out her interview in Vibe magazine.

http://www.vibe.com/article/new-music-brittany-smooch-booty-bounce-gal-behind-booty

Menswear on a budget: Summer 2013 Fashion Trends

by Ryan Shea

As someone who puts an importance on wearing things that are fashionable yet affordable, I find Summer to be that one season where you can get the best of both worlds and so much more. Colors are vibrant, skin in showing, and the options are limitless when wanting to show off what you are wearing in this fabulous beach weather. So where can you go to find the best trends at a great price? Check out some of these awesome stores (both national and local) and see for yourself!

If you want good pricing and fantastic outfits, you really can look no further than Old Navy. They are famous for doing both things and it isone of the reasons why they are one of the more successful clothing brands in the United States. Pairing off something as simple as a pair of board shorts, a classic tee and a lightweight jersey zip will only cost around $50 dollars. They tailor each season by what is on trend nationally and use that to keep themselves a cut above the rest. Check out oldnavy.com to see for yourself!

Urban Outfitters is trendier in certain areas of the country, most notably from what I have seen in New york City. They tend to have ahipster flair yet overall their outfits can translate very well with whatever you have going on. They have a great line of t shirts that add a lot of humor into them (like the one seen here) all for $15 dollars. On top of the t shirts they also have a great variety of henleys, polos and collared shirts to keep you on trend all summer long. Check out their website for more info!

Nasty Pig in my opinion is one of the most innovative clothing brands out there today. I did an article about them a couple of months ago talking about the brand and where they see themselves headed for the 2013 calendar year. And boy have they done a lot. Located in the heart of Chelsea, the store provides a bunch of great clothing options at really affordable prices. A lot of their most trendy items happen to be on sale right now, including this great skull tee pictured to your left. If you want to go outside the grain of stores like Old Navy and Gap for instance, this is the place to go. Go check out these sale items and so much more and don’t forget to visit Nasty Pig at 265 West 19th Street between 7tn and 8th avenue.

Take “Glam On The Go NY” home and immerse yourself in the results

by Ryan Shea

Women (and men to a certain degree) are all looking for the next big thing when it comes to beauty treatments, especially when it comes to their facial area. We all want to stay fresh, young and looking good in all areas of life, and with the summer season approaching it becomes more prevalent than ever to keep that philosophy and relish in the products that will keep you that way all year long.

Well look no further than “Glam on the Go NY”. The whole concept with Glam on the Go is essentially “bringing convenience and beauty to the door”. This isn’t just one area of expertise that this business does, they run a wide gamut of services that tailor the need of each and every client. Their main focus is Botox and fillers, and is gaining popularity in a bunch of salons that they work exclusively with. You can go beyond the Botox treatments though for so much more. Want a masseuse? Done. Hair extensions for that party you are going to tonight? Not a problem. Getting that Mani/Pedi done for a day out with the girls? Taken care of.

Here is their full list of amazing treatments you can get done-

Botox
Fillers – Juvederm, Restylane or Perlane
Vela Shape
Massages
One on One Full Body Yoga Stretch Thai Yoga
Permanent Make-up
Eyelash Extensions
Hair-cuts
Makeovers
Make-up
Beauty/Facial Products & Treatments
Fat burning supplements / weight loss
Custom clip-in Hair Extensions
Laser hair removal
Body contouring wraps
Facials
Microdermabrasion
Endermologie

Glam On The Go prides itself on professionalism, customer service and above all privacy for the client. They are available for salon visits but to book events and parties as well. If you want that one stop shop for your everyday beauty needs, this is the place to be. So if you plan on having a glamorous events and need some freshening up, or if that event you are planning can be beauty related, book them. You will not be let down and will come out of it feeling fresh and invigorated. Check out the website GlamonthegoNY.com for more information on how you can use this fantastic company.

Esquire’s Music & Fashion issue with Ne-Yo & Wiz Khalifa

by Ryan Shea

Hip-Hop & R&B Superstars Wiz Khalifa and Ne-Yo have surely made names for themselves over the past couple of years and cemented themselves firmly into that music industry. Wiz is riding high with the birth of his son Sebastian with girlfriend & model Amber Rose. Ne-Yo has a ton of projects in the works, one notably rumored joining the next season of X-Factor set to take place in September. Both of them are featured in the upcoming fashion & music issue of Esquire magazine, on stands April 23rd. Here are some of the topics that eac of them talked about-

Wiz Khalifa on his big moment: “Performing with Snoop at Coachella [in 2012] was crazy. I grew up listening to Snoop and idolizing him. But not only did he bring me out that night, he brought out Dr. Dre and freakin’ hologram Tupac. To be in that sentence is pretty amazing. Pinch yourself? I had to slap myself.”

Wiz Khalifa on getting his: “I like learning new things. Right now, I’m learning to sue people and get my money. After talking to people who work for Donald Trump – smart, successful people – I’ve realized I gotta go after all that. That’s what I’m going to do that I didn’t last year.”

Ne-Yo on his dancing: “I’m not a natural. I had to teach myself – or be taught – everything I do. I just spent hours and hours in the mirror mimicking Michael Jackson.”

Ne-Yo on Sammy Davis, Jr.: “I grew up in Las Vegas. My mom worked in pretty much every casino on the Strip. She brought home the Rat Pack stuff. Sammy was the only one that looked like me, so I naturally gravitated to him. Sammy made it cool to be black at a time when, let’s just say it, it wasn’t very cool to be black. His name was on the front of the building in lights, and he had to go in the back. But you never saw him sweat.”

Want to read more about their stories? Click on each link below to find out more.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/wiz-khalifa-0513?click=mid

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/ne-yo-0513?click=mid

The 2013 MTV Movie Awards Red Carpet

by Ryan Shea

The 2013 MTV Movie Awards were last night at the fashion never fails to intrigue me. The MTV Movie Awards bring out all walks of the celebrity life. From movie stars to musicians to your favorite reality stars. There were a few great ensembles on the red carpet last night and, true to Movie Awards tradition, there were some outlandish fashion train wrecks!

Actress Crystal Reed looked classy and trendy in her coral and nude lace overlay dress. The bottom was pumped up with a tulle and looked like a beautiful tutu. And the nude pumps made her legs looking miles long!

Bridesmaids’ Melissa McCarthy rocked all black with gold accessories. I think the was a great pick for Melissa the funny girl looks slim and glowing!

Model Karlie Kloss’ all white skirt and crop top was sexy! The shoes were by far my favorite part of the outfit! I am obsessed with ankle straps right now! So chic.

My best dressed male goes to my secret crush … The legendary Taylor Hanson! He is so handsome and well dressed. This MMMbop boy surely grew into one handsome man.

And now for the worst of the worst … drum roll please !

Ke$ha…

What is this chick thinking? I think she is so talented and beautiful and yet she insists on looking like a hobo.

You would never believe this girl had hit songs almost every other month. Apparently hippies have gone goth, which is not a good look! I don’t know what the worst part of this look is … the hat … no the fringe vest … nope definitely the pants … This outfit is just all wrong!

This next one is really hard for me to do … I am absolutely head over heels with musician Macklemore. I think his style and look are perfection, most of the time. I love his swag and his ginger features! But his outfit last night was really disappointing. The royal blue did look cool but the cape was such a let down. I would have rathered a big fur jacket and a onesie.

Don’t worry though I still love you!

There’s always one who has to be a statement maker, and expecting it to be Lady Gaga again, I was surprised to see a burnt cigarette butt hat on Pitch Perfect’s Hana Mae Lee. Lee was one of my favorite characters in Pitch Perfect and her one liners were the most laughable moments in the movie. My favorite line “I ate my twin in the womb.” Befitting to her character’s, shall we say, uniqueness, Mae Lee rocks a interesting hat at the Movie Awards.

Last night’s MTV Movie Award fashion definitely had some note worthy looks. But the overall trend for the awards had to be the pointy toe pump. I have to say I was a little worried about this trend coming back but the new style of pointed toe pumps has a shorter point and is something I am actually excited to try out.

Kim Kardashian really was the first celebrity to rock this look when she stepped out in her neon green Loubitan’s. Last night she showed off her baby bump in a sleek black dress and black satin pointed toe stiletto’s.

Carrie actress Chloe Moretz kept it casual in a denim romper by Louis Vuitton and stunning t-strap pointed toe pumps. The shoes were the focal point in this outfit, beautiful!

Kim K in training younger sister Kylie Jenner looked fabulous in her nude pencil skirt and white crop top. The nude pointed toe heels were to die for! I am absolutely passionate about these pumps. I must go buy a pair now!!

I have to say, I am totally into trying out this re imagined trend. The only issue I have is after I take my shoes off at the end of the night they usually get thrown in a pile of my collection of shoes and then they get all smushed. After they are flattened enough you can never get your toe in right and if someone steps on it, forget it, a little heel dent can ruin a pair of pointed toe heels. Luckily in my never ending online shopping habit, I found the answer! http://www.tiptopshoesaver.com/ sells all different tools to keep your hoes in new condition. Their product, conveniently titled, The Tip Toe Shoe Saver, is a triangular piece that you insert into the toe area of a pointed toe shoe to keep the shape. I ordered a pair and can’t wait to use them in my new heels.

So all in all, I think the fashion at the MTV Movie Awards last night was interesting, but slightly disappointing. The one’s that got it right last night definitely brought in the Spring 2013 trends. White was big and nudes, as well. For accessories, I was happy to see the ankle stap and pointed toe heels were back and modern.

*Just on a side-note, I’d like to send my prayers out to the families involved in the tragic terrorist bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon today. This is a sad and frightening event and if there is anyway I can help I will and hope my fellow Americans will do the same.

My exclusive with Kristin Cavallari- Jewelry, shoes and more

by Ryan Shea

Boy has Kristin Cavallari come a long way in her short 26 years of life. From her humble beginnings as the star of the first two seasons of “Laguna Beach” and subsequently “The Hills”, she has truly defied herself as more than a former reality star. Now after becoming a mommy to her beautiful son Camden with Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, she is set to make a huge splash in the fashion world, more notably jewelry and shoes. She recently launched a jewelry line with famed designed Pascal Mouawad and on top of that has created a really unique shoe line for Chinese Laundry. What a difference a couple of years make right? I sat down with her recently to get a more inside view of both her lines and the future that she has with them. Check it out.

What inspired the shoes you designed?

I wanted to create a shoe line that I loved and wanted to wear but at affordable prices.

What trend this summer?

Pastels are a huge trend and I have a mint and lavender that I love. Also, white is really big right now and I included white on 2 different wedges that I have.

What are your favorite items and which ones will you anticipate people wearing of your collection?

I honestly love them all but if I had to pick one favorite, it would be the bootie. It’s the perfect bootie to wear year round. Another favorite is the strappy sandal. It’s such a classic shoe and comes in 3 different, fun colors.

How was working with Pascal Mouawad creator of Glamhouse?

It was an amazing experience. They really listened to me and were open to my ideas.

How does your jewelry line relate to the fashionistas on a budget?

Everything is under $50 and it’s perfect to mix and match with the jewelry already in your own collection.

Which heels that you currently launched and accessories from your jewelry line would you pair with what kind of spring/summer outfit?

The great thing about my jewelry is that it can be worn with any outfit. They are very simple, effortless pieces. The wedges are a great spring/summer shoe to wear from day to night and you could just throw on a few more pieces of jewelry to take you into the night. I think wedges look great with a dress and blazer for the day then take the blazer off for the night 🙂

What future projects would you like to work on down the road?

I’m currently working on my fall shoe collection. I want to keep expanding my brand but only doing things I love and that are organic to my life. I would love to do something in the mommy/baby world. I just don’t know what yet.

Do you see yourself launching another jewelry line with Pascal in the future?

I would love to!

Awesome girl and a smart businesswoman indeed. Want to know where you can get these great fashion items at a great price? Go to Glamboutique for her jewelry line and Chinese Laundry for her shoe line. Can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! Congrats to Kristin and all her future endeavors!

FASHION

Footer