POSTED: Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 7:00 PM
When we saw
Julio B. (47) in the Gayborhood we weren't attracted by his outfit as much as his adorning
treasure chest of ornaments. We were nearly blinded when the flash from our camera hit his
belt buckle, which was a gift from his brother in Reading, PA. The
jewels, however, were only a fraction of what fascinated us about him. We learned that he is an
ex-con gay Muslim working as a photographer and volunteer for Ex-Offenders, a youth program that keeps kids out of jail. We believe these attributes make Julio a gem through and through. Bling, bling!
Me-ow! When
Kat M. (23) wakes up in the morning she asks herself one question: "
What do I want to look like today?" She was on her way to a business meeting so the answer was, "I want to be me, but presentable." If this is her formal attire, we're curious to see what a more casual day looks like. We see possible hints in her bright pink lipstick, her androgynous cut by
American Mortals and the ghetto blaster neck dangler.
Mike S. (27) is so adorable that we want to put him in our pockets and save him for later — and
we're not sharing! Even though it was clear that he was rushing back from his lunch break, we had to stop this vibrant ball of energy for a quick chat about his style. This
Buffalo Exchange store manager cites his friends as well as
street and
punk culture as influences. However, getting the pick of the litter at the
Urban Outfitters of local thrift stores probably plays a part in it too. We heart that his cuteness is edged up with the gauges and a
body full of tattoos. We like the creative way he dealt with the scar tissue on his elbow by making a blank space heart.
It was clear that
Tiarra L. (23) knows what she's doing, so we asked this
Zara employee to school us with some fashion advice. The most valuable tip is not to wear a baggy top with baggy bottoms; it should always be balanced by something form fitting. But what about doing tight stuff? "
I'm good with tight all over." Though this may sound like a safe bet, Tiarra shows her bravery by playing with different patterns in her
animal print scarf and
geometric pants ,and proportion by decorating her little bitty head with those
gargantuan red leather earrings.
