When I Need A Pick Me Up, by my friend Ryan King

Saturday, July 28, 2007

And Did I Mention...?

That the laundry room is in this building, and the building has an elevator? I'm using it for the first time today. Yes, I've not washed my clothes for three weeks. Yes, I have that many clothes. No, they aren't all expensive.

Another check in my heterosexual column is that I have no fashion sense. I do know when colors look good together, and this comes from being raised on comicbooks and developing into an artist as a result. Thus I also tend to wear bright colors. But the only jeans I own are shorts, and they are about 5 years old, and I bought them in a thrift store. I have 4 pair of shoes and 2 pair of sneakers.

I noticed this last night as I observed the twenty-somethings riding on their ways to and fro with their dates. I observed that jeans are still highly in fashion, on both black and white guys alike. I also noticed that mens' shoes have evolved into clodhoppers with big square fronts (blech). And I saw that neutral-colored shirts, with maybe a black t-shirt underneath, passes for hip. Hip-casual I suppose. Whatever. I'm paying attention because when I'm ready to go On The Market, I'll need to look like I've got some sense.

I saw all these hipsters last night because I went out. Actually. I went to St. Mark's Place with a karaoke bar in mind. It was a place I went to once in my former New Yorker's Identity and had another group of D&D gamers. They liked drinking and it was a long-time-no-see outing, so karaoke was on the menu. We had a booth, but the outside bar area also served as a general lounge for strangers to sing to the room, or for dates to either impress one another or doom any hopes of gettin' some in a public arena.

Last night, I headed to the karaoke lounge area. I wanted to be a fly on the wall and observe. And maybe even get a Bubble Tea and sing with the crowd.

This is the new improved me! I'm coming out of my cocoon!

But not last night. I got to the steps of the place and chickened out. I was THAT close. But this was my 2nd exploration of the place since I'm moved into town. I'll go back again, I'm sure. And maybe this time I'll go in. But last night, I did manage to find "St. Mark's Comics," which has been a staple of that neighborhood for as long as I've been reading comics. So I was much more happier getting my geek on than getting my lounge lizard on.

But next time, I'm sure I'm going in. I'm not guaranteeing that I'll sing, but I want to watch. And I'll wear much nicer clothes then. And comb my hair. And maybe even have a date.

lol

4 comments:

GrizzBabe said...

When you're ready to be on the market and you're looking to give the impression that you are not completely ignorant about fashion (even though you may be), please remember this one simple rule: DO NOT, under any circumstances, wear white socks unless you are engaging in some sort of athletic activity. And definitely do not wear them if you're wearing dark colored pants. I've seen this male fashion faux pas committed more times than I care to think about.

Me said...

lol! Yes, I do know that much. Even when I engage in athleticism, I like black socks. (I'm wearing them now. And nothing else. LOL!)

Eliel said...

You know, GrizzBabe.
I am pretty sure that the war is over and Geek Chic has won.

Alan, wear some white socks with your jeans and black shoes, embrace the inner geek in you.

If they try to make you rehab your style, you know what to tell'em....

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Alan. You're allowed to be both a geek and a lounge lizard--s'ok for the different aspects to take turns in the forefront.

K2