I am Testing

Reg: Hello, I’m Reg.

Tiff: And I’m Tiff.

Reg and Tiff: And we’re The Fashion Geeks…

Reg: …trying to make New York…

Tiff: …and the world. 

Reg: Well, New York is the world. 

Tiff: A little flyer one outfit…

Reg: …and a podcast.

Tiff: …at a time.

Reg: Hey, I’m Reg from New York Fashion Geek. 

Tiff: I’m Tiffany. 

Reg: We are The Fashion Geeks. 

Tiff: Reg and Tiff.

Reg: Exactly. You can always hit me up on Insta, New York Fashion Geek.

Tiff: And..I’ll be there too. 

Reg: You may be looking but it’s my Insta, so it’s that really…

Tiff: I’m all about you, Reg. I’m here to support you. 

Reg: No, I know. No, I appreciate that. So, you’re a friend of the NYFG.

Tiff: That’s right. 

Reg: So this is our first episode. We thank you so much for listening. Happy to be here.

Tiff: And thank you. If you’ve heard listened to our intro, you know what we’re about, you know why we’re here, and thank you for returning for episode one, which is…we’re going to get right into it. Right into…

Reg: We’re going to do… Yeah.

Tiff: Right into what we’re about and that is…

Reg: Business.

Tiff: …what is it? It’s about business.

Reg: The business is about being fly. 

Tiff: That’s right. Looking…taking the everyday man and helping him to make the right decisions to be his flyest self ever.

Reg: Yeah, exactly. I mean, just to be the best self that you can be in terms of your gear. No matter what your look is, no matter what your style is. Consider me a personal trainer for fashion. 

Tiff: And I think you’re up for the challenge because I’m looking at what you’re wearing today and you have a pocket square and I think…

Reg: I always have a pocket square.

Tiff: Well, yeah, you look at men wearing suits and the pocket is naked. The men leave the pocket naked. And I don’t understand.

Reg: That is a wasted opportunity. 

Tiff: I think so.

Reg: That’s a wasted opportunity to be fly,…

Tiff: I agree.

 Reg: …to really be honest, because a pocket square is an accessory.

Tiff: And I think it’s also a further expression of who you are. Like, I see a guy walking with just a tie and a suit and there’s no expression except for the tie and the suit, unless the tie, of course, is like saying something…

Reg: Bam!

Tiff: …which I love ties that say something. But when you pair a tie and a pocket square like you have today, it takes it to the next level. 

Reg: No, I appreciate that. And let’s be clear, the tie should never be the same pattern as the pocket square. 

Tiff: Oh, yes, exactly. 

Reg: That’s a major faux pas. 

Tiff: Yeah. Then you’ll be matchy-matchy. 

Reg: Yes, yes. 

Tiff: Well, we don’t like them matchy-matchy. 

Reg: Yeah, no, you’ll just be whack. I mean, that’s the bottom line. So you get cuffed and thrown into the fashion police van, which is lined by Louis Vuitton. 

Tiff: Oh. Ooh, that sounds dangerous. 

Reg: That sounds expensive, to be honest.

Tiff: I had to point out I’m wearing my version of a men’s tie. You didn’t notice that? 

Reg: Oh, what do they call that? 

Tiff: It’s called a pearl drop slide necklace. 

Reg: Oh.

Tiff: The pearl drops into a little round sort of link and it slides…

Reg: Slides… 

Tiff: …down to form like a choker with a drop. It’s a very fashionable thing of the day, jewelry-wise

Reg: That’s a smooth accessory. 

Tiff: Thank you.

Reg: And that’s part of what…that’s part of what being fly is, is, essential…

Tiff: I think I’m fly.

Reg: …no, no, you are. But essential accentuating accessories. 

Tiff: Thank you. Thank you. 

Reg: Because assessories take your…

Tiff: Take the man.

Reg: And make the woman. I mean accessories take your gear to the next level. 

Tiff: I agree. So why would you leave a pocket naked? That’s all.

Reg: There’s nothing wrong with leaving an unadorned. It’s just that if you decide to put something in, it raises the stakes. 

Tiff: I agree. And I think we absolutely should talk about that in an episode in the future. 

Reg: Oh, absolutely. Oh, I’m totally down with that. 

Tiff: Let’s do it. Let’s do a pocket squire episode.

Reg: I’m totally down with that.

Tiff: All pocket square.

Reg: The pocket…

Tiff: The different things you can do with pocket squares. 

Reg: The pocket squares by The Fashion Geeks. That seems appropriate, somehow. 

Tiff: All right. I can’t wait.

Reg: (Laughs) I can tell. 

Tiff: I don’t know, I’ve always a fascination with them because I didn’t really see them. I’m from North Carolina. I didn’t really, you know, you don’t see…where I was from…

Reg: You didn’t see the country gentlemen walking down the street?

Tiff: We rarely saw a suit and if you saw one on Sunday…

Reg: Oh, you were in that part of North Carolina.

Tiff: …or at a funeral, yeah, it was kind of sort of thrown together and kind of sort of like the only suit the person had or maybe, you know, one or two. It certainly wasn’t a fly person and maybe because the gentleman just didn’t know how to be fly. 

Reg: Right. Or maybe…

Tiff: So that’s the whole point of you is like to help those guys who think, “Yo, I have one suit and that’s all I need.”

Reg: Everything in life is about exposure and the lack thereof. But it’s funny, as you were talking about, you know, your life in North Carolina, up here in the North, we had it all together. 

Tiff: Yeah. You were. Yeah. Right.

Reg: Yeah (Laughs) 

Tiff: (Laughs) All right. I’ll just leave that right there.

Reg: I’m sorry. You know, I’m a native. 

Tiff:  That’s true.

Reg: New York has been known to be “Up South.” Hopefully, someone catches that reference.

Tiff: That went right over my head. 

Reg: I don’t think so for my producer. So…

Tiff: (Laughs) I’m seeing his face. That’s something you all can explain to me maybe later. 

Reg: Oh, that’ll be another conversation that’ll be… that’ll be tabled. That’s a different podcast. 

Producer: That’s a different podcast.

Reg: Exactly (Laughs). 

Tiff: Okay. I’ll listen in on that. But there’s also…New York is one of the many, you know, you have fashion industries, fashion shows, or fashion weeks.

Reg: Oh, we’re a fashion center.

Tiff: Right. And there’s New York Fashion Week. 

Reg: And there’s New York Fashion Geek. Right. 

Tiff: And there’s Milan Fashion Week.

Reg: Milan. Pitti Uomo.

Tiff: There is no North Carolina fashion week. 

Reg: No, no, I think you have a furniture week. 

Tiff: Oh yeah, if you want to get the best couch you ever had…

Reg: Yeah. Yeah.

Tiff:  …you need to come on now to North Carolina.  

Reg: No doubt. I have a…

Tiff: We know upholstery. 

Reg: (Laughs) Oh, my God. But wait a second, you know as we joke about that, correct me if I’m wrong and actually I’ve never done this before, I’m going to put our producer Search on the Google search, one of the famed denim mills, isn’t that from NC? 

Tiff: That is correct.

Reg: That just closed.

Tiff: Yeah.

Reg: Yes.

Tiff: Actually it didn’t just close. It’s still open. 

Reg: It’s still open? 

Tiff: I actually met a gentleman who was working for Ralph Lauren down in North Carolina.

Reg: Okay, well, what’s the famous mill…because I thought there was a famous male that just closed and maybe there’s still one that’s open.

Tiff: Well, there’s a lot of mills that closed in North Carolina.

Reg: The denim, specifically denim.

Tiff: The corporate offices are still going strong in North Carolina.

Reg: No, no, but I mean, literally, denim mills. 

Producer: Is that Cone denim?.

Reg: Yes! Cone denim.

Tiff: Cone denim. I haven’t heard of Cone denim. Good for you. 

Reg: I’m the Fashion Geek.

Tiff: Thank you, Search. 

Producer: You got it.

Tiff: That’s cool. They closed?

 Reg: Search with the fact check. Yeah. I mean this was a classic, I mean, we’re talking about… I think that place was open for, you know, close to 100 years.

Tiff: And that’s sad. That’s what happened.

Reg: It is sad. It is sad.

Tiff: In the town where I grew up, all the mills closed before I even went away to college. And it was sort of…it put the whole town into a financial sort of down spin then, you know, tailspin or downward spiral. I mix my metaphors sometimes, you know (Laughs).

Reg: That’s probably the thing in your cup that led that to happen.

Tiff: Yeah, maybe the little sippy, sippy, I’ve had some of, yes. But it’s interesting that you should say that because we were talking funnily about upholstery, I said that. I actually did some design in upholstery. Just to tell you that upholstery can be fashionable…

Reg: Absolutely, it can.

Tiff: And you’re making fun of furniture. 

Reg: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, I was making fun of NC when you said, you know, “We don’t even have a fashion week.”

Tiff: Right.

Reg: But I know you’re the home of furniture. And again, I knew you were home of one of the mills, so come on now. You should give the Northern negro some points here.

Tiff: Well, I’m giving you points because it was a great segue into what I bring to this podcast, and that is that I used to be a costume designer. And a lot of the costumes I designed were medieval costumes and/or Elizabethan or restoration. And where I had to shop for those big gowns, and a lot of times, you know, the waist skirts for the gentleman were at fabric stores that sold lightweight upholstery because that’s what they used to wear back in the day.

Reg: Oh, really? Oh, so all that brocaded…

Tiff: Yeah, it was stilts and stuff like that that you, you know, some people would put on their couch, but now you and me, I’m sure. I don’t have a silk couch. I don’t know about you. 

Reg: No, no, I don’t.

Tiff: But, yeah, all that brocade and damask, you know, all that stuff I used to work in. So yeah, you can make a couch look quite fashionable.

Reg: Oh, absolutely. No, I’ve got a dope couch, which matches my aerial rug.

Tiff: Does it match your suit and your tie and your pocket squire?

Reg: It can match all my outfits at all times. Matter of fact, I have a good friend of mine, I’m going to give her a shout because she thinks I give her no credit for anything. I’m going to call her House of Hartendorf and…

Tiff: Oh, what a nice name?

Reg: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s a smooth name. One of a kind. She’s the only person of that name in America and in New York City because she’s from Amsterdam.

Tiff: Nice.

Reg: Uh…oh, man. I just lost my point. 

Tiff: We talking about the, you want to give her a shout out because she matches her furniture or…

Reg: No, no, no, no. Actually, thank you. I’m back on track. The whole point was she also would like me, outside of doing fashion consultancy, she would love me to do interior decorating and…

Tiff: Oh.

Reg: No, it’s very flattering, but that’s not my steez. I’m not Lenny Kravitz. That’s all I’m saying. 

Tiff: I love him. 

Reg: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. 

Tiff: All right. So let’s get into the meat of it, shall we?

Reg: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I heard that you saw something in the New York Post and had no idea what the heck it was. Why don’t you tell our listening audience the story?

Tiff: Oh, Reg. Always ready to uh…

Reg: I’m just trying to help me out, sister.

Tiff: To help me out. That’s right.

Reg: (Laughs) Yes.

Tiff: Okay. So this is what I didn’t understand. And apparently, it’s a fashion thing I didn’t understand. 

Reg: Yes. And I can’t wait till our producer starts laughing.

Tiff: So a while back I sort of…I got a little lead in it on my news of the day. It’s in my email box, but I also saw it at the, I think, it was the New York Post. 

Reg: Yeah. The Post.

Tiff: An issue New York Post had front and back cover, you know, the front it’s normally a very witty headline of what’s going on today regarding possibly politics or whatever. And the back is always sports.

Reg: Thank you, Murdoch.

Tiff: This issue, it was blank with the words, all caps, “SUPREME” on the front and the back. And I’m like, what the…? I don’t know if I can curse.

Reg: (Laughs) I think you still…

Tiff: I said, “What the hell?” 

Reg: Oh, my God. Well, there goes the Bible Belt audience. That listenership is gone. 

Tiff: Oh, they curse, honey, among other things. Trust me. 

Reg: So Tiffany, what is Supreme? 

Tiff: I don’t know. (Reg laughs) The only thing I got from it was that…so I researched it and I was like…

Reg: Meaning, well, yeah, you researched it because you had no idea what Supreme…

Tiff: I didn’t google it.

Reg: You had no idea what Supreme was?

Tiff: No, I was reading it in my little newsfeed that I get popped in my email every day and it said something to like, “The brand Supreme has taken over or went into partnership with the New York Post and taken over the front and back cover.”

Reg: Right.

Tiff: And I’m like what is Supreme? I haven’t heard Supreme so I didn’t, you know, I was like, hmm. Am I behind the times?

Reg: Tiffany right now you are the fashion Rip Van Winkle.

Tiff: Oh. Oh, it’s time for me to wake up. 

Reg: Yes. Supreme is a street-wear label. 

Tiff: Oh, well.

Reg: It is based on Lafayette Street. 

Tiff: Lafayette.

Reg: Right off of Houston.

 Tiff: Okay. And…?

Reg: And they are known for what a lot of people do now. They are known for doing drops.

Tiff: What is that?

Reg: Well, essentially, particularly, whether it’s gear or specifically sneakers, they have individuals on the lines down the block. Now with bouncers so you can get their capsule collections of their items. 

Tiff: Okay. What is bouncers, now with bouncers? 

Reg: Bouncers. You know like…(mimics disco music)

Tiff: Oh, like security.

Reg: Oh yeah, like that.

Tiff: They have lines with security? 

Reg: Yes. Trustafarians, 12-year-olds with great bank accounts must get on the line to get the latest Supreme merch. 

Tiff: And what is this merch? What is it comprised of?

Reg: It is comprised of, literally, everything from head to toe, even down to an elbow sleeve if you rocking in the NBA.

Tiff: (Laughs) Okay. So it’s about the name and the block letters.

Reg: It’s about the name. It’s about the topography.

Tiff: It’s block letters. “SUPREME.”

Reg: Yeah. But it, literally, started, you know, really as a skateboard brand and it morphed…

Tiff: Okay. So it’s sports-related.

Reg: Well…(Laughs)

Tiff: No?

Reg: No, it’s not sports… well, it’s sports-related in terms of that sleeve, which was very significant. 

Tiff: But the generation of it is…

Reg: If I recall correctly, J.R. Smith was rocking it last season, but they’re known also now, their power is so strong in the fashion community that some of their drops, some of their capsules, they do a lot of collabos now, alot. 

Tiff: Okay.

Reg: They did something with Louis V. 

Tiff: And what kind of merchandise is this?

Reg: I mean like the… I remember the Louis V thing was a bag. I mean, it was a bunch of pieces. I’m clearly not the target audience, but I have to be aware because my…

Tiff: Okay. Really?

Reg: …no, but my clientele, my clientele, listen, I’m a suit and tie guy. My clientele isn’t necessarily suit and tie. It could be everybody, everything. And I have to encompass that. So part of my job, and I, literally, did that last week and maybe we’ll talk about it in another episode, a special shout out to Best Made Co, is learning brands because there’s as much as I know, as much as I don’t know. And I need to have a semblance and sense of every brand because I’m dealing with a varied clientele. Not everyone is rocking in a shirt and tie. 

Tiff: That’s true. 

Reg: So let me tell you something also interesting about Supreme. I mean, they’re so deep. They’re so powerful. They also do their sales online and I’m a little sketchy with the details. Maybe Search will help me out and do another Google search. But there were two kids, the story came out last year. I think it came out in “New York” magazine. There were two kids who essentially created their own website that essentially tied in with Supreme and they were selling merch, like Pang! Pang! Pang! Pang! I mean, little two enterprising cats. 

Tiff: Wow. 

Reg: Because that’s how deep this stuff is. We’re talking about lines down the block on the Lafayette. We’re talking servers crashing on the web. It’s, you know, God bless them.

Tiff: How old is this brand?

Reg:  Supreme, don’t quote me, and Search can fact check that, over 10 years old.

Tiff: Really? 

Reg: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. 

Tiff: Now why… have they always had lines around the block on Lafayette? I mean…

Reg: No, it’s like anything else, right? It’s just like us. You have to start somewhere. 

Tiff: Grassroots. And it became so big that New York Post wanted to partner with them. 

Reg: That’s amazing. That Murdoch, I don’t know who whispered in Murdoch’s ear. 

Tiff: Well, I would…

Reg: Because I’m sure he was like, (Mimics Australian accent) “Supreme? What the hell?” …and just…(Tiff laughs) probably Laughlin told him.

Tiff: The accent.

Reg: Or James because, you know, one of those brothers was a… they were down while LOUD Records. So, you know, so they had their ear to the street. So it’s an amazing, interesting collabo. I just am still tickled pink that you had no idea who Supreme was.

Tiff: I did not. And I…

Reg: Nothing wrong with that. Just…

Tiff: I think I’m a fashion Rip Van Winkle, but, I guess, there are some avenues that I have not, you know, ventured down. So there you go.

Reg: Like Lafayette. 

Tiff: I wouldn’t wear an, what do you call it? Elbow sleeve.  It’s sort of not my thing. 

Reg: No, you’re not balling. I mean, I’m not rocking it either, but they, literally…you could be dressed Supreme from head to toe. 

Tiff: Is it athletic wear?

Reg: (Laughs) It is a streetwear brand. 

Tiff: So..streetwear…

Reg: ..Streetwear.

Tiff:  …anything you would wear on the streets from kicks to lids?

Reg: Kicks, yes, kicks, pants. Oh, my gosh. It’s come back (Tiff laughs).

Tiff: I didn’t hear that.

Reg: The internet is so good. You’re like, “I’m going to find these words and I am going to…”

Tiff: I actually didn’t have the internet it. It was…I think it’s part of my jargon. I didn’t know what that was.

Reg: Oh, okay. Very nice. I’m impressed.

Tiff: So I have a suggestion. Maybe, you know, we can sort of do a little collabo with Supreme and New York Fashion Geek. 

Reg: Oh, my gosh.

Tiff: Wouldn’t that be awesome, right?

Reg: Your mouth to God’s ears. I think they would have laugh, to really be honest. 

Tiff: I don’t think so. I think they’re going to expand.

Reg: Not because we’re whack. No, no, not because we’re whack. I’m just like, I don’t know. It’s like apples and oranges, but actually, the collabo with them and the Post is apples and oranges. 

Tiff: Right. Correct. That’s what I’m saying is like, listen…

Reg: Okay. All right.

Tiff: Maybe they want to get into being fly in the suit department, shall we say? 

Reg: They are the imprimatur of fly. 

Tiff: All right.

Reg: They are the zeitgeist and they’re holding it down. I mean, much credit to them. 

Tiff: Well, then I am after this going to google them because now I’m…

Reg: No, why don’t you just go down Lafayette and…

Tiff: Stand in the line.

Reg: And give us, yeah, give us a report. 

Tiff: All right.

Reg: Yeah. They don’t do a drop every day. So you can go in. 

Tiff: I’ll find it.

Reg: So, yeah. Well, it’s in plain sight.

Tiff: Well, now that we’ve covered Supreme, the New York Fashion Geek’s take on Supreme, let’s get started on our “Fashion Heros.

Music Interlude

Voiceover: Fashion. Fashion Heroes. 

Reg: Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Tiff: This is a segment that most excites me about what we’re doing and that’s talking about, you know, everybody, everyone, everyday person has a, you know, a fashion hero. Someone who influenced, you know, what they wore, their style, how they became in their life. 

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff: And it doesn’t have to be somebody famous. 

Reg: No.

Tiff: Sometimes it is somebody famous.

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff: But I think who we’re talking about today is a little bit famous.

Reg: Well, who was the “Fashion Hero of the Day? 

Tiff: Prince.

Reg: Oh, yeah.

Tiff: My hero is Prince.

Reg: Oh, man. Unfortunately, we can’t do music, but I will say this, if I was allowed to put my phone off of vibrate and someone called my number…

Tiff: What would happen, Reg? 

Reg: Well, I’ll tell you what, it would be pretty cool. That’s all I’m saying. So I’m taking it off of vibrate right now. 

Tiff: Hmm, and somebody has got to call you.

Reg: If someone would call me…

Tiff: All right.

Reg:  …it would probably really lead in to this fashion hero segment.

Tiff: All right. Well, I hope that somebody calls you because Prince is pretty amazing.

Reg: Oh, absolutely. 

Tiff: He is not only my fashion hero, but I think he’s yours too. Am I correct?

Telephone Ring Tone plays

Tiff: A little “When Doves Cry “for you. You know, everybody needs a little of that.

Reg: I hope we don’t get caught out there.

Tiff: Oh, yeah.

Reg: I want to explain one thing, that was not set up for this podcast. 

Tiff: It just happened.

Reg: No, no, no, no, no, real talk. I have had that ring tone since the passing of my hero. I’m really flattered that this is the first individual that we’re using.

Tiff: And it came up very, very organically. You and I were just talking one day and we found out that both of us were totally influenced by Prince in our high school years. 

Reg: Absolutely. 

Tiff: And I was like, what? Well, I mean, you know…

Reg: Absolutely. I’m a big ring tone guy. I love having good songs for my ringtone and when he passed maybe another day, I shared it once on social media just a little bit, but not in-depth and I won’t now because I want to stay germane to what this topic is, but he was my hero. I want to be very clear about that. Musically and as a human being, I am flattered to talk about him and to have him be our first Fashion Hero for the podcast. 

Tiff: Me, too. Because, boy, did he change fashion for men?

Reg: Prince changed the game in so many ways, but to be specific about fashion, when I was growing up and when Purple Rain came out, first of all, I want everyone to be clear. I’m a native New Yorker. The first time I saw a Prince was at a place called The Ritz.

Tiff: What?

Reg:  …which if you’re a native New Yorker, you know where that is. But I’ll tell you what it is now. It is the Palladium dorms of my alma mater, New York University, NYU.

Tiff: Oh, wow.

Reg: Before the Palladium was a dorm, it was a club, but before the Palladium was a club, it was The Ritz. And my mom knew what a fan I was way back before Purple Rain and I saw an advertisement…

Tiff: “Lady Cab Driver” time.

Reg: Oh, great song, great song. Tribute to New York. 

Tiff: Yep.

Reg: He loved New York… 

Tiff: That was my intro to Prince.

Reg: …And we loved him. That’s the “1999” album. And I was fortunate to go as a wee little kid because my mom was a big music fan. My Mom was my first teacher, influenced a lot of my life still to this day. And musically, she was voracious and she would take me to shows. And that’s a show that I went to. So I’m here to tell you, I was freaked out when I saw Prince at The Ritz because this was around the “Dirty Mind” era. And he had lingerie on.

Tiff: Lingerie.

Reg: Yes. because that’s what I call it as a little kid. He had lingerie on and a coat. It looked like he should have been on the subway. I was freaked out. My mind was blown. My Mom, because she was such a forward thinker, she loved it. Handled it well. 

Tiff: Better than my Father.

Reg: Yeah, she nurtured me through the process. 

Tiff: I wish I had my Mother to be your Mother. I love you, Mom.

Reg: My point is, no, I hear you. 

Tiff: I don’t mean that. You know what I mean.

Reg: I hear you. I had a cool Mom. It’s tough when you have the cool Mom and the beautiful Mom because people just give you a lot of action about that. But we’re talking about a guy who had stiletto heels, lingerie, and a long purple coat.

Tiff: And ruffles.

Reg: No, this is pre ruffles. 

Tiff: Oh, pre ruffles. Oh, I came in with the ruffles.

Reg: This is pre raffles. This is “Dirty Mind.”

Tiff: Okay.

Reg: So that’s the point that we’re drawing here. I don’t know if anyone has, and I can’t remember the brother’s name, his daughter is the lead on “Blackish” and I follow him on Insta, but the coffee table book that came out following Prince’s death…my whole point is every era, we’re talking about a person who changed style. 

Tiff: Yes.

Reg: We’re talking about a person who was the forefront of androgyny.

Tiff: Yes. And metrosexuality. 

Reg: I will tell you that when I was in school, we would have a theme week and one day, I forgot what the actual theme day was, I came as Prince. 

Tiff: No, you didn’t.

Reg: Yes, I did. Real talk. 

Tiff: Oh, my God. What did you wear? What do you wear?!

Reg: I wore my late grandmother’s blouse. It was a gray blouse with a thin, blue stripe and it had like a scarf attachment, so I rocked that. The sleeves were up to my forearms because even then I was becoming tall. I was long. I was always long.

Tiff: Right.

Reg: A little eyeliner.

Tiff: Yes! Yes!

Reg: A clip-on earring. 

Tiff: All right now.

Reg: Prince is the reason that I bought boots. Now that’s real, straight up.

Tiff: What was your height? Did you go stiletto?

Reg: No, no, no stiletto. Even as a kid, I was tall. There’s no question about it. Even as a kid I was tall, but my first set of boots, as I like to call it, fashion boots, totally influenced by Prince. And when I was an undergrad, actually it was high school and then I wore them still in undergrad because by that time my foot change… my foot size hadn’t changed. I had these dope, saggy, gray, boots. 

Tiff: Oh. You had the slouch. 

Reg: Yeah, I had the slouch. 

Tiff: Oh, I know what you’re talking about. 

Reg: Oh, yeah. 

Tiff: Were they suede?

Reg: With the pant on… No, no, straight up leather.

Tiff: Straight up leather slouch.

Reg: Straight up leather with the pants inside. 

Tiff: Locked inside.

Reg: Absolutely. 

Tiff: Oh yeah.

Reg: So this man did it for me. We’re talking about a man who rocked an award show with laced pants with the butt, essentially opened and exposed. And was the most masculine man at the show.

Tiff: Yep.

Reg: The point is, he was fearless and I loved that. And I’m talking about all this stuff really even prior to “Purple Rain” and then post “Purple Rain.” This man had so many custom suits. The guy was diminutive. My late grandmother could have dunked over him. And I know how short he was because I met him once and I rarely tell that story and I’m not telling it. I’m teasing.

Tiff: Oh…my…God. What?

Reg: Yeah, I did. 

Tiff: I didn’t know you met him.

Reg: I know. I don’t really tell the story. I’m very private as people know. (Tiff sighs) And that was a great moment. I’m getting goosebumps. I’m happy that it happened and I could easily cry right now during this podcast because he meant so much to me…understanding that purple was a royal color. 

Tiff: Yes.

Reg: Understanding that wearing ruffles was cool, even, you know, much later…

Tiff: Wearing anything. Anything he put on was cool. 

Reg: Well, because he was cool.

Tiff: Because he was cool and he made everything cool.

Reg: When he did the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame jam with “My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Anyone who knows that?

Tiff: I saw it. I’ve watched it 20 times back to back.

Reg: First of all, I have the music to that. I know everything is about streaming now, so I’m old school. I like to say, “I got that MP3,” (Tiff laughs) because I’m grown. 

Tiff: That’s right. 

Reg: I stream. I do stream, but I do own and I remember it was just that dope burgundy red, the hat cocked to the side because that’s what we do because…

Tiff: Always be fly.

Reg: … no Brother wears a hat straight on. So cocked at the angle, the suit, the shoes, the boots. I mean this is a guy, like you said, not only stilettos, I mean, he wore a stack too. He was a short guy. You know, I never had to do anything like that, you know, but just the impact he made. I mean, this is why like, for example, you can find it, you can, literally, google it, but you can find it in that coffee table book, which I recommend. “Italian Vogue.” You know, like he’s done so many…he did so many fashion spreads

Tiff: Because he was a fashion… he was in the forefront of new fashion. I,I  think… I totally think it was part of his brand, not only do music, but how he looked was also a consideration for him. 

Reg: Absolutely. 

Tiff: Because for me, if I may, how he influenced me…

Reg: Yes, please. I’m sorry. 

Tiff:  …as a white girl from Small Town, North Carolina, he, basically, blasted me and my senses out of, you know, the conservative look that I was existing in at the time when I as an artist was really trying to break out of, “Oh, this is what I should wear. This is how I should conform. This is who I should be.”

And then there was Prince doing his thing and I just started doing costume design at the time. And, of course, you know, he’s a performer. What he was wearing was a costume, but it was way beyond that.

It was a personal expression. And I totally got that, and I totally linked onto that because that’s exactly where I was finding myself trying to figure out my personal expression. You know, here we are, we were talking about brands and in the 80s, this is all about, everybody got aware of this logo or this brand.

Reg: Yeah, sure.

Tiff: You’ve got to look like this person. You’ve got to look like that person. Well, I didn’t want that. And I shopped Salvation Army and Goodwill and flea markets to find those little special things that made me a little different, you know? 

Reg: Kudos.

Tiff: And even my mother taught me how to sew at 12, so I would make my own clothes too. 

Reg: Oh wow. Wow. That’s impressive.

Tiff: So when I saw Prince and, you know, the music in and of itself, but with this podcast, is not about music, but the, you know, that was captivating in and of itself, but how he dressed and how he carried himself was a totally different thing. So much so that after my, I guess it was my junior year in high school, I go into my hairdresser and I was like, “This is how I want my hair.” And I came out. I was already perming my hair. You know, the spiral perm was a big thing for the ladies in the 80s, but I had what they call a fade from the right-hand side above my ear.

Reg: Yes, we know what a fade is.

Tiff: And it slowly got longer with my perm all the way over. So I look like I had a, I guess…

Reg: Oh, you were a part of the Revolution. 

Tiff: I had a Revolution haircut and I wore ruffled shirts… 

Reg: (Mimics announcer from the movie) “Introducing…The Revolution.”

Tiff: …all the time. So, and it was kind of like, I didn’t care. I didn’t care what my friend said. I wasn’t wearing this polo Ralph Lauren shirt. I wasn’t wearing this J. Crew outfit. I was doing my own thing. And Prince helped me… he catapulted me out of my own restrictions and that helped me become a better costume designer actually.

Reg: Wow. I mean, again, I’m a shirt and tie guy, but certainly, just watching him, you know, certainly influenced me in terms of colors. 

Tiff: Yes. Rich, rich colors. He always wore really saturated, like you said, royal colors. His colors were always…

Reg: Yeah, well, purple was his color and purple is a royal color.

Tiff:  …but also the aubergene, all of those are considered the royal colors. Anything deep and rich and saturated in the purples and blues, all royal.

Reg: He was super fly. He was my hero in so many different ways. But his impact on fashion can never be ignored, will never be underestimated, and will always be remembered. Maybe we all live to see the dawn. 

Tiff: Yup. All right. So that is our “Fashion Heroes.”

Reg: All right. Let’s move on and get the tears out of my eyes. (Tiff laughs) Man, I could’ve been on that forever. Thank God for our producer. 

Tiff: I think we kind of were and thank you guys were hanging with us. 

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff: You know, Prince was huge. We had to talk about him first because that’s who you and I share. That’s one of the things that we come together on.

Reg: He’s the lead off batter for this. 

Tiff: Yeah, he is.

Reg: I couldn’t be more flattered that he was the first entry into “Fashion Heroes.”

Tiff: That’s right. Much love to my man Prince. Oh, all right. So shall we move on to our, “I Must Have It” segment?

Music Interlude 

Voiceover: “I Must Have It.”

Reg: I must have it!

Tiff: Yeah. So what this is about is everybody as we talked to you guys about in the intro, is everybody has these items that they must have. You know, one or two items, or maybe there’s several items, but, you know, we all have one of those items. And Reg, I think, I know that you have this one must-have item that you would like to share with everyone. 

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff: So what is that? 

Reg: The G.I. Joe with the Kung Fu grip? 

Tiff: Okay. Moving on.

Reg: Hey, everyone knows back then you had to have that.

Tiff: All right, let’s talk fashion.

Reg: Okay.

Tiff: That’s great for toys. It’s a different podcast so, yeah, G.I is..

Reg: Okay. I’m just saying. I love G.I Joe. Now you know and knowing’s half the battle. 

Tiff: All right. So what is it? What is the one fashion item this moment today that you think is a must-have item for men?

Reg: It is something that I currently have, but I must have a Jack Spade messenger bag.

Tiff: Wow. Jack Spade messenger bag. 

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff: All right.

Reg: It is required gear if you live in New York.

Tiff: So let’s touch on that. Why is it required? I mean, I’ve seen it. I know exactly what you’re talking about. I can picture it right now.

Reg: It’s ubiquitous.

Tiff: Right. And it, you know, messenger bags, everybody… New York invented the messenger bag, I think.

Reg: Absolutely. Absolutely.

Tiff: But what makes this one so special? 

Reg: Okay. Let’s hit on that. Let’s delve into that a little bit.

Tiff: Oh, let’s talk about that. Okay.

Reg: You are correct because, again, as a native New Yorker, the curator of New York Fashion Geek, you can’t have this city without messengers. Messengers, generally, the ones on bikes must get packages from spot to spot in an expedient manner. Almost a risk of life and limb for the people that are crossing the street. 

Tiff: That’s correct. 

Reg: Much less themselves. 

Tiff: I’ve been almost run over by quite a few of them.

Reg: Absolutely. And which they will yell at you and curse you.

Tiff: Yeah. It’s your fault. It’s not their fault. 

Reg: Right. Exactly. But their bags are very functional for what they have to do. And the reason why I want a big up Jack Spade particular because I feel in sense that the brand is fading is mostly an homage, a shout out because there have been other messenger bags. But what he did, which I think is unique, I’m going to tell you right npw, I am solely objective. I have four. I had five. I gave one to a client of mine, Bob Bonhage. Quick shout out. 

Tiff: Wow. 

Reg: I gave him my canvas waxed messenger in gray. 

Tiff:  Nice. That was the original, correct? 

Reg: Yes. That was one of the originals. I gave that to him because I just outgrew it, so to speak. He took something that was strictly for one crew of people and made it for everyone else. And that’s what I like. I like the use of his materials waxed/cotton, waxed/canvas, nylon…

Tiff: And leather.

Reg: And leather.

Tiff: He does leather too.

Reg: Yeah, absolutely. I don’t have a leather one by… Oh, what am I saying? Oh, my God, I’m sorry, Mr. Spade. 

Tiff: He has five of them.

Reg: Well, I had five. I have four. I have a dope blue leather one by Jack Spade that goes very nicely with my blue slip-on loafer Ferragamos. 

Tiff: Well, look at that. 

Reg: I’m not trying to…

Tiff: That’s not matchy, matchy.

Reg: No, it’s coordination. So you see, you have to coordinate.

Tiff: Right.

Reg: Blue bag, blue shoes, blue belt. 

Tiff: Curtains and carpets. Right? 

Reg: I guess. 

Tiff: Carpets have got to match the carpets.

Reg: Right. Right. 

Tiff: That’s a designer. 

Reg: No, I know. I know you stumped me for a little bit. So I just like…I love bags just straight up. It’s not unique to him. I just love bags because bags have pockets.

Tiff: Yeah, I was going to ask about that. So what is the…the exterior looks pretty sort of straightforward and plain and utilitarian…

Reg: Right and that’s what’s great abut it. 

Tiff: What’s on the inside? 

Reg: Inside are pockets. 

Tiff: Pockets.

Reg: Yes. 

Tiff: We love pockets.

Reg: I do as a guy and as a person who likes to keep stuff unquestionably, I need pockets. There’s no question about that. And I just felt like he made something that was so specific to one group of people and then made it for everyone else. And that’s what I love about his brand. And that’s why I’ve continued to rep the brand, not as a paid user. 

Tiff: Okay. Well, we don’t have any paid sponsors yet.

Reg: No, no, no, no, no, no, not at all. But I have four of those bags and I love them all and I use them, you know, in different ways and different formats. I have small ones. I have large ones. Ones in different colors, you know, to match my suits, to match my shoes…

Tiff: Right.

Reg: Because even though I’m a dude, I’m all about the shoes, the bag, and the belt. 

Tiff: And these bags don’t look like purses. It sort of gives a…

Reg: Well, no, no, it’s not a “Murse.”

Tiff: I think the special thing about these bags… a “Murse.” I love that.

Reg: I’m not down with that. I have a friend, I’m not saying his name, and I ain’t going to do that to you. You know, you rock a “Murse.” I hate it. I hate it. And he’s my boy. I love him to death, but…

Tiff: I like them because men carry stuff and…

Reg: Got to have stuff.

Tiff: …and it’s good to not see bulging pockets in the front and the back. And, you know…

Reg: I’m still know to do that.

Tiff:  …when you’re looking fashionable, when you’re wearing a nice jacket or a suit and you have to carry stuff, yeah, it makes a clean line with your fashion. 

Reg: The quality of his materials is significant. 

Tiff: That’s the other thing I wanted to ask you about. So we’ve got pockets, the wax cotton that’s a durable…

Reg: Yes.

Tiff: Very durable.

Reg: And that’s one of the ones I gave away. And then my boys said, my client, Bob Bonhage, said that it was wearing out. I was like, get it fixed.

Tiff: Well, and you can. You can get it fixed.

Reg: I know. I know. He’s given up on it. I’m very upset with him, but I’m going to help him find another bag because he’s a client. 

Tiff: Well, good for you and good for Bob.

Reg: I particularly love, with a lot of the Jack Spade bags, and not all of them, but to me, for me, an innovation was the magazine pocket.

Tiff: Okay. So when you open it up, it really sort of expands.

Reg: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Tiff: No.

Reg: The back of the bag has a horizontal slit for you to put magazines. 

Tiff: Oh.

Reg: So you’re shouldered up and, boom! I keep magazines in business.

Tiff: Okay.

Reg: I have way too many subscriptions to periodicals, weeklies, monthlies, it’s bad, but I love them all. And I love that innovation. I consider it innovation. I’m not saying he’s the only one who did it, but for me as a New Yorker, when I saw that, I was like, “Boom! I got to have that.” Not all my bags have a magazine…

Tiff: It’s an outside pocket.

Reg: Yeah. Not all my bags have the magazine outside pocket. And when, you know, when they don’t, I either keep it in my hand, I look like a coach on a train. So, but, you know, if not, then I just put it inside my bag. But much love to Jack Spade, just a great brand. I am so sad that the store is no longer in Soho. That online stuff…I’m not against online, but I just love going to the store because I love the crew and, you know, much love to the Spade family, particularly in the passing of the late Kate Spade. 

Tiff: Yes. Okay. That is our must-have item of the day.

Reg: I must have it! And I’ve got it, four of them.

Tiff: And you’ve got four of them.

Reg: You must get one too and I’ll help you.

Tiff: And they last and they’re worth the price…

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff:  …their price point is $388 up to $395, but what you get is a bag that lasts three to four years and…

Reg: Three to four years?! Are you kidding me? Everything I buy, I’m trying to get at least 10-years’ worth of use and nylon Navy travel bag that I use as a messenger bag, my boy, another client, Jerid Gooding, J. Good, wanted to buy mine on the spot. 

Tiff: Wow. 

Reg: I told him, no.

Tiff: These are nice bags. 

Reg: Absolutely.

Tiff: I hope mine lasted that long. But moving on, so we have another segment that we like.

Reg: Our last segment of the day…

Tiff: And it’s a fun, upbeat segment, I promise. It’s called “Fashion Word of the Day.”

Music Interlude 

Voiceover: “Fashion Word of the Day.”

Reg: The “Fashion Word of The Day.”

Tiff: All right. And what that, basically, it is, is basically, what it says is that we have a word. It’s a fashion word. Reg has got a word and I got a word.

Reg: Yep.

Tiff: And we’re going to say what the word is, and we’re going to challenge each other to know what the word is. And if we know it, to define it, to spell it, and define it, and then use it in a sentence. 

Reg: I don’t know about spelling it. And I’m not against spelling, but…

Tiff: But it might be fun.

Reg: Well, let’s use it in a sentence. 

Tiff: It might be fun to spell it, why not?

Reg: Define… 

Tiff: Okay. If you don’t want to spell it, you can go pass. But, yeah, let’s do this.

Reg: Yeah.

Tiff: Reg, what’s your “Fashion Word of The Day” that you want to present to me? 

Reg: Boutonnière.

Tiff: Oh, boutonnière.

Reg: Do you know what it is? 

Tiff: A boutonnière is a floral arrangement that’s worn on the lapel of a suit or a tuxedo for special events.

Reg: Well, damn, you’ve got me. So now  use it in a sentence, Tiff.

Tiff: “My boutonnière was kicking at the wedding last night.”

Reg: Oh, my gosh. It’s “Back to the 80s night.” Excellent.

Tiff: Thank you very much. Thank you very much. 

Reg: Now I’m nervous. 

Tiff: All right. So I’m trying to figure out whether I make it easy or whether I make it… you know what? Based on my background, so I used to be a dog walker, right? I used to have a dog walking company for 10 years. 

Reg: Yes, very successful. 

Tiff: So now I found this nice little word that I found was interesting. The word is ‘houndstooth.’ 

Reg: Yeah? 

Tiff: Yeah.

Reg: It’s a pattern. 

Tiff: Houndstooth is a pattern, yes. 

Reg: Yes. 

Tiff: Very good. Can you tell me more about the pattern?

Reg: Well, you have regular houndstooth. You also have a mini tooth, mini houndstooth. 

Tiff: Okay.

Reg: So it’s very appropriate for sport jackets. 

Tiff: Yes. 

Reg: So it’s a heavy wool. 

Tiff: It can be, yes.

Reg: Yeah. I mean, in my experience, particularly used… it’s not unique to sport jackets, but it’s also used for outerwear. Hunting.

Tiff: Yes, exactly. 

Reg: Yeah. 

Tiff:  ‘m going to read this, “Distinctive broken checks often in black and white resembling a dog’s incisor. Also known as dog’s tooth.” And that definition is from fashionbeans.com.

Reg: Okay. 

Tiff: Just to give them a little shout out.

Reg: Well, I think we’re even.

Tiff: Well, no houndstooth… I mean, a reason why I wanted to bring it out is it’s used in a lot of suiting…

Reg: I know.

Tiff:  …but you were spot on when you said sports coat and sports jacket because back in the day when they first came out, that’s what it was used, for hunting.

Reg: Yeah.

Tiff: Exactly. 

Reg: Yeah.

Tiff: And it’s houndstooth, the dogs. Yeah. So, of course, that’s going to be my first word of the day. You want to spell it? You didn’t ask me to spell.

Reg: “H-O-U-N-D-S-T-O-O-T-H.”

Tiff: Correct. Use it a sentence because you made me.

Reg: “I rocked my houndstooth jacket in the Fall.”

Tiff: Nice.

Reg: I try. 

Tiff: Very nice. And that there is “Word of the Day.”

Reg: Yeah. Well, that’s a wrap.

Tiff: That is a wrap. This was a huge episode. I mean, we hit on some pretty big stuff. Prince. Prince is huge. Prince took a lot of time. Prince. 

Reg: Well, he deserved the time. 

Tiff: He’s a tastemaker…was a tastemaker.

Reg: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. 

Tiff: So, of course. 

Reg: But we thank you so much for listening. 

Tiff: Yes.

Reg: I hope you had fun. I hope you’re down for another one. Please tell your friends about this. Special shout goes out to our producer Search. 

Tiff: Hi, Search.

Reg: Everyone down with NYFG,

Tiff: And you can also… if you have any thoughts about us, please, email them to podcast@nyfashiongeek.com. Have a word of the day, you have a ‘I must have item’ you want to us to explore or are you’re a fashion hero, just email us and let us know what you think. And also review us. Make sure you review us. You subscribe to our podcast. We want to be part of the new and newsworthy on iTunes. So help us get there, and help us make New York Fashion Geeks a big podcast that brings the fashion bible to the everyday man.

Reg: Absolutely. And then, obviously, hit us up on Insta, on New York Fashion Geek. And again, I’m Reg.

Tiff: I’m Tiff.

Reg: We’ll see you next time. And remember…

Reg and Tiff:   …always be fly.