A solid quality dress shirt is something every man out there should have in his closet. It should be nicely ironed, crisp, with a clean collar and perfectly cut for his body. Ladies, it is your job to guide your man in the direction of finding a dress shirt just right for him. I have seen far too many men walking down the street suffering from a dress shirt gone wrong. Think about that one teacher your had in grade school, you know the one that had the sweaty armpits and the heavy pleated kakis, you don’t want your man to walk out of the house looking like that. It is 2013 – your boo should be in the know when it comes to dressing sharp. But let’s not get our fashion feathers in a bunch and take a moment to shine some light on what brands are busting out the best dress shirts! The next time you are at the mall or shopping online, take a minute to brows through the mens section and pick up one of these go-to shirts for the man you love!

1.) Zara Black Twill Shirt, http://www.zara.com

I have three black button down shirts from Zara and I love them so much, every guy out there no matter what their shape or size is really needs a nice black dress shirt. Zara makes really good tailor fitted shirts for men and they are reasonably priced too. Investing in one of these black beauties is a really good idea for your man because black goes with every thing; he can dress it up, dress it down, match it with a pair of cute dark jeans, thrown on some sleek shoes and he will be good to go.

2.) Calvin Klein Slim Fit Checkered Dress Shirt, http://www.calvinklein.com

Besides their amazingly comfortable underwear (so hot), I have been digging their ultra slim fit dress shirts. If your man has been hitting the treadmill lately and is eager to show off his muscles while taking you out to a fancy dinner, than treat him to one of Calvin’s dress shirts. I really like the look of this lightly checkered shirt with solid black placket down the buttons. If brings the eye into his chest and adds a dash of style to a simple shirt. Lovin it.

3.)DKNY Dark Blue Ground Dress Shirt, http://www.dkny.com 

Call me crazy but what guy does not look good in pin stripes? This is one of the reasons why your boo needs a dress shirt just like this one from DKNY. A pin stripe pattern is just the right pop for him to wear with his solid colored business suit. He does not even need a tie with this shirt, just have him open up the top buttons and let him bring out his business casual side.

4.) Vince Classic Cotton Shirt, http://www.vince.com 

Vince makes really good quality clothes for both men and women, especially if you are trying to go for that chill, easy, relaxed look. It may put you back a Benjamin or two but this classic cotton shirt will look amazing on your man. He can NEVER GO WRONG with this color shade of blue!

5.) J Crew Ludlow Point Collard Shirts, http://www.jcrew.com 

I understand that not all men enjoy the feeling of a collard dress shirt or even the look of them but if your guy needs to wear one (yes, there are a handful of occasions where this is mandatory) that he should totally stop by J Crew. What I have always loved about J Crew is that their clothes are cut to fit your body really well. It is also the season to bring out a dash of color and plaid in your hubby’s wardrobe, these will all look so good with his Summer tan! Let me just say this though, you are going to see all kinds of colors to choose from, stay away from most of them and stick to more of the classics. Going too colorful can make your man look like a cheese ball so make sure the color is not over the top.

6.) Banana Republic Classic & Slim Fit Dress Shirts, http://www.bananarepublic.com 

Banana hits it right out of the park when it comes to a good tailored fit dress shirt. If your man is due for a nice white dress shirt than get his buns over to Banana Republic. The last time I was on Good Morning Arizona, I wore one of their shirts and felt so comfortable in it.

Happy Shopping!

xo

The Other Hubby

I feel like being a mom is the highest title you can possibly get in this crazy world of ours, I mean you basically are the head honcho for a lifetime in your child’s life. How many times have we all heard or said things like; “where was her mother?!” or “did his mother know about this?” – talk about a lot of pressure! Of course, we must acknowledge all the wonderful dads in the world (especially all the hard working single dads) but with Mother’s Day weekend approaching – let’s give it up for all the amazing moms in the world. I took some time to think about all the different moms I know in my life and how fortunate I am to be around them.

I hope this blog post lifts you up and makes you think! Think about all the women in your life, have you connected with them recently? If not, this weekend would be the perfect time to let them know how thankful you are for them. Below is a little of what I was thinking about today and how important Mother’s Day is to me.

They say that the bond between a mother and son is like no other. I first thought about my mother, who always knows how to fix any problem, who has endless love for all four of her kids, who would open up her house for anybody in need, who says the perfect words when you are upset, and who can cook five different meals at once just to make sure everyone gets what they want for dinner. I thought about my boyfriend’s mom, who also shares a similar name to my mom (our father’s also have the same name) who writes, “Love you both” in her greeting cards to us and who checks in with us just to hear about all our adventures. She has always shown such kindness towards me and always makes sure I am included. We are so lucky to have such loving moms who I think really do enjoy having gay sons. I think that makes them such fierce “Modern Moms!” I also thought about all my colorful aunts who are scattered around the country and their big personalities. All of their children have grown up to be such good people. I thought about my close friends and their mother’s who I had the pleasure of meeting and who carry such similarities to the friends I hold so dear. I especially thought about my friends who have all lost their mothers to an illness. I hold them very close to my heart, as they all share such a huge loss but are the strongest girls that I know (you know who you are). I thought about both my Grandmas, my father’s mother died of cancer but I have not forgotten what a lovely woman she was and how much she enjoyed being around family. My other Grandma who we all call, “Nan” is still shining strong here with us. Everyone that knows her loves her, she is a hard worker (still working at 80 years old), is caring and has the best sense of humor.

Lastly, when I thought about Mother’s Day and the incredible moms that I know, I thought about my older sister, Jackie. I never really understood all the major and heavy responsibilities that come with being a mom until a couple years ago when Jackie had her first born. I obviously knew what a mom was and how important her role is but until you see your sibling having a child, it shakes your whole vision up! I guess everyone has these expectations for their own mother that you don’t really take every bit into consideration until it hits so close to home. When my sister and brother-in law announced they were pregnant, it brought a huge sense of joy and happiness to our entire family. I remember seeing pictures of her eight months pregnant and thinking she was wearing a costume. My sister is so little and petite in size, seeing her with that big belly did not click with me right away. I did not know what to think at first! I called her practically every day during her pregnancy just to check in. I would say such crazy things like telling her to be extra careful when she walked. I was a nervous wreck. I could not believe that my sister was going to be a mom.

Today, when I visit her I see how motherhood is just so fitting for her. My sister may be tiny in size but she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to being a mom. Her attentiveness to detail, organizational skills, and balance between wife, work, sister, daughter, mother is remarkable. What my sister and I share so different than anyone else in our family is that we are only 11 months apart, and the same age for almost a full week. I decided to pop out a couple months early when I was born which made us Irish Twins! As a young little boy, I did not speak much and when I did you could barely hear me. Jackie on the other hand was the complete opposite, and did most of my talking for me which is pretty funny if you know me today. Seeing Jackie as the type of mother she is does not surprise me as she always took charge in everything that she put her mind to. I think my siblings would agree with me when I say that Jackie leads our little pack.

Whether you are a Mom, Grandma, or Mom-to-be, thank you for all that you do. I hope you spend Mother’s Day surrounded by the people that you love. Being a mom is the hardest job in the world so take the day off and do something for YOU!

xo

The Other Hubby

Delaware on Thursday became the latest U.S. state to take action to extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples, as Governor Jack Markell announced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. ”What we know is same-sex couples want to get married for the same reason that other couples want to get married,” Markell said in a telephone interview.

I was in Delaware almost one full year ago this weekend standing up in the wedding to one of my favorites couples, Steve and Olivia. Olivia is easily one of my most favorite people in the whole world. She is not only my cousin, but a sister to me and my other siblings. I can write a whole blog post just on the type of person Olivia is, her accomplishments and the many hurdles she has jumped through to get to where she is today. I highlight Olivia today, not just because of her 1 year anniversary to Steve but for being a true supporter in the fight for marriage equality for all.

The shy 15 year old me and the ever so confident 16 year old Olivia use to get into all sorts of trouble while taking her mother’s car out into the wee hours of the night in Philadelphia. Wherever she went, she dragged me along and taught me what it was like to be “cool.” My very first cup of beer, first party, and first trip to the Jersey Shore was all with Olivia. She taught me what to wear (even what socks), how to style my hair, but more importantly – Olivia always embraced the person that I was. If you asked her today, she would tell you that she always knew I was gay. With that said, what I will always be grateful for is that she never made me feel different, never pressured me, never pried, never let anyone talk down to me, and always made sure I was having fun. The fun we had together at such a young age is something that will always bond us together. There was no “Will & Grace” or “Jack and Karen” back then but if there were such a thing, it would have been Olivia and I.

Today, I say Congratulations to Delaware and I thank everyone out there like Olivia who believes in love for all.

xo

The Other Hubby

The BIG stars were out tonight in New York City embracing and attending  fashion’s biggest night in an ultra glam and punk way! Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway and Cameron Diaz were among the celebrities to embrace the punk theme at Monday night’s Met Gala celebrating, “Punk: From Chaos to Couture.” Beyonce, the event’s honorary chairwoman, looked gorge wearing a flame-motif gown with long gloves and a long train by Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci but all eyes were one Madonna as she OWNED not just the theme but her jet black wig, shredded fishnets and metal studs also by Givenchy Haute Coutour by Riccardo Tisci.

The Met gala traditionally mixes Hollywood stars, fashion designers and top models all organized by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief. Ms. Wintour took to the red carpet in a hot-pink floral Chanel gown, which she said is a color that symbolizes the punk movement.

Who do you think had the best look of the night and will you be pulling out the punk in you anytime soon??

xo

The Other Hubby

If you have not noticed, I am seriously passionate about tank tops. I can’t get enough. I have drawers just dedicated to my tank top collection. Even my straight California men seem to be with me on this obsession as a good tank can become part of our daily Summer look. So simple to put on and obscenely comfortable. For all my girls out there, I am not going to leave you out of the mix. I think we should take a stroll through the land of kick ass tanks and find some cool styles that you and your guy can rock out this Summer.

1.) Altru Apparel http://www.altruapparel.com/

I first saw these awesome print tanks hanging in the Urban Outfitters on Melrose where I went gay-boy crazy and purchased handful. The key with the Altru fit is to make sure you buy a big enough size where it will hang long as their cuts are more relaxed. Altru has both original designs, and collaborations with iconic brand partners like Life Magazine, The New York Times, and Polaroid. So cool. Here is a pick of me in my newly bought Altru tank out and about in the City of Angeles.

2.) Alternative Apparel Tanks, www.alternativeapparel.com

A super soft fabric that feels like butter against your skin is something that I really look for in a good top. Alternative Apparel really does a job of this with the material they use. Their tanks definitely have a nice vintage feel to them.

3.) LNA Clothing, www.lna.com

It does not get more comfortable than a LNA tee and tank. I first started wearing this brand when I was on TV and fell deeply in love with their Mens V-Necks. My mom even loves their ultra soft tees. You can order online or pop into a Barney’s but don’t get all undone about the price, these tanks will last you awhile and will only get better in time. The fabric feels like silk and cotton mixed, its pretty wild. Don’t get me started on how hot this LNA Mens Button Tank is (3 down – below), so dope.

4.) James Perse, www.jamesperse.com

Pretty basic ladies but if you are looking for a tight fit than James Perse tanks are the way to go.

5.) Drifter, www.drifter.com

Drifter Clothing is easily one of my new fave LA brands. They certainly know what they are doing coming from such a sunny climate. I was shopping on Santa Monica Blvd. in the heart of Boystown and popped into clothing shop, LASC. They had a huge section of Drifter tanks in all sorts of colors. I picked up a simple white, black and baby blue that are slightly see-through = HELL YES.  Here is a pic of chillin in my new cozy Drifter tank.

6.) Ezekiel, www.ezekielusa.com

I really like their tanks for men, they are not over the top in their designs and have a really loose fit and go really well with a pair of cut off shorts. You can shop online or hit up a PacSun. I dig em.

xo

The Other Hubby