RUBY TUESDAY: Kelle Calco and The Colored Boys

photos by ASH FOX edited by KELLE CALCO

RUBY Tuesday is the newest night of sound and style brought to us by “Club Calco”, a club of which I’m proud to be a card carrying member. In NY nightlife, where parties are a dime-a-dozen Kelle Calco is the party maestro, throwing the ones with the best music and coolest people.

The opening night of Ruby Tuesday was doubly special being the debut performance of the “The Colored Boys” (Kelle Calco, Ronnie Magri, Zephaniah O’Hara, Dante Dalli, Matthew Demiccio). Leading up to the show everyone was abuzz… we all knew Kelle Calco as the DJ/host of our favorite parties and ringleader of Club Calco. He has the magnetism, swagger and look of a rock star but few had heard him perform. The launch of Ruby Tuesday, confirmed all that Kelle exudes. On this Indian summer night in November, the whole scene gathered in the new Don Hills. Floppy hats, paisley dresses, and furry coats were in abundance, mingling with the usual spikes, sparkles, cowboy boots, leather and lace. The walls of the renovated club are reminiscent of the 80s downtown art scene, punk perverted images layered together, clearly inspired by the likes of Basquait, and Richard Prince.

When the lights dimmed, we were all on our toes crowding around as The Stones ode to friendship, “Waiting on a Friend”, echoed through the speakers. It was apropos considering wherever you looked your eyes locked with a familiar face. The Boys walked through the crowd and onto the stage opening with “When the Velvet Comes” a song that mixes funk, soul and country with Kelle’s glammy vocal stylings. The Colored Boys are all you could ask for in a band, talented musicians, with style and charisma. It was refreshing to see musicians who knew how to put on a show. The Colored Boys brought back the energy of a time most of our parents have hidden away in dusty attics…classic goodness as an antidote for our plastic era.

It’s pretty much unfathomable how in one years time Kelle Calco transformed the NY rock scene. Spinning it around, shaking it on its head and stewing together all the local bohemians with blood type “R’NR”. For those of you who don’t live in NY, there really hasn’t been a scene since the late 80s. To give you a sense of my own experience... in 2005 NY was a dead zone for rock n’ roll. My high school boyfriend would play acoustic sets in leather pants to a crowd of 10 in places with depressing names like, The Bitter End. In 2007, I dreamt of living in LA, with all the aging rockers gripping onto thin threads of the 1980s Sunset Strip. The relic "Rainbow" with all the big hair, and the rock crowd aged about 20 yrs is cool and all but in 2010 with Club Calco there’s no reason to leave this city. Instead of a being part of someone else’s nostalgic memory we have our own Rock N’ Roll reality.

RUBY TUESDAY is a weekly ROCK N ROLL BOUTIQUE at the new DON HILLS showcasing cream of the crop classic rock inspired bands, DJs & personalities in SOUND & STYLE curated by Club Calco every Tuesday at 11pm.

StyleLikeU & NYCTV visits Ladyland

StyleLikeU TV: The Hudson Hotel with Kelle Calco from Stylelikeu on Vimeo.

Video Credit Stylelikeu.com

The clip aired on NYCTV last month from a series of clips on the revolutionary personal style site, StyleLikeU.com. See me talk about my favorite feathery jacket! You've seen it here, and here.

Below are three of my friend's amazing StyleLikeU closets. Check 'em out!

Dani Baum's Closet

Kelle Calco's Closet

Dandy Wellington's Closet

x Ash

Rock N' Roll Style Guide: Jim Morrison

There may be some debate on this, but in my opinion Jim Morrison is responsible for making leather pants a staple in rock n’ roll stage attire. I say this with a bit of hesitation as Elvis and others must have worn leather pants in a music context, but ultimately it was Morrison who made the look iconic. The debate as to “who wore them first” has been raging since Gerard Melanga claimed Jim jacked his look in the early 60s at The Doors first performance at The Ondine. Andy Warhol mentions this little pop culture diehard-rock n’ roll- fashion-junkie-tidbit in his 60s social history book Popism: The Warhol Sixties. “When we walked in, Gerard took one look at Jim Morrison in leather pants just like his and he flipped. ‘He stole my look!’ he screamed, outraged. It was true enough—Jim had, I guess picked in up from seeing Gerard at the Trip”. The story made me think of the scene in Velvet Goldmine when Brian Slade first meets the gender bending beauty Jack Fairy. Brian kisses him, steals his earring and eventually “steals” his image. All rock stars and pop culture icons are the sum of many influences, icons and unknowns alike, but what makes the star a star in their own right is the way they curate all the elements. Jim Morrison took leather pants out of their motorcycle context and made them rock n’ roll.

Style Breakdown

Jim’s look is all about carefree minimalism, there’s restraint in his color palette, in the few articles of clothing, the lack of layering, and little adornment. Yet, it’s carefree from his wild wavy hair, to the loose buttoning of his shirt, and the grab n’ go easiness of the look as a whole. I see a lot of rockers on the scene doing the “The Morrison” and it’s all good. Leather pants are a classic rock n’ roll staple just like The Doors.

The Essentials

• A flowing silky button down shirt, loose enough to expose bits of chest

• Skin-tight leather trousers- tight enough to keep you guessing both how he got into them and how he’ll get out of them
• A western style belt conveniently drawing your eyes to hips

Get the Look: Tips for buying leather pants

• It’s all in the fit. They should sit right on your hips or 1-2 inches above or below. I like how I look in higher waisted, pocketless leather pants, but svelte narrow hipped men tend to look better in lower waisted pocketed pants that sit right on or below the hip. Make sure they fit well before you buy them as leather pants are difficult and expensive to tailor.

• There shouldn’t be any bunchiness in the crotch area. This is a big problem I find with most cuts of leather pants. Sometimes you have to compromise thinner leather for a better fit. I find thicker leather pants to be more bunchy.

• Leather pants come in many variations. My favorites are high-waisted, pocketless, with slits or zippers on the bottom, but they come in many different fits, cuts, colors, and variations of leather.

• Leather pants are versatile. Pair black leather pants with a white ruffle top and a blazer and you have an office look. Pair leather pants with a sequin top and stilettos and you're ready to go dancing.

• You don't need to be a rock star to afford leather pants. I purchased my favorite leather pants are from the French label Plein Sud at Housing Works Thrift Shop for $55. I highly recommend Housing Works Thrift for leather pants, they usually have about 10 pairs at all times. It took some searching before I found the right ones but ti was completely worth the time. If you don’t live near a Housing Works, any thrift shop or Salvation Army will do…most people don’t have the guts to wear leather pants, so many beauties wind up in thrift stores, for 80% off the price tag.
• Leather pants aren’t only for rock n’ rollers or for people of a certain age. I recently saw a woman I assumed to be in her 80s walking in Madison Sq Park in red leathers. She made me smile.