{"id":16124,"date":"2012-07-02T00:39:46","date_gmt":"2012-07-02T04:39:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=16124"},"modified":"2019-07-14T21:22:16","modified_gmt":"2019-07-15T01:22:16","slug":"usher-was-at-the-bet-awards-nick-rhodes-is-an-icon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/usher-was-at-the-bet-awards-nick-rhodes-is-an-icon\/","title":{"rendered":"Usher Was at the BET Awards; Nick Rhodes Is an Icon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I was headed out the door when the BET Awards came on last night, but I noticed my Twitter timeline blowing up with derogatory references to singer Usher and his &#8220;pink boots.&#8221;\u00a0 During dinner, I kept wondering what he was wearing to cause such shock and dismay. For some reason, I kept envisioning baby-pink cowboy boots.\u00a0 No such luck. The footwear that was causing people to clutch their pearls in horror was this:<\/p>\n<p><center><a id='39AD6jJWSp5urqKHhS6WmQ' class='gie-single' href='http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/147542893' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'39AD6jJWSp5urqKHhS6WmQ',sig:'ErKEHBr190ukl0LrnOXZLACH_VKIV_ufPNNtHgsO098=',w:'369px',h:'594px',items:'147542893',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>I have no idea how this color or shoe style read in person, but in the pictures, at least, it looks like he&#8217;s wearing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stylelist.com\/wendy-brandes\/spring-fashion-neon-pastels_b_1368786.html\" target=\"_blank\">neon-pink sneakers, making him right on trend<\/a>. If the sneakers aren&#8217;t neon, he&#8217;s still gone for the &#8220;pop of color&#8221; so adored by fashionistas everywhere<\/p>\n<p>Seriously? This is the scandal? I can&#8217;t even get excited enough to give Usher one of my <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/01\/my-best-dressed-at-the-sag-awards-rose-byrne\/\" target=\"_blank\">Best Dressed\/Wear What You Want awards<\/a>. If I bumped into him, I&#8217;d probably say, &#8220;Cool shoes, man. I like that color.&#8221; I definitely wouldn&#8217;t scream, &#8220;Damn, Usher, you went for it!&#8221; After all, I grew up crushing on guys like Mick Jagger &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><center><a id='ml3D92WlRGN0kuQxOqOynA' class='gie-single' href='http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/85363920' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'ml3D92WlRGN0kuQxOqOynA',sig:'n3O1YYjAwmOio8UUOlqyFAcEuXvrQZ8kP_-MeIJEab8=',w:'413px',h:'594px',items:'85363920',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; David Bowie &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><center><a id='9-ISNix0S-dmBXX_H5Oa7A' class='gie-single' href='http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/73998079' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'9-ISNix0S-dmBXX_H5Oa7A',sig:'BLaQ52h3HjGI-rlizU5CgNw2KF8f8Ti3W77yQCFb4ec=',w:'404px',h:'594px',items:'73998079',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; Freddie Mercury &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><center><a id='4KzWveDKTMpzT0L-g1-KDg' class='gie-single' href='http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/86102891' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'4KzWveDKTMpzT0L-g1-KDg',sig:'HOvpYlEcLyh8RLcms1WvVy1ccLmZM_gMRJfL0w_h5yI=',w:'594px',h:'399px',items:'86102891',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; Adam Ant &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><center><a id='DallR85IR_9oUIsknwsewQ' class='gie-single' href='http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/85224147' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'DallR85IR_9oUIsknwsewQ',sig:'4bHaTXgUGk1nJUzE16g6ZRAFsC3TTdljKYE3AGCdbiY=',w:'462px',h:'594px',items:'85224147',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and all of Duran Duran, but especially John Taylor (second from left) and Nick Rhodes (far right).<\/p>\n<p><center><a id='9zqUfJGaRIFOOqwacTMzeA' class='gie-single' href='http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/109766094' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'9zqUfJGaRIFOOqwacTMzeA',sig:'aciDGxZk6LWmpLuRdo_HMsCKK3mafb2Kj4xsU6AJWaw=',w:'594px',h:'391px',items:'109766094',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Y&#8217;all are going crazy because Usher is wearing pink shoes?\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=GTFOH\" target=\"_blank\">GTFOH<\/a>.\u00a0 I swear, if Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie needed to pop over to the supermarket to buy kitty litter, he might throw on Usher&#8217;s outfit so as not to draw attention to himself. That&#8217;s how radical Usher&#8217;s look is. It&#8217;s David Bowie&#8217;s fucking kitty litter ensemble. Young people, today! I&#8217;m very disappointed in you. You&#8217;re uptight in weird ways. You&#8217;re okay with using your phones to tape yourselves having terrible sex but you&#8217;re scared of pink sneakers?\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=SMH-Rings\" target=\"_blank\">SMH<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On a happier fashion note, the photo of Duran Duran above reminds me that <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/youre-as-young-as-the-music-you-feel\/\" target=\"_blank\">one of the newspaper clippings<\/a> that&#8217;s been floating around my apartment is an interview <a href=\"http:\/\/online.wsj.com\/article\/SB10001424052970204026804577100880548072056.html\" target=\"_blank\">the Wall Street Journal did with Duran Duran&#8217;s keyboardist, Nick Rhodes, last December<\/a>.\u00a0 Describing Rhodes as having a &#8220;&#8230; decades-long love affair with steroidal-shouldered jackets, tie-dye headdresses and black eyeliner &#8230;&#8221;, the Journal asked him about style. I tingled all over when Nick, who turned 50 last month, said, &#8220;I find that the older you get, the more helpful eyeliner is. I like [MAC&#8217;s] Fluidline in Blacktrack.&#8221; He also said his ultimate style icon is <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/06\/wear-what-you-want-icon-grace-jones\/\" target=\"_blank\">Grace Jones<\/a>; that he has a &#8220;penchant for goth elegance&#8221;; and owns a pair of sunglasses that make him look like a bug. As for musicians today, Rhodes said:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;&#8230;.I prefer people who stand out. Brandon Flowers from The Killers has great style. He&#8217;s not afraid of feathers.\u00a0I always love a man who is not afraid of feathers.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>For his personal appearance, fashion philosophy and feather love, Nick Rhodes is officially one of my <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/category\/wear-what-you-want-icon\/\" target=\"_blank\">Wear What You Want icons<\/a>, joining previous awardees Grace Jones, <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/wear-what-you-want-icon-iggy-pop\/\" target=\"_blank\">Iggy Pop<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/wear-what-you-want-icon-cate-blanchett\/\" target=\"_blank\">Cate Blanchett<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2011\/02\/wear-what-you-want-icon-helena-bonham-carter\/\" target=\"_blank\">Helena Bonham Carter<\/a>, and Angry Bird lady <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2011\/12\/bjorks-swan-dress-should-meet-this-angry-birds-dress\/\" target=\"_blank\">Teija Vesterbacka<\/a>. I hope he enjoys his eyeliner for many years to come. I also hope that, someday soon, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/categories.php?category=Category\/Men%27s\" target=\"_blank\">he enjoys one of my goth-elegant cufflink designs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16132\" style=\"width: 370px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=Memento-Mori-Skull-Cufflinks\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16132\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16132\" title=\"mori_cuff_gold__94732_std\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/mori_cuff_gold__94732_std.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/mori_cuff_gold__94732_std.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/mori_cuff_gold__94732_std-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/mori_cuff_gold__94732_std-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-16132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">How about my 18K gold Memento Mori cufflinks?<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In the Journal interview, he mentioned he has gargoyle cufflinks with moving parts. Who loves mechanical jewelry more than I do?\u00a0 My whole line is his style. Nick, call me! <\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I was headed out the door when the BET Awards came on last night, but I noticed my Twitter timeline blowing up with derogatory references to singer Usher and his &#8220;pink boots.&#8221;\u00a0 During dinner, I kept wondering what he was wearing to cause such shock and dismay. For some reason, I kept envisioning baby-pink cowboy&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/usher-was-at-the-bet-awards-nick-rhodes-is-an-icon\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[387,10,141,42,43,560],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-16124","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-awards-shows","8":"category-celebrities","9":"category-cufflinks","10":"category-music","11":"category-my-designs","12":"category-wear-what-you-want-icon","13":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16124"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43221,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16124\/revisions\/43221"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}