Danny Felts: Pleasantly Hip

You’ve probably read on Dressed, Funny already how much we love Danny Felts. His personal style and his comedy are both approachable and quirky. We believe Danny Felts is the only genuine hipster, all others are simply copying his style. That’s why when you ask Danny how to describe his style, he says “Pleasantly Hip.” Because unlike the other 9 million hipsters in Portland, Danny Felts has a style all his own, and he rocks it.
How would you describe the way you dress?
Hipper than most, but hopefully not overbearing. I’ve lived in Portland about 5 years now and I’ve definitely seen the pants I wear get more form fitting as time has passed. That being said, I’ve also had friends who have taken Portland fashion way too far. I like pushing the boundaries, but there are a couple things that I don’t think I’ll ever buy into. Rounder oversized 80’s glasses are one of them. Grandma shoes are another. It’s fine to appropriate styles from other decades to an extent, but there is a point where I think it’s more important to dress in the present.

What’s an article of clothing you can’t live without?
Whatever T-shirt I’m wearing at the time. I don’t own a lot of different clothing, but of the stuff I do own, 70% of it is shirts. Also, because I ride a bicycle everywhere my pants tend to disintegrate over time, so I guess I’ve lived without them before to some degree. I like pants, but my life choices usually end up ruining them.
What’s your favorite season for getting dressed?
Summer, mostly because it’s the easiest. Though I do like fall colors and the idea of layering styles and colors in the fall and winter. That said, if it’s summer I’m probably wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and shoes, and that takes maybe 5 seconds to put on.
Before they’ve even said a word, what do you think makes a comic look good?
I think looking good on stage correlates to looking good in real life. For me it’s more a list of things that makes a comic NOT look good. Uggs are horrible. Crocs don’t seem like a reasonable thing to wear on stage. Sweat pants, track suits, etc…Just stuff that no sane person would wear anyway.
Also, I think as long as your personality blends well with what you’re wearing that’s good enough for me. That doesn’t necessarily mean that wearing nice clothing implies that you have a totally straightedge act, or that dressing like a bum means you’re NC-17. Chris Fairbanks is a good example. That guy wears pretty unremarkable clothing, and yet it blends really well with his zany style of comedy. Reggie Watts is another good example. I’m pretty sure he makes the conscious choice to wear ironic sweaters, and it definitely amplifies the funny.

What’s the worst you’ve ever dressed for being on stage? How did it go?
That was about a month ago for the Portland Comedy Competition. This year they [added] an appearance category, and the first night as a weird act of defiance I decided to wear these really shitty pants I had, and an older white AA hoodie. Keep in mind at the time I was wearing those things on a semi-regular basis anyway, but for the competition I had the idea that I would dress somewhat nicely, and at the last minute I called it off and I think it fucked up my rhythm. Oh yeah, and I bombed that night. Clothing shouldn’t be the biggest part of performing, but when you’re doing terrible and people aren’t even paying attention to you anymore, it doesn’t help if they can judge both your style and your jokes.

Belinda Carroll: Slutty Vintage

Belinda Carroll calls it “Slutty Vintage.” A look that is sexy while reminding you of a simpler time. She wears lots of low-cut dresses, heels, cool hats, LIPSTICK, and because she’s not straight, she can do all kinds of daring and fun things without her peers judging her for it. Belinda often rocks hairstyles and fashion that exude the confidence of a punk rocker who has her shit together.

DF: What’s an article of clothing you can’t live without?

BC: A black pencil skirt, it matches everything and you can wear it to death.

What’s your favorite season for getting dressed?

I love summer because I don’t have to keep track of a jacket. Oh, wait I live in Oregon never-mind.

Before they’ve even said a word, what do you think makes a comic look good?

Owning their own look. If it’s part of who you are keep dressing that way. Although, I do have a fondness for a comic who is well put together. Everything matches and everything fits right. It brings the audience’s attention to you.

What’s the worst you’ve ever dressed for being on stage? How did it go?

I don’t think I’ve ever not dressed for the stage. I’m sure that if I did comedy in sweatpants it would go horribly. Maybe that should be my new goal to stretch myself. Go onstage as someone that would shop at a Wal-mart.

Beauty Bar and Rialto 7/7/2011 PHOTOS and GOSSIP

Portland was chilly, but the crowd at Beauty Bar was WARM! Beauty Bar was truly gorgeous last night. Hostess Katie Brien (who has a WU-TANG TATTOO!) was looking cool on a chilly night of comedy. That pirate shirt is cute, and less obnoxious than your average graphic tee.

Taylor Blare and Becky Waits were all over each other! Rumors have been flying about Taylor’s marriage to local MADMAN Shawn Fleek. Shawn (not pictured) was wearing his too-tight pants again, and he and Taylor barely spoke. There could be trouble at the couple’s bungalow off NE Sandy! Taylor rocks the good girl / bad girl thing, with a cute and simple summertime look while she cheats on her husband in front of him! Becky says “I really love this necklace,” a solid-metal Puma that further mystifies people trying to place Becky’s exotic heritage.

Is there anything not to love about Danny Felts? He is the only genuine hipster. All hipsters are copying their style from him. And for Danny, it works. For everyone else: do not dress like this. This style is taken, and it’s being used the right way. God you’re such a jerk for trying to dress like Danny Felts. Just stop it.

Now we get to the “DON’T”s of Beauty Bar! Here’s a great example of “staring off into space when you should be binge drinking,” which is a real problem some of the newer comedians have. Zach Cole is funny, it’s true, but when he’s not on stage (or his MEDICATION!) he can get a little CRAZY! Sources close to Zach say he’s got problems relating to people, has a lack of attention span, requires drugging, and wants to have sex without attachment. In other words, Zach is a HUMAN FUCKING BEING. Total DON’T! The rumors about Zach’s medication and POSSIBLE MENTAL CONDITIONS will never stop!

Perpetual DON’T turned Recovering Juggalo Kyle Harbert is back with his rock-and-roll look, despite the fact that rock has been dead since 1997. Kyle has a bad-boy attitude, and presumably a bad-boy’s taste in music. He has a great new joke about how his love of metal is just as indefensible as other people’s love of religion. And he somehow knows who Barack Obama is, despite the fact that sources say Kyle DOESN’T VOTE!. Kyle’s political comedy had people laughing last night. Then off stage he revealed “It’s just that I feel a little bit better than all these people.” Surprisingly it isn’t Kyle’s outfit that lands him a DON’T, it’s his smug self-superiority and his non-participation in politics, despite constantly talking about politics. That’s not cool!

After Beauty Bar, DressedFunny got insider access to the VIP after-party, in the Jack London lounge at the Rialto! Free drinks kept on coming, and local heart-throbs Ian Karmel and Ron Funches were overheard discussing their new video series, Karmel and Funch Do Lunch. Buzz is flying, and rumor has it that the next episode is going to be EXPLOSIVE, just as soon as the (undisclosed) restaurant’s owner realizes how great Ron and Ian are as sponsors! If you own a restaurant and you DON’T help Ron and Ian promote your business, you are fail and a total DON’T.

One final “DON’T” was the ever-slovenly Richie Stratton, who looked absolutely TERRIBLE in this Blazer-and-Dad-Jeans combo. It’s not cool to go out in public looking BLURRY, either, so it’s no wonder his date dumped a drink in his lap, and then STORMED OUT! Scandalous!

Drew Anderson: Practical

I recently had a chance to ask a few questions of MoHDI founder Drew Anderson, a comedian, interviewer and artist whose personal style is, in his own words, “Practical.”

“I like wearing practical shoes and practical pants,” Drew says. “And I love pockets. Pockets you can put things into.” He mentions a pair of Blundstone boots which he really adores, then rants for five minutes on the usefulness, the practicality, of pockets.

I ask him what article of clothing he can’t live without. “It might be the boots. I don’t leave home without sunglasses.” Drew also rarely leaves home without his backpack, which would indicate that perhaps all these pockets are just for show.

Drew is happiest getting dressed during the Summer, “because I don’t have to put on a lot of clothes.” Presumably he will still have an appropriate number of pockets, despite the heat.

Now, to the relevant questions. “Before a comic says a single word on stage, what makes them look good?” Drew seems puzzled, like I asked him what water minus dogs was. “It depends. That’s a weird question because I see a comedian dress a certain way and expect a certain type of comedy.” The usual expectations for how to dress well are different for comedians.

“Once I wore a suit on stage, I looked nice but all my jokes are about being poor, and I wasn’t as funny. I don’t think they related to me.” He then realizes he hasn’t quite answered the question, what good comedians look like. “Comedians should have a good shirt, nice posture, and a good haircut.”

“I went out like a slob a lot. But when I wore the suit, that was the worst because the audience didn’t relate with me, even though I was dressed what most people would consider ‘well.’ You want the audience to relate to you, and when you wear the right clothes so they can, they’ll create a character for you in their head, which can really help your routine out.” Or hurt your routine, as the case may be.