Speaker 1: 0:00
One minute, okay, hi everyone. We're back on the Dear Brittany podcast. I have my sidekick here, nikki Steele, hi, and we have an amazing guest, nick Portello, who is an amazing fashion designer in New York. He's going to be teaching us about the Gen Z slang and New York fashion and really he's also going to be educating our girl, nikki here.

Speaker 3: 0:24
I need an education. I'm Gen X and I need Gen Z to educate me and I'm very excited it's my honor.

Speaker 2: 0:32
Thank you, guys, so much for having me Grilled to have you.

Speaker 1: 0:35
Thank you for coming. So let's start off with having you share a little bit about your background and what inspired you to be in the fashion industry.

Speaker 2: 0:44
Sure, well, I grew up on Long Island and growing up on Long Island, even though it's so close to New York City in physical distance, I feel like culturally it's very far apart and I feel like it's a bit more of a buttoned up area.

Speaker 2: 0:55
You know, I don't know if any listeners from Long Island can relate to this but growing up, I feel like I wasn't always able to express myself and wear the clothes that I wanted to wear, just because I was so afraid of what other people would think. So when I grew up and started working in the city and going to events in the city and really building a network in New York, I found that I met so many people who were so invested in fashion and who were so open and just willing to wear whatever they want and not really care what anyone else thought of them, and that was so inspiring to me. So during the pandemic, I really used all this free time to try and learn how to sew and really have my sewing machine right here and really, um, wow, put the pedals to the metal, I guess and just really make outfits that I love so did you just start sewing?

Speaker 3: 1:37
you just went into it and went this is what I'm gonna do. Did you have any education on it? Did you try to like, like you know, YouTube, read books, see things that you could possibly pattern?

Speaker 2: 1:48
out. Yes, this is actually my second attempt at really learning how to sew. So when I was a little kid I saw Project Runway and it really just like blew my mind the fact that you could make something from nothing like that. But I must have been like nine or ten when I watched it, so I didn't quite have the patience to really commit to it. So when I was forced into quarantine, like everyone, I dusted off my sewing machine and got to work. But I don't have any formal education.

Speaker 3: 2:14
I'm actually a business major wow, okay, so this was a big jump definitely but I mean I love that you have the business background to aid you in your next you know, uh, projects and and um and endeavors, yeah, so I'm curious I want to know what the new york fashion is.

Speaker 1: 2:31
Because we're from canada, we're from toronto, we go to new york a lot, but I feel like new york is always like everyone has their own style, their own uniqueness. So like what would you say? Is that New York trend right now?

Speaker 2: 2:44
The style yeah, well, I think the beauty of the city is that there's so many different areas, so obviously the Upper East Side is not going to have the same fashion as Bushwick in Brooklyn, for example. So I think that the beauty of the city is really finding your area that you're either from or you're in, or that you just kind of gravitate towards and really adopting that style. For example, if you think of Paris, maybe you think of more like buttoned up and like really chic and professional. New York is not necessarily like that. Everyone has their own thing going on. So I think I feel like it's kind of like a cop-out answer, but it really is. Whatever you want to wear, I think I'm seeing a lot of like distressed things, a lot of cool streetwear. I think New York is really known for our streetwear love, colors and love to catch people's eye. Because there's so many people walking around. You really just want to get someone's attention with your outfit.

Speaker 3: 3:33
Well, would you say that it's more of a funky vibe, like right in the city in Manhattan. Would you say that, people? I just I find that when I'm seeing New Yorkers walk down the street in Manhattan and I've been there a couple times in the last year you know, just putting a feather right here or you know some sort of pin in my hair that's got some big sparkle on it, just gives an extra statement to my whole outfit. And I also find that if I just throw a pair of boots on that I would never put with that outfit, it's almost like saying yeah, hey, I do what I want.

Speaker 3: 4:05
Exactly, and that's how you create your own style right.

Speaker 2: 4:13
It's so much fun, it's so liberating and it's so fun when you finally like really start to figure it out. I feel like it takes a while to really really finesse it, but it is so much fun. I love that example.

Speaker 3: 4:19
I also saw somebody that wore two different earrings.

Speaker 2: 4:21
I'll never forget that that's different, but really different.

Speaker 3: 4:23
Like there was one that was just, but it was the same color as the outfit, the same genre of color, and I liked that. I was like, okay, you know, getting really out there Totally.

Speaker 1: 4:33
That's crazy. I don't think I would wear two different earrings. So I have a very like I don't know what you would call me, but like I'm out for like an interview or something I'll be in like a nice suit, like a matching set or like jeans and a t-shirt, like a t-shirt. I'm not like the fancy, funky vibe. So what do you call? What would you call me right now? You'd call me like. What would this be?

Speaker 2: 4:55
I love what you're wearing. I love this top. I think it's so cute.

Speaker 3: 4:58
First of all, but, just like, just casual chic, you know like she is casual chic and she always looks dynamite always, I never know what outfits to put together, like I don't know what to do but you always put yourself together very well yes, that's what matters, and it's so fun to just kind of experiment.

Speaker 2: 5:16
It definitely takes some time and it's a bit awkward when you want to wear something exciting and you're like, oh, I don't know if this is really for me. But then once you step out and just kind of embrace that feeling, it is just there's nothing like it for me.

Speaker 3: 5:27
I have to tell you, I agree, because my sister once said to me we walked into a store and I said I like this. I like I don't wear that. She goes, you know you have too many rules. And I said you know what? I think you're right, I have too many rules. What do I need to do? She goes out of that, pick something completely off distance of what you thought you would be choosing and wear it. And I have to tell you I've really done that and and it's um, it is, it's liberating a little bit because you always say, oh, this won't fit me, Like you know, fit my body type, or this won't look good on me, on this color. You know what I? I I've, um, I disagree. Now I'm getting more out there with my choices.

Speaker 2: 6:05
Oh, I love that.

Speaker 3: 6:06
Yeah, yeah, it's good.

Speaker 1: 6:08
Nikki is more like the funky one. And she's not from a Gen Z, and I'm more like the mother kind. I'm like I'm in my jeans, my t-shirt. She has these colors all the time popping. Everyone knows who she is, it's so funny, I like to make a statement.

Speaker 4: 6:27
I like to make a statement, I like to walk into the room, you know.

Speaker 1: 6:28
Oh, yes, Can you tell us about what sparked your interest in fashion? I know you said a little bit before, but what made you realize, hey, I want to do fashion.

Speaker 4: 6:42
This is my calling this is me this is what I need.

Speaker 2: 6:44
Yeah, so honestly, honestly, I do credit some of it to tv and culture, like project runway, just watching these people make something out of nothing, like I said, but that's only such a small part of it. I think once I actually started to do it and really just saw that I can really make anything that I want, I think the game was really changed for me. Um, it just is so exciting and I love going to events in the city. I'm really trying to meet more people, always trying to meet more people in the city. That's part of the reason why it's such a great place to live and a great place to work in.

Speaker 2: 7:14
Um, but I like to now dress for events. So, for example, I went to one for a new show on fx called grotesquer yesterday, the other day, and I wore this like gothic inspired outfit. It was like a corset that my friend in Milan made and just like this all black. It was really, really different for me, but it was so exciting and I think just dressing for events, just dressing for the sake of dressing up there, doesn't have to always be a reason, just to look good. It just changes your whole demeanor.

Speaker 3: 7:39
I'm gonna, I'm gonna make dinner tonight and I'm going to go upstairs and find something funky in my closet and sexy, and I'm going to make shit cool. I'm going to make shit cool. Send me a picture. Done, done. I'm thinking it through already.

Speaker 1: 7:52
Well, I'm going to do that same thing not make dinner, because I'm not good but I'm going to message Nick and I'm going to say, nick, help me out here. Yeah. Put it all together and I'm going to say this is my closet. What should I wear right now? Oh, yes, Now. Nick is one of your best friends. Nick, you're our best friend.

Speaker 3: 8:06
Nick, I almost put it for you because you're going to be called upon to give opinions and information to us about how we should, you know, put ourselves together and smooth it all down.

Speaker 2: 8:18
Oh, that's the best job ever. I'm excited, Nick. What do I wear?

Speaker 1: 8:20
Nick, what do I wear? Nick? I'm going out tonight. Nick, I have an interview. What do I wear?

Speaker 3: 8:25
I hope you don't mind me running around in my bra and underwear. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:31
That is funny. That's friendship goals there.

Speaker 4: 8:33
That's right.

Speaker 1: 8:35
Okay. So I want to talk about the Gen Z sling. I'm Gen Z. Yes, we were talking about it before. I made a little video it was kind of funny where I was like testing Nikki and like asking her what does bet mean, and she gave me the wrong answer. Yeah, I'll tell you what answer she gave me. So there's a quiz, okay. Okay, oh, I'm so excited Me and Nick are going to go quiz Nikki right now.

Speaker 3: 8:57
Yeah, you should quiz me. Let's see what I know I.

Speaker 1: 9:00
I'm not that dense Like I do have some of it, so let's go Okay but right, a a type, a wager, b an expression of agreement, or C a compliment.

Speaker 3: 9:13
So I said a wager the answer is an expression of an agreement. So I would not know that.

Speaker 1: 9:20
So okay, nick, do you like this outfit? He says Bet, bet, so Nick do you like this outfit?

Speaker 2: 9:28
He says that that right, yeah, that's perfect. That that, like it's done.

Speaker 3: 9:32
I want to tell you I'm going to start using these words and my older son, who's 21,. He will get it more than the 13 year old Right, or will they both get it?

Speaker 2: 9:46
But now there's the gen alpha too. Now gen alpha is coming up.

Speaker 4: 9:49
I don't know if 13 is gen alpha, but wow, so I'm really finished okay next, next, okay, cap slash no.

Speaker 1: 9:56
Cap a to lie or not lying. B to wear a hat no hat C to leave, slash stay. What does cap no cap mean?

Speaker 3: 10:11
I'm going to say the third one, to leave stay. I'm trying to pick what I think is going to work now, because now I know that I'm wrong, Nick.

Speaker 1: 10:22
what would it be in a sentence right now?

Speaker 2: 10:24
For cap. So like, let's say I'm having a great time in this interview. Like no cap, like I'm just To A.

Speaker 3: 10:33
Okay so.

Speaker 4: 10:34
I was really wrong.

Speaker 3: 10:35
Or it's like To like or not like. Yeah, is that what it said To like or not.

Speaker 2: 10:38
No, no to lie To lie or yeah, okay, okay, like you're capping If you lie.

Speaker 1: 10:43
No cap. I'm cap, I'm I. You're no cap.

Speaker 3: 10:48
Ah, got it. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 10:52
Okay, next one Flex a to show off, b to exercise, c to bend.

Speaker 3: 10:59
To show off hey.

Speaker 4: 11:01
Hey.

Speaker 3: 11:06
I hope there's going to be prizes for this. I need prizes.

Speaker 1: 11:10
Ready for this one?

Speaker 3: 11:11
Yeah, lit Lit.

Speaker 4: 11:13
Okay.

Speaker 1: 11:13
A. Bright, b. Exciting or excitement or excellent C Drunk.

Speaker 3: 11:21
B, is that right?

Speaker 4: 11:25
No Lit To show off oh oh no, wait, wrong one I'm on this?

Speaker 1: 11:30
no, no, no, I'm on the wrong thing. Exciting or excitement?

Speaker 2: 11:33
I've read yes, I knew it. This podcast is lit like this is lit.

Speaker 3: 11:38
A really good time. This is lit lit or like, or.

Speaker 1: 11:42
Or. You could say when you are drunk, like I'm lit right now I'm lit.

Speaker 2: 11:45
I was gonna say I've heard that too.

Speaker 1: 11:47
Yeah it kind of was similar, but it's more like I'm lit because I'm drunk I'm lit I'm lit because this podcast is great. I'm lit because I love my new best friend, nick, who is in our podcast yes okay, he's the best ready. T t okay. Or news b a beverage c, a type of plant a all the way I'm actually having so much fun right now what was that face?

Speaker 3: 12:23
right now I don't know. This just comes out excitement, I'm doing well this is nikki steel, everyone.

Speaker 1: 12:29
Okay, vibe, check. A physical examination be an assessment of someone's mood. Someone's mood or atmosphere. See a musical performance is it? B I think so, yes, right I've never heard this one, though, so what you never heard that no, vibe check and this is a hint of someone's mood or atmosphere.

Speaker 3: 12:55
Oh, yeah like v, like what's your vibe? Are you okay?

Speaker 2: 12:59
like yeah, give me a vibe check, give me a vibe check it is because it's like, oh, his vibe is off right now.

Speaker 1: 13:05
I'm not liking that vibe right now.

Speaker 3: 13:06
Exactly, nick's vibe is on with us.

Speaker 1: 13:09
Thank you. Another one fire. Emoji Fire, but it's fire.

Speaker 3: 13:15
F-Y-R-E fire. Yeah, Is that right? No, I just made that up.

Speaker 2: 13:21
That was the festival.

Speaker 3: 13:23
That's right, she's getting it.

Speaker 1: 13:25
So there's another one, which I don't even know how to pronounce the word Simp, simp. What the hell is that?

Speaker 3: 13:30
Oh, simp, okay so do you want to know what I thought simp means, though? What is it? Do you want to know what I thought simp?

Speaker 2: 13:38
means.

Speaker 3: 13:39
Yes, let I had what I know a simp is. It could be either the gimp or the simp is a third person in a sexual triangle that has their face covered all the way to their toes with leather and they're being held by their head by a chain from the ceiling and they're like there to watch what's going on. They're the simp or the gimp. This is what I've been. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I think I do. You know what I mean. And they got the eyes and they only allow the mouth open in one eye.

Speaker 2: 14:21
You're painting a very vivid picture for me.

Speaker 3: 14:24
That's where my mind goes. I'm a Scorpio, I'm a Scorpio.

Speaker 2: 14:28
Simp is not as wild as that may be. If you're a simp, you're kind of just like. You're kind of like a bit weak when it comes to love. Let's say Like if I find someone who I really like, I'm simping for them, like I'm going to buy them flowers on the first date.

Speaker 1: 14:43
Okay Gotcha. Or is it like kind of like when people say to a guy like you're, you know, a wimp?

Speaker 2: 14:49
Yeah, kind of like that. I want to say the words.

Speaker 3: 14:56
It's like a little bit more like I'm going to say it Ready Pussy, pussy, they're a pussy, okay.

Speaker 2: 15:03
Pussy pussy. It's not necessarily like that. It could be like a little bit like that, like it's close. So it's half a pussy. Yeah, like you're just kind of like you need to get up a little bit, like you need to stop doing the most for this person Get a backbone.

Speaker 1: 15:19
Get a backbone. This is so funny right now.

Speaker 3: 15:21
Gotcha. I'm having a lot of fun time, gotcha, okay.

Speaker 1: 15:24
Okay, this is one I love because I used to always say this he's ghosting me right now. So ghosting A playing a prank. B cutting off communication suddenly. C attending a party uninvited.

Speaker 3: 15:37
b cutting off communication because that person just ghosts you after you slept with that person that's so bad, so bad just got ghosted just got ghosted that feels like shit, the worst, even with friendship, uh, entertainment everything that can happen where you ghost somebody. I mean it's pretty harsh. It's like okay. It's harsh Grow up.

Speaker 2: 16:02
Use your words, communicate Exactly.

Speaker 3: 16:05
I'll tell you a story. Maybe it doesn't work out. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 16:08
Yeah, I just got ghosted the other day. I was supposed to make plans with this guy to go on a date and we were going to meet somewhere in the city. Like I said, oh, maybe we can go to koreatown, and he didn't respond to me all day. After we've been talking for like two weeks and pretty much, uh, I just went home because he never responded to me. So then at night I said what happened and he said I never got around to replying isn't that so bad?

Speaker 1: 16:34
that is the most sickish move you can ever do so rude, like he an adult. I'm sorry, but he should be so happy. He's with Nick, who's a fashion designer and, like, has a cool career and you're a boss, you're a boss.

Speaker 2: 16:48
Thank you.

Speaker 1: 16:49
You know what? Give me his number, I'm going to call him.

Speaker 3: 16:52
You know what. I'll tell you something. You have a very special light around you. You're very, very you have an energy and a and a glow about you and anyone that's with you, dating you or gets to hang out and be with you and spend time with you should be honored. And you want to know something. That guy's never really going to find anything because you know what he had it and he let it go. So you know what Bye-bye Period. He did you a favor.

Speaker 2: 17:17
Bye, thank you. That's another Gen Z slang Period.

Speaker 3: 17:20
Yeah, period Period Period.

Speaker 2: 17:24
Thank you.

Speaker 1: 17:25
Okay, we have one more on this quiz.

Speaker 2: 17:27
Okay.
Speaker 1: 17:28
Woke.
Speaker 2: 17:29
Ooh.
Speaker 1: 17:30
You wake up B being aware of social injustice.

Speaker 3: 17:37
C feeling tired. It's B being aware of social injustice. Yeah, it is Definitely I find that woke people are aware of social injustice, but they're not truly aware of what the social injustice is.

Speaker 1: 17:49
Oh, You're telling us off. I got to say I think our generation is smart, we're brave, we're bright. We have gone through so much in our world. We have are evolving we are. We are aware because we have social media. We're seeing out there. Whether we're talking about politics right now, we're talking about who we are as individuals. We're all coming out to be who we are, and that is brave, and I think our generation is woke it is.

Speaker 2: 18:17
I agree. I agree with you.

Speaker 1: 18:18
People are loving who they want to love. People are wearing what they want to wear. People are being who they are and which I love.

Speaker 3: 18:24
I love that that I love. I love that more than anything ever. I, I am, I, I, um, I really truly feel that, um, what I've seen over the years of change in my own generation is just a lot more openness and an understanding of humanity, of what humanity can do, not just what we think should be done and what you're told that should have been done. It's how we embrace the newness and the openness of everything. I love that I do. I feel good telling my children that I want you to be happy, I want you to make choices that make you happy, and I'm here to support that. So it's uh, it's good all around. I do believe that it's made a big change in all of your lives, very well said Thank you and you killed it.

Speaker 2: 19:11
You got a lot of Gen Z slang right. I to say I do, You're pretty well.

Speaker 3: 19:15
I've got to teach you guys something from my generation.

Speaker 4: 19:18
Okay, teach us now. Okay, besides GIMP.

Speaker 3: 19:20
There's something besides GIMP and simp, and whatever.

Speaker 4: 19:23
Whatever that was.

Speaker 1: 19:23
That was a lot. You know the sex guy hanging from the ceiling. Wait, that was a moment where we would say TMI, TMI.

Speaker 3: 19:40
TMI, I was at a party and it was a mixed generation party and my friend is a smoker. And I looked at my friend and she said you know, when do you want to leave? I said I don't know. You know, button bail. She goes, button bail, what? What does that mean? I? Don't know that have a butt and then we bail. Oh, butt and bail, butt and bail butt and bail.

Speaker 3: 19:57
I'm gonna have to start using that oh, if somebody says you know what time it's? Um, it's about 12, 30, one o'clock. We do you want to get going soon? You know what? Not yet, but butt and bail, and they'll know what that means oh wow, I'm excited to use that.

Speaker 1: 20:12
That's fun watch that be a thing in a few months now, because nick's in new york and it's like a lot of gen z that's right he's gonna start trending, making that trend and everyone's like we're gonna see on social media butt and bail butt and bail.

Speaker 2: 20:25
It's the new demure I'm introducing it.

Speaker 3: 20:30
I'm introducing it, bringing it back, I'm bringing it all yes it all comes back. Don't ever give away your clothes. Put it in a big tupperware thing in the basement, bringing it all. Yes, it all comes back. Don't ever give away your clothes. Put it in a big Tupperware thing in the basement, because it all comes back and then you end up putting like a new cool pin on it or something and it's better, yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:46
What would you say were trends that were from back in the day that came back now. Is it like the flare jeans, you would say.

Speaker 2: 20:54
Oh yeah, I think flare jeans are 100. Also the jinko jeans. Uh, jinko jeans are huge right now in the city what is that? Oh, okay, honestly I don't wear them. But they're just massive, massive jeans like they are like just so big and so poofy, like it.

Speaker 3: 21:13
Really, it really just plays with proportions yeah you've got some great jeans they're from zara but she's. He's talking about the ones that are like elephant all the way down like oh, they're a statement, they're a statement they're a statement, right yes but too much for britney's classic chic.

Speaker 1: 21:33
Look right, that's too much for me, is it yeah? I don't know you could rock them.

Speaker 3: 21:38
Yes, I was going to say she could pull them off.

Speaker 2: 21:41
Totally.

Speaker 3: 21:41
I think she could pull off just about anything. No 100%. No, see Too many rules, see I can't.

Speaker 1: 21:50
I can't wear nude colors because I'm really light. I can't. I like black. It makes me look slimmer. I would love to wear more colors, though, so maybe I'm going to try to wear more colors, yeah that would be so fun. Or like I wore like a nice bright pink suit. It was like a jacket and like pants. That was nice.

Speaker 3: 22:08
You would look great in a full colored green suit Stunning. You would look stunning, do you?

Speaker 1: 22:14
think I look good in orange.

Speaker 2: 22:16
No, ooh, colored green suit stunning, you look stunning. They can look good in orange.

Speaker 3: 22:17
No, oh, try it, try it, that's so fun, I think you should and we and we shouldn't really be saying that we don't look good in something, we should just try it. I mean, we, like I said, I broke out of my color, you know palette of what I've always gone with and now I'm starting to realize that I I feel good in different colors. It's very, very liberating.

Speaker 2: 22:38
Oh, that's awesome. Wait, I want to ask you, nikki so like I thought that question was initially for you Like what, what fashion trends from when you were a youth, like would you love to see come back?

Speaker 3: 22:48
Let's see. I would love to see leg warmers. Okay, I think I could see that A different kind, like a different look, maybe more bulky, even heavier than they were, Cause they were kind of more slim but bunched. And if they were, if they more like poof, because if you, let's say, in the fall you put a boot on and then you put the leg warmer and then it goes up to the knee Like it'll give a whole different look to the boot and the jeep or the. I think that would look great leg warmers.

Speaker 1: 23:22
I remember that. I think maybe I was too young, maybe I didn't wear that I you know what.

Speaker 3: 23:27
That's very cute. I'm gonna go in the basement and dig them up and then I'm gonna throw a whole bunch on her.

Speaker 1: 23:32
Oh my god, that'd be amazing take a picture and and then we can post it, yeah and then nick will be able to see.

Speaker 4: 23:38
Nick will see it.

Speaker 3: 23:38
Oh yes, yeah, I also I, I also really, really liked um, I did like the fluorescent time. It was very happy. Fluorescent time was happy. Everything was fluorescent, fluorescent, green, fluorescent pink, yellow, purple, like fluorescent, like fluorescent. And I want to tell you, when you saw people walking down the street with these fluorescent colors, it's happy time.

Speaker 4: 24:01
Like my mother would say, listen you got to put stuff on your body that makes you happy every day. Let me show you Does this make you happy? Okay, so that's what you should be wearing.

Speaker 2: 24:15
Sounds like a style icon. That's what you pick be wearing. That's like a style icon that's what you pick out.

Speaker 4: 24:18
You pick out happy clothes, wow I love that be happy you gotta be happy that's

Speaker 3: 24:24
right, happy. I think we need a lot of happy these days, so any way we can get the happy, I'm grabbing it. You're gonna see me with finger cut off gloves that are electric.

Speaker 1: 24:35
Oh, my I'm ready. That is crazy. This one is a ball of light. She will wear what she wants. I admire that. I'm like. I love that. I love that. I want to talk a little bit more about New York. I want to talk about New York and how it shapes like our global fashion trends right now. How has New York shaped what's shapes like our global fashion trends right now? How has New York shaped what's in style these days?

Speaker 2: 25:01
Yeah, well, the beauty of New York is that there is just so much going on and I'm actually trying to be a tour guide in the city. That's something I'm really working towards. So part of that is just kind of taking in all of the different cultures of the city. So, first of all, you have all these cultures, so an international perspective is in the city and that definitely shapes what people wear, whether it be more modest pieces that are like styled to be a bit more exciting and more updated, or just something that's like a nod to your culture is so much fun. But besides, like ethnic culture, we also have just like pop culture, which is such a big thing in the city. So there's Broadway.

Speaker 2: 25:36
We also have just like pop culture, which is such a big thing in the city. So there's Broadway, which is such a huge shaper for fashion. And also drag. That's something that really inspired me. I haven't done drag, but just watching it on TV and having friends who are in the drag scene. They are the people who epitomize wearing whatever you want to wear. So just taking an ounce of their confidence really inspired me.

Speaker 2: 25:56
And I think they inspire New York as well in their fashion.

Speaker 3: 25:59
Yeah, they come out with some great styles, funky wear and different ways to wear things. And it's interesting, I actually just went to a drag show because my friend's 50th birthday. She had a drag club here called El Covento Rico. Can I get my dog? Sure, sure, the doggy wants to come out. Okay, we're going to get him, uh, get her, um yeah, and they came out and I was just blown away. They had areas of their hair that was crimped. That was from the eighties, crimping with the crimping iron.

Speaker 3: 26:31
He actually have crimpers now that are big, but the crimping iron was small before. This is charlie hi, charlie, whoever.

Speaker 1: 26:40
Whoever's listening. Right now I have a dog on my lap. Her name is charlie and she looks like a little cub. She's brown underbite and nikki calls this.

Speaker 3: 26:49
I call that a class three occlusion nikki calls this a conclusion of her underbite. I used to be a dental professional, so I do know what I'm talking about.

Speaker 2: 26:58
Oh, that's like the actual condition she loves everyone. Aw, she's adorable, she's a good girl, she's literally a girl.

Speaker 1: 27:06
What were you saying? I was just saying that.

Speaker 3: 27:07
I went to the El Cavento, rico, for a friend's birthday party and all the drag queens came out and some of them had such great newness to old styles, like the the crimper, the small crimper but again, I just said the big crimpers, what, what's in style today? But she, she had it out. It looked great, it was everywhere. It was all different kinds of hair and and, oh, the little pieces that they put in those um feathers and everything and different ways to wear, wear, uh, jewelry. It's I. I saw different things. They put a bangle on right on the ear, like different things that I've never, thought of yeah so what about?

Speaker 1: 27:44
okay, so we talked about fashion, we talked about clothes. What about like hairstyle? Like for men, for females, like what are? What are the hair styles now? Like I don't know if that's like, more like a like it's a fashion thing. Still like having your hair styled. Is it fashion? I'm assuming?

Speaker 2: 27:58
I mean, it's all you know. It's all in a similar vein. I don't know too much about hairstyles, because I've had the same hairstyle my whole life. Really, just this little short hair. But I will say like both of your hairstyles are so gorgeous.

Speaker 3: 28:12
Your hairstyle suits you beautifully. Oh, thank you. Your whole face, I love it, it's beautiful. Thank you, fire, good one Y-R-E.

Speaker 2: 28:23
Fire. I would say that, like the Sabrina Carpenter blowout, is super popular.

Speaker 1: 28:29
Wow, I'm trying to figure out how to do that, but I don't know if I did it properly.

Speaker 2: 28:32
Oh your hair. No, your hair looks amazing, it looks bomb, that's another gen z slang.

Speaker 1: 28:39
It looks bomb right now. Look at charlie oh he's happy whoever is listening to this and not seeing this video. My dog is literally lying like on my breast right now and I feel like I'm hurt in my my she's your baby, she's my baby. This is my baby, like that's your baby girl so adorable.

Speaker 1: 28:57
Okay, so we've talked about New York, we talked about Gen Z slang. Let's talk more about you and what your goals are and what you're up to and what your next steps are in your life right now, where you've been. You said you worked in fashion shows, right?

Speaker 2: 29:13
Yeah, that's right. So I kind of am a little bit all over the place, I have to admit. So I've had such a long career already and like different internships, just like putting my hand in different pots. I worked in lots of marketing internships and PR and events as well, and fashion. So I got to work for them last year for their um spring summer 24 collection and they love sparkle, they love shine, they love jewels, they love glamour. All the shoes were Louboutins. Wow, I'd love to share a story from that. I got to work with um Dylan Mulvaney, if you know her, the influencer, and she was such a delight to work with uh, as well as gg gorgeous and dominique jackson, so we're all working together on the show. And when they came in for the fitting, I was I was a bit starstruck but I tried to like play a cool face, you know, um you just have to remember.

Speaker 3: 30:09
They are human beings, just like us 100.

Speaker 2: 30:14
But, um, when we were fitting d Dylan's shoe, the Louboutins are so hard to walk in, so it's not her fault at all. She was a beautiful model, but without any training I mean, you have to like really practice with those shoes so I was like trying so hard to like get the strap to go on and we were like doing anything we could and it was like a fashion emergency, so to speak, and she was like filming us like fashion emergency, fashion emergency. And we got it to work and she looked so beautiful.

Speaker 3: 30:52
But it's those last minute stories that always like give you that adrenaline. You know you definitely feel after getting that together after an emergency like that, that you conquered the show and you were there for the emergency, so everything was going well. Then there's emergency and you conquered the emergency too. So now that was the the height of what you could have actually achieved at a show.

Speaker 4: 31:15
Yeah.

Speaker 3: 31:15
Fashion emergency Louboutins are a fortune. They're like $1,000 to $1,500. They should not be breaking. And I met Gigi Gorgeous, gigi.

Speaker 2: 31:24
Gorgeous Canadian right.

Speaker 3: 31:26
She was here and she was on the Marilyn Dennis show, who I know very well, and I was down at the show and I met her there and she was phenomenal, just I mean striking beauty breathtaking in person, just wow yeah unreal.

Speaker 2: 31:44
Yeah, it was so much fun. And then now I would say I'm really just trying to keep building my network in the city. I love going to events so anytime there's an event, I will make an outfit for it, I will get all dressed up and I will go and like film content for it. I'm really trying to get on the content creation grind and I'm having a lot of fun just meeting new people and just kind of being in the city Enjoying.

Speaker 3: 32:06
Enjoying, yeah, following the path. That's what it is.

Speaker 1: 32:09
I love that. I love that you're networking and you're, you know, using your passions and your inspirations to do something with your life. I just want to go back a second, because I'm still thinking about this fashion crisis. I don't understand how people can wear heels like that.

Speaker 3: 32:22
I know it's from the car to the house, house to the car. Exactly, it's from the car to the restaurant, restaurant to the car. It's it's. You're not walking and shopping in Louboutins, you're just no this is for pictures. It's for the bedroom. It's for the restaurant. The bedroom. It's for the bedroom.

Speaker 4: 32:40
I don't know what's going on in the bedroom here and nothing else Just the Louboutins.

Speaker 2: 32:46
That's insane.

Speaker 3: 32:48
I have great ideas.

Speaker 1: 32:50
What. I love great ideas, it's okay. So I have another cool thing to say cool thing is what's next for Gen Z fashion? What's next for our future trends? We always are evolving and growing as people, but fashion too. What do you think is next?

Speaker 2: 33:03
Yes. So I think I would love to take this opportunity to call out micro trends. I think micro trends are a big. They're actually a bit of a problem, I would say, in the fashion industry right now, because pretty much what's happening is these trends are blowing up on TikTok and people are copying them and they're buying fast fashion to copy them and achieve this look, and then, as soon as the next micro trend rolls around the next week, they kind of just leave the clothes in the closet and it's not, it's not sustainable at all and it's just not practical.

Speaker 2: 33:31
Um, so I would love to see a future where we wear more sustainable pieces and we invest in pieces that may be a little bit more expensive, but they're you know, they're built to last and they'll last for seasons to come, instead of just hopping on micro trends. And I'd also just love to see people embracing their own individual style instead of adapting to these trends. I think, once we see that we can be continually inspired by other people's looks instead of just by the influencer of the month, that's really my dream for the fashion industry what is an example of a micro trend?

Speaker 2: 34:01
so, uh, maybe you saw a couple months back the mob wife aesthetic so um as an italian, american.

Speaker 2: 34:08
I don't know how I feel about this aesthetic, but I actually do like it secretly. But it's like a lot of china and leopard leopard and like big glasses, big glass, definitely big glasses, lots of jewelry. And I think it's okay to have these pieces and I think if you already have them that's great. But to have them just for this and then just not really use them is kind of a bit strange to me and it's not good for the environment. So I think I don't know that. I think that's an example of micro trend, but there's so many on TikTok yeah, I, I do see that around.

Speaker 3: 34:40
Actually, I see little little my.

Speaker 1: 34:42
Now I understand, what that means so yeah, so you want like, you want, um, you want fashion to be history. You want people to keep it going for a bit so you can look back at the magazines back in the day like we used to and we were like that was a fashion trend in the 80s, the 40s, the 60s. We look back at our grandparents and our mother's generation and we're thinking, wow, that was a trend. But we don't really have a trend because it keeps switching because of social media. I never thought about that that is so well said.

Speaker 2: 35:10
That is so well said.

Speaker 3: 35:11
I totally agree with that that is well said what social media has done. From what I've seen and keep in mind, my generation was the last generation to be taught without computers, so we went from pagers to cell phones, to CDs, dvds, so we saw everything and, yes, social media is what's causing this. It's not what we had before. Definitely, definitely, yeah.

Speaker 1: 35:39
That is interesting. It's really interesting to think about that and think about, you know, making our generation understand that we should keep a trend. Yeah, absolutely I like that. I never thought of that. Okay, this has been an amazing conversation. I, before we end this, I would love, nick, for you to share where people can find you and also where they can. I don't know what I'm saying right now you're good.

Speaker 2: 36:07
You're good. No, I know what you're. I know you're saying um, we want your deets, yes. I would love to give my deets my deets, so I'm gonna re-ask that?

Speaker 1: 36:14
where can people find you? Where can people find your favorite fashion trends? Where can they find information on? Where can people find your favorite fashion trends? Where can they find information on you if they want you to style them? Or they want to work with you, yeah.

Speaker 2: 36:25
Please reach out to me on Instagram at Nick Portello N-I-C-K-P-O-R-T-E-L-L-O, and on TikTok at NickPortello1. I love talking to people about fashion, about New York City as well. Just, you know, my line is always open and I'm always open to collaborations. This has been so amazing. Thank you both so much. What a pleasure.

Speaker 3: 36:46
What a pleasure for us. I am thrilled to meet you and I'm just so honored to have spoken to you today. You sound very well read in everything you've done and it's been great. Thank you so much. Thank you both so much.

Speaker 1: 37:02
Thank you. It's been an honor meeting you and learning from you, and we're definitely going to be best friends and we're going to be best friends all the time now.

Speaker 1: 37:12
I think it's so important for our generation to learn about fashion and confidence and and what that means, and I, I really love what you're doing, what you stand for. So thank you and don't give up on that, because fashion is part of your soul and part of who you are, and keep it going, keep keep putting fashion out there and being you thank you very much.

Speaker 2: 37:31
This was so inspiring, and keep using this gen z slang too tonight it's all over at my house. Oh yeah, it's a wrap. It's a wrap.

Speaker 3: 37:40
I'm just going to go. I had a great day. It was lit. Did I use it well?

Speaker 2: 37:47
Use it perfectly.

Speaker 3: 37:48
Perfect Done. I'm very excited. Thanks so much for my education.

Speaker 2: 37:54
Our pleasure. That was good.

Speaker 1: 37:56
Thank you so much, Nick.

Speaker 2: 37:58
Of course.