My girlfriend, Rachel, went on a little bit of a shoe binge this week. She sent me links to boots via instant messenger, daydreaming about different versions of sneakers that were “murdered out” (i.e., entirely black). We eventually ended up at the Puma store after marching in the Prop. 8 protest all afternoon on Saturday. I suppose a new pair of sneakers is well deserved after walking through the Loop all day fighting for equal rights.

I am personally lusting after a new pair of Dansko shoes. They are so classic yet surprisingly versatile. I wasn’t really a believer that one of the top selling orthopedic brands could be both functional and fashionable, and I certainly didn’t want to be labeled as a stereotypical “comfortable shoe wearer,” if you catch my drift. My good friend Alicia, a Minnesota native and a queen of comfort, has rocked the Danskos in so many different ways that I am now fully convinced that they rule. They’re also surprisingly affordable for the caliber of quality.

My first love is boots. Oh my god, I love boots probably more than anything else that I wear. If I were playing that game where you get the question, “If you had to walk around naked all day with the exception of one article of clothing what would it be?” I would say — you guessed it — boots. Like a 3-year-old. I really, really want these:

The brand is called J Shoes, and they’re out of the UK. Unfortunately, you have to search for a distributor in the U.S. as their official website does not ship to the U.S., but they’re easy enough to find if you Google the brand name. They have lots of other great shoes in their autumn and winter collections by the by, so if you don’t share my enthusiasm for this particular knee-high pair of perfection, you should most definitely check out the rest of the J Shoes glory. My girlfriend actually wants the shorter, mid-calf version of said boots. (How gay are we?) … continue reading

Alexi's Closet goes mobile this week, as Alexi jets off to Memphis, Tenn. to visit family.

During her visit, she learns rather quickly just how different a small town in the South is, fashion-wise, compared to a big city like New York. And, before she leaves, she gives us a segment on packing made easy.

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

The weather has taken an absolute nose dive into full-on winter, and I haven’t been even trying to do anything other than layer stylishly and try my best to make all my “practical purposes” outerwear look a bit cuter. The thing about having to deal with such chilly weather seven to eight months out of the year is that it’s a real b---h to try and accomplish being attractive in it all — especially if the only thing on your mind is how to adapt to the frigid temperature.

Leg warmers made a huge comeback a few years ago, and they’re actually one of the few trends that I’ve clung to when the thermometer refuses to rise above 40 degrees. I wear tights a lot and, even for those of you who don’t, I think you’ll find that these little guys can be lifesavers. Whether the wind is whipping you as you wait for the bus or if the snow is knee-deep, leg warmers are easy to pull on and off, and they add an entire extra layer. They’re awesome if you throw them on top of your radiator a few minutes before you have to pull them on to brave the cold. They also dry out quickly, which is a huge plus.

My new favorite place to order leg warmers, socks and tights is Sockdreams.com. It’s amazing. I stumbled on it when piecing together my Rainbow Brite costume this year. They have a huge variety, they’re so reasonably priced, are privately and American owned and they don’t charge for shipping. My leg warmers came within three days of ordering them. … continue reading

This week, Alexi hits the streets of NYC to help us find ways to look great for less. She shows us that we don't have to wear designer clothing to look fashionable, by comparing designer items to much cheaper items that are almost identical.

She also gives us tips on where to go, and what brands to keep an eye out for.

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

This week, politics is quite simply making me obsess over power lesbian suits. All the best female politicians wear them, gay or straight. Really, every powerful female businesswoman I can recall has gallivanted around in them, and it’s a choice garment for any lady of authority. Women in suits have always been a force to reckon with.

Forgive my L Word reference, but there is no denying how Bette Porter brought the lady’s suit back. She took the strength of the power pants into new realms. With hippie and hopeful pregnant Tina on her arm, she cursed more, dominated more and curated the s--t out of that controversial Jesus show, and we all loved her for it. While her hair and choice of undergarments were arguably out of date, that was the last thing any of us had on our minds.

And Hillary Clinton may be married to Bill, but her strong feminist personality simply screams dominant femme. Sophisticated and age–appropriate, she always came off as a true class act. … continue reading

This week, Alexi talks about some of her favorite performers' onstage styles. She mentions bands, singers and comedians that have great fashion, and then uses them as inspiration for three outfits that she puts together.

Alexi also shows you how to put these looks together so that they are wearable off-stage.

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

Is everyone at ease in changing up their dress? Kim Stolz is sort of tripping me out. I have to be honest when I say I hadn’t even thought about the girl in ages and she happened to come up in a conversation, so I immediately Google-imaged her.

Wow — the change is nothing short of remarkable. It also made me wonder if she is being swayed by either MTV or her agents to make her appearance more “marketable." I, for one, was a huge fan of that pixie cut she used to sport. Not many people can pull that look off.

The whole thing was making my mind run. It also reminded me of when an ex of mine completely changed her style upon entering law school to make herself more feminine, and therefore a "more desirable" candidate when entering a law firm. It blew my mind the first time I saw her after she went from full-on "boi" to straight-up girl.

I myself went through a phase for about a month in college where I thought I needed to dress more boyishly and wear zero make up to feel and look more like a lesbian. … continue reading

Alexi goes it alone in this very special Halloween episode of Alexi & Eric's Closet. She puts together not one, not two, but four different Halloween costumes.

She also gives us tips on what costumes to stay away from, and shares some of her favorite ideas submitted by fans and friends.

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

I’ve been completely bombarded by impending nuptials this past week. What with all the rumors swirling around that Samantha and Lindsay have decided to tie the knot (does anyone have factual confirmation on this?) and my girlfriend’s sister announcing her engagement, there’s been a lot of talk about what to wear and when.

Weddings are meant to be personalized and special to the couple committing but it’s easy to make everyone involved highly uncomfortable simply based on what we’re expected to put on the day of the ceremony. As the civil right for all to marry is slowly trickling down through the states, we’re finally being taken seriously on our own “big day,” and we’re also dictating the wardrobe. It’s about time.

The spectrum of gender is large and multifaceted. Straight people look at this reality as being limiting when dressing for an occasion, but I look at it as having a lot of different options. Your fag-hag boy BFF could sport a dress coordinated to the rest of your bridal party just as easily as your older sister could.

I feel for my girlfriend, though — she’s going to be expected to wear some strapless number at the very least. This is most definitely outside of her realm of comfort and it’s an absolutely unwavering reality of her sister’s wedding day. Of course, she will do anything to make Danni happy, but I feel like she’s going to stand out even more by being forced to put on something that so clearly makes her feel awkward.

The thing I like about lesbian weddings, in particular, is that both ladies could decide to wear the lace number of their dreams or snappy tuxedos. Either selection wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow at a gay gala; it would merely inspire “oohs” and “ahhs” from our homosexual comrades. … continue reading

Fall officially arrives on this episode of Alexi & Eric's Closet. The two discuss their likes and dislikes about the descending temperatures, and talk about how New York is at its best this time of year.

Alexi shows off her elaborate coat collection, and interviews the biggest fashion influence in her life: her mom!

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

In this episode of the Hit List, Dara and Karman discuss fashion in music videos.

They judge the efforts of women like Cher, Missy Elliott, Annie Lennox, Alicia Keys, Cyndi Lauper, Gwen Stefani, P!nk, and Eve in categories like leather, hair, hats, tattoos, and ... garbage bags? "It's a legitimate category!" according to Dara. You be the judge.

Plus, they coin a new term: crog. See if you can guess in advance what it is.

Watch previous episode of Dara & Karman's Hit List, and visit Dara and Karman on MySpace at MySpace.com/KarmanKregloe and MySpace.com/bad_machine.

In this week's episode, Alexi and Eric tell you how to look great on a first date.

Whether it be flirty and cute, or sexy and chic, they each pick what would look the best for both guys and girls. They also discuss how to show off your best qualities in what you're wearing, and Alexi gives some makeup tips.

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

One of my biggest dilemmas, as of late, is which team colors to sport. My father has been feeling a bit forlorn with my decision to wear "scarlet and gray" for my girlfriend’s favorite college football team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Growing up, I faithfully supported the Wisconsin Badgers alongside my dad in my red and white apparel. It was much easier for me to dress back in the day.

I’m going to my first OSU game this weekend while also meeting my girlfriend’s family for the first time — you can surely understand that dilemma. In my quest to find the perfect outfit to debut myself to Rachel’s parents as well as “The Shoe,” I started worrying about all of you guys, too. I mean, I can’t be the only one trying desperately to find a sweater in the perfect shade of red to wear this football season.

Trial and error is always a great method of learning, and this case proved that point. I shopped, I learned, I endured — I am outfitted for sports, lesbians. You can be, too.

The thing that I love most about showing team spirit is that most anything goes. Foam fingers visually shouting that your team is “number one," jerseys, even body paint — it’s an outfit that you be creative with in ways that are all pretty much universally accepted, even appreciated. The true magic of team sports apparel is that it’s both unifying and unique.

Oversized jerseys are overdone. I know they’re easier to come by, but they’re not sexy at all. That being said, it’s not any cuter when paired with a turtleneck. If you’re dead set on wearing a jersey with your favorite player’s number scrawled across the back, can you at least take it to the cleaner’s to get it altered? It looks so much hotter if it’s tailored to fit. With a thermal in a coordinated shade in lieu of the hideous generic neck vice, you’ll be ahead of the game (so to speak). It’ll still be comfortably long enough but much, much more flattering. … continue reading

For their second episode, fashionistas Alexi and Eric show you the many different ways you can dress for nightlife — from the club/party scene, to the theater set. There's also talk of the search for the little black dress.

Then, Alexi reveals which celebrity she thinks might be the perfect woman.

Check out Alexi at MySpace.com/AlexiM, and look for new episodes of Alexi & Eric's Closet on AfterEllen.com each Wednesday.

It's officially autumn and the weather is actually permitting me to layer away without looking out of line. I accidentally looked like a jerk once or twice over the past week when I got far too excited about the impending possibility of being able to don fall clothing — I wore a navy high-necked sweater with wide-legged, heavier-material pants to work one day and those were a long, 80-degree eight hours, my friends. So please excuse my current excitement over the thermometer dip.

One staple for cooler weather that’s so essential yet oft overlooked is the hat. My girlfriend inspires my blogging, and this week’s spout is no exception. Before she left for work Monday, morning she hung her newest cap on my wall. It’s unbelievably cute and I’m entirely envious because, you see, I have gobs of thick curly hair that could never in my wildest dreams fit underneath said cap.

It’s awesome, right? I like the fit of it, and it has a pageboy twist that isn’t mimicking the style closely enough for it to be called anything more than a close relative. They’re actually defining it as “the newsboy.” Thank god, ’cuz the pageboy has become a bit of a burnout. I’ve been seeing a lot of this style in boutiques. … continue reading