The Evolution of a Nickname

Nicknames are given out of love. Here is the list of names my friends and family have christened me with over the years. If you did not develop the name, then please do not refer to me as such. Except for "J." That is pretty neutral. No one can really reserve first initial nicknames, not after Gossip Girl or 9/11.

Rome
Roma
Roma Downey
Roma Downey Jr.
Roma D
Romatherapy

Here are the nicknames I am giving to Hurricane Sandy (which is quite ironic because my good friend Steven gave me the name "Roma D" because of the line in Grease where Sandy sings "Look at me! I'm Sandra D!")

Hurricane Hella Inconvenient
Hurricane of Emotions
Rude

Everything seems to be going awry today. JUST PLEASE GOD DON'T LET MY WIFI GO OUT! And scene.


- jerome

Italians and Outerwear

While I was living in Milan, I received a lesson in creating a lasting wardrobe built from classic and quality pieces that stay sartorially relevant and functional for a very long time. Just being around the Milanese teaches you a great deal, the first being that Americans are sloppy. Casual to Italians (and this is not reserved for the fashion capitol Milan) is still polished. Sweats are dressed up. They take pride in how they present themselves to the world. As winter nears and the leaves change color, outerwear is an important part of dressing up again. Thank goodness for that because as a San Franciscan I have the urge to bring a jacket everywhere I go no matter what my eyes tell me about the weather outside. My collection of outwear does not always live up to what I have learned during my time abroad because for some reason I used to believe I could pull off womenswear and have it look correct on my body type but I hope I can get it right with time. Here are some men I met in Milan who knew what they were doing.



I took these photos on main luxury shopping streets in Milan, more specifically Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga. All these men were either running errands or going to work. Look how well the clothes fit, the comfort and naturalness of the ensemble, and how each piece can be worn today or years from now. My theory holds up: I took these 4 or 5 years ago.


-jerome

Winter is Coming

The cold is coming fast and it is making me feel nostalgic. A revisiting to my fall/winter outerwear was long overdue because of the sweltering heat from this summer. Rediscovering things in your wardrobe can be such a rewarding experience especially when you realize you were right when you said, "I WILL TOTALLY WEAR THIS ALL THE TIME". Looking through my collection I came across pieces I used to style a past project. I am surprised I never posted this shoot. This was another collaboration I did with Anthony Deeying during a visit to New York. It is strange to think that we did this together a year ago, and now I live here. The model Jon Paul (FORD) was such a sport and really knew how to move, producing amazing shots considering the freezing cold. I love a good night shoot in Central Park!

Outerwear pieces by Burberry Prorsum, Alexander Wang, and Alexander McQueen

- jerome