Julie Rath: Profile in Awesomeness: Ross D.

I met Ross D. at a party a few months back, and after one look at him, I knew we had to talk. That nonchalance! That haircut! Here was a guy who owns his look, whether it’s a jean jacket and t-shirt or his “ride or die” vintage leather jacket. So I asked him a few questions…

Rath: What do you do?
Ross: I work in music. I do songwriter/producer management.

Rath: Where do you hang out?
Ross: I live in SoHo and pretty much never leave the downtown area. All my friends make fun of me. Going uptown is like a major travel commitment for me. The Upper East Side might as well be New Hampshire.

Rath: Are you thinking of signing that guitarist behind you?
Ross: If he can play “Stairway to Heaven” with his eyes closed, standing on one foot, while balancing a pineapple on this head then it’s a done deal.

Rath: What do you wear to a meeting with songwriters or producers?
Ross: I usually wear whatever I feel comfortable in. The great thing about working in music is so can dress however you like. It enables you to express yourself creatively, which I feel ultimately helps foster both a creative and productive work environment.

Rath: What’s your favorite NYC music venue?
Ross: I really like Bowery Ballroom. They always have good shows and the vibe is great. Brooklyn Bowl is a cool venue as well. Who wouldn’t like kicking their friends asses in bowling while listening to great music?!

Rath: What sort of outfit do you usually wear when you go there?
Ross: I usually wear whatever I’m wearing to work, etc. However, recently I saw Hole play. I felt obligated to wear flannels and grunge it up.

Rath: Where do you shop for clothes?
Ross: Pretty much everywhere. In the words of my mom “Living in SoHo in like living in a mall”. She is right. It is hard to step outside without buying anything. Trust me, I have the bills to prove it. I love vintage clothes. Eleven on Elizabeth is one of my favorites. LA has GREAT vintage. Jet Rag on La Brea is hard to beat.

Rath: What’s your favorite outfit?
Ross: Definitely my black vintage motorcycle jacket. It took me forever to find the perfect one, but when I did I knew this was my “ride or die” jacket. I love the fact that the damn thing will outlive me and will probably end up right back in a vintage store someday being someone else’s “amazing find”. Full circle. Gotta love that.

Rath: Where did you get that rad haircut?
Ross: Amy at Arte Salon. She is the best. Not only does she give me a dope haircut every time, but she gives me whiskey too!

Rath: Do you spend much time on hair styling, or are you a wash and wear guy?
Ross: I’m definitely a wash and wear guy. Bed head was the best thing to happen to guys since ESPN. I wonder who the genius was that invented this look? Probably some hungover guy that was too lazy to comb his hair before work one day and just owned it. Brilliant.

Rath: Do you have any men’s style pet peeves?
Ross: Wow I have a lot. First off, those knit hats with the baseball brims. They are the worst. This leads me to my next pet peeve…guys that wear knit hats in warm weather. If you are having a bad hair day or whatever just put on a baseball hat. I also really hate sandals. Good for the pool/beach but bad for everyday life. Who in the hell wants to see a man’s hairy feet?!