Jesse Highley
Actor, singer, clown
Jesse Highley is an actor in “Tony n' Tina's Wedding,” currently playing at Bally's Las Vegas, a singer aboard Holland America Line's cruise ships and a professional clown who once toured with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Describe your personal style. Three words: Multiple personality disorder. It all began when I was a kid. I never really cared about things like what to wear. My parents dressed me. Looking back at some of my old pictures, it's obvious that my parents didn't care either. In all seriousness, I don't necessarily consider myself a stylish person. "Smart casual" would be an easy term to describe me. I don't have many clothes, but those that I have I have had for a long time. To me it is about confidence, feeling comfortable and feeling that the clothes represent you and your character.
What fall trend are you excited about? I love a great pair of jeans. I just got into wearing skinny jeans and, believe me, they are not for everyone. I’m secretly hoping they'll be around for a while — because I sure as hell can't get these damn things off. Now that the 1980s are away, I am seeing lots of men appear in 1990s-inspired looks. I would like to check out the new, ’90s inspired loose-fit jeans. They are supposed to be roomy, but not big enough to look like a misguided salute to early ’90s rave culture.
What do you consider the biggest fashion faux pas? Unless you were born before 1969, you should not have a moustache. Goatees are only acceptable for riders of Harley Davidsons and convicts. Sideburns were cool in my junior year of high school but now they are not, nor will they ever be again. Beards that make you look like a prophet of old, have food caught in them or have patches are bad. The only kind of facial hair I find attractive is scruff. It says, “I am rugged yet handsome, I like puppies and I recycle.”
What do you splurge on? My general principle is to splurge on items that have classic silhouettes. I will spend more on a pair of nice dress shoes than I will on clothing because no matter how much weight I gain, the shoes still fit. A solid navy or grey suit is also a great investment.
What do you skimp on? When it comes to skimping, I'm the best. I have been known to rub cologne from magazines on my shirt. When people say “Oh, you smell good, what is that?" I say, “Page 5.” T-shirts are another article of clothing that I won't spend a lot of money on. Friends will say to me, “Didn’t you wear that shirt the last time I saw you?" To which I reply, "Why yes! I don't own 365 T-shirts, so the odds of this happening again are roughly 1 in 10.”
One thing every man should own this fall? The slight chill that comes with the fall also brings with it the opportunity to break out a comfortable and fashionable wool sweater. Now, I don't mean some sharp, fine V-neck that you wear under a sport coat or to dress up a bit for a night out. I'm talkin' a thick, warm Ernest Hemingway-on-a-fishing-boat type thing that you keep around for cold weekend mornings, long napping on the sofa or snuggling with your sweetheart. You'll never want to take it off!