Style Interview with Rodney J. Hobbs, Actor

What types of work do you do?

I’m a TV, film and voiceover actor.  I’m also a print model.  I like a steady stream of income so I also work part-time as a payroll administrator for a major entertainment law firm.

Synergy!  What do you wear to the office?

 I would describe my typical everyday style as "nice casual and conservative," meaning usually a collared shirt (polo or button-up) with slacks and leather shoes.  My office job is a casual environment, but since it's a law firm I like to keep it semi-professional and don't wear jeans all the time although they're  acceptable.  I often have to go from the office to auditions, and for auditions I like to dress for whatever the part is.  Since khakis (beige, navy, olive, or black) are so widely accepted and versatile, that's what I wear most often.  Then I switch my shirts to match the audition roles.  I usually keep my audition shirts hanging in the car so as not to wrinkle them before the audition.

Tell me a bit about men's style in LA?

Well, I’m a native of Memphis, TN and moved to LA from Richmond, VA.  In LA, everyone's MUCH more laid back.  For instance, I feel that in LA, only certain industries require employees to "dress up" with shirt & tie:  law firms with offices in downtown LA, or banking/financial companies.  Everyone else is pretty much business casual or casual on a daily basis.  It's a much freer environment & feel than other cities, and men seem to embrace their own individual styles much more readily.  Part of this is because LA is the entertainment capital of the world, so creativity is encouraged more than other places, and this is reflected in men's dress and overall appearance as well.  Hair styles are also much freer.

Do you have a style icon?

    

 I don't - but there are three men whose styles I admire: Will Smith, Don Cheadle,  and Courtney B. Vance.  They all seem to always look nice and well-kept in photos & public appearances.  Will always seems to add his own flair to his outfits without it looking "over-the-top" or like he's trying to garner attention.  And Don & Courtney are always well-put-together--they both also have complexions similar to mine, so I'm mindful of that.

What's the last clothing item you bought?   

A pair of beige Merona khakis from Target that I haven't even worn yet.  I own more pairs of beige khakis than any other item of clothing.  I think somehow I feel you can never have too many.

Have you ever considered an alternative to khakis?

An alternative to khakis?  Hmmm...no, I can't say that I've considered such.  It's usually either those or jeans.  Every once in a while I wear true dress slacks, but that's usually only for auditions.  But hey, I'm open to suggestions!