Fashion

Atlanta fashion guru E. Vincent Martinez, the man behind www.fashionado.net and www.stylemagvm.com, offers five ways for anyone to stay on trend:

Scale & proportion

Says Martinez: “Scale and proportion are big this fall. (Pardon the pun!) Achieve this through an oversized sweater or a large chunky scarf.”

Leather

All things leather are in: coats, vests, skirts, pants and accents of all kinds. (No word on harnesses, though!)

Fur or Faux

Fur, especially used as trim, will take you into winter. Wear faux fur to avoid your militant PETA neighbors!

Jewel-tones

Think burgundy, wine, orange, blue and deep emerald.

Great capes

“If you’re feeling adventurous and fashion forward,” Martinez says, “try a gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana brocade trimmed cape. If that’s way too fashion fast lane for you, Zenga designed very handsome, very tailored ones.”

Fall is a drag!

Two Atlanta-area gay bars host competing drag contests that run through this season, both on Wednesdays.

First, LeBuzz gets into the action with Charlie Brown’s Drag Idol 5. Six queens and six kings battle it out in what has been dubbed the “biggest and most difficult” competition yet.

Then, following the success of several Dragnique competitions, Jungle is back with Dragnificent. Expect weekly guest judges and contestant tips going to charities to help determine winners.

Your big gay wedding!

Tell the haters that legal gay marriage is happening whether they like it or not. From state-by-state approval to President Obama’s support  to what will likely amount to a Supreme Court battle, gay people will eventually see marriage equality. Period.

Whether you wait until then or you’re ready for a ceremony now, plan with fall’s biggest new publication: GA Voice and Equally Wed’s annual Atlanta Gay Weddings Guide. From proposal to honeymoon, we’ve got your LGBT nuptials covered.

Join us at our free launch party on Oct. 4. Details here.

The iPhone 5

By the time this story hits the streets, Apple will have announced the iPhone 5. That means better technology and the ever-present trend of bitching about it: It will likely be as expensive as always and even worse, you might have to replace your chargers and cords — there’s probably a new Apple-specific data/energy port. The upside is  iOS 6 for new and some existing product users. That means better maps, a better Siri and a feature just for shady queens who screen calls: decline an incoming call and instantly send a text or set a call back reminder. Even further, you’ll have a ‘Do Not Disturb Mode’ that only allows approved contacts to ring.

Tablet choices

Though the iPad generally dominates tablet tech headlines, this fall’s tech trends include a tablet war that will last through the holiday season. Rumors have run wild that a smaller iPad is coming this fall: a seven-inch model that’s more easily hand-held than the current 9.7-inch iPad. But a new iPad may not be the best solution for users who don’t need all the bells and whistles — or the price tag — offered by Apple. Amazon’s brand new Kindle Fire HD is more affordable and is now available for mobile networks. Amazon aims to get your money on the back end through Amazon Prime, an annual membership service that includes free two-day shipping and a growing library of streaming media.

Politics: (the smartest trend)

Pundits are calling the 2012 presidential election a “choice” election. Know why you are making yours. When you’re fussing with political adversaries, be able to explain why. It’ll go a lot further than “because Obama hearts gays” or “because Romney had a horse in the Olympics.” Voting is not optional, even in the blue zone of a red state.

Drink up

We’ve seen that 99 Daze are back at Burkhart’s. That usually means 99-cent vodka drinks. Even an insider says no one ever knows how long the special will last, so keep an eye out get it when you can. Classy is always on trend: Don’t forget to tip on the pre-discount amount to avoid the evil eye from the usually friendly bartenders.

Top photo: Atlanta fashion guru E. Vincent Martinez (courtesy photo)