When it comes to dressing up for a photo session or dressing down to hang out with friends, the Backstreet Boys never seem to have a problem showing off their unique sense of style. However, in keeping up with the constant promotion of their singles, band mates Kevin Richardson, Howard Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Nick Carter tell that the clothes they love to wear aren’t always the clothes that they get to wear in front of the camera.
"One time we did a photo shoot with some European magazines, and they made us dress in costumes, but they were really, really corny," Nick shares about one fashion disaster. "There was one that Brian picked out -- a Batman outfit, and we called him ‘Rat Boy’ because his ears were pointing way out." Dressing up like superheroes outside of the Halloween season isn’t the only problem the guys have encountered while travelling the road to popularity. In a Canadian photo session, Nick swears they had to wear almost anything at all! "We were in our underwear," he gasps. "No, it was not just underwear," Brian cuts in. "It was T-shirts and shorts. It was just a little weird." It just goes to show that there is always an element of surprise when someone else is shopping. That’s why the boys like to shop together for clothes they like whenever they get a break from their hectic schedules.
When it comes to shopping for Howie, he describes that he’s "more of a dressier, stylish kind of person. I like to wear clubwear when I go out dancing and stuff. Sometimes I wear the tight kind of retro shirts and jeans that are closer to fitting me than those humongous pants." But that doesn’t go for all the guys. AJ likes his clothes "too big" as opposed to Howie’s more tailored approach. AJ admits his clothing is "extra, extra large," and just because he fits into a size 30 pants, it doesn’t mean that that’s what he’ll choose to wear. Instead, he’s more likely to belt up a size 36! As for the oldest acapella artist of the bunch, Kevin’s taste for clothes has ventured more on the mature side. There’s always room for football jerseys and jeans in Kevin’s closet, but that’s not all you’ll see him sporting. "If it’s a more formal affair, then I’ll wear linen or a blazer and a shirt to look a little nicer," He says.
"A lot of the time, we trade clothes and lend them to each other," Howie says, "but I’m kind of more particular." So that explains why you might see Nick wearing a particular shirt in one photo shoot and then see that same shirt worn by AJ in the next. But this group’s wardrobe tactic only applies if the shirt wasn’t stolen! "I don’t give them back. I have his clothes, his clothes, his clothes….," AJ devilishly says as he points out to each of his fellow group members around the room. "See! That’s exactly why I don’t always give out stuff," Howie retorts. Oh well…these Backstreet babes definitely look hot, whether they’re wearing borrowed stuff or not.
