Now, the thing you must remember is that any cute, available, and successful gay man worth while will probably not been seen dead at a trashy gay bar in Chelsea, or worse, Hell’s Kitchen. So first, don’t bother going to the gay bars. Unless all you want is a quick lay and the potential for some sort of STD (probably crabs). And on top of all that, it’s bad for your image.

Instead, do yourself a favor and start going to fashion industry events. Scour websites (like ours) for lists of upcoming events. These kinds of parties are almost always filled with the type of guy you’re looking for. As an added bonus, they have an outstanding sense of style (I mean, sure, there are the occasional kilt-wearing exceptions, but those are rare). And even though these events mostly attract people batting for our team; there is the occasional straight man in the mix (so make sure your gaydar is in full tune).

Before arriving at any such event, ensure your outfit is fashion-forward and up to par with the latest trends. If it’s not, that’s okay too. Just make sure it’s edgy or funky enough to be considered trendsetting (no, kilts are still not okay). Once you arrive, casually observe who’s there. If there’s an open bar, grab a cocktail (never a beer).  While you casually sip your beverage, make a mental list of who you want to talk to and in what order; arranged by descending overall attractiveness. But never be seen lurking by yourself sipping a cocktail. If nothing else, pretend to be completely busy on your BlackBerry or similar smart device while you plot your next move.

If you’re not in the fashion industry, don’t worry about not having things to talk about. Saying things like “Those Lanvins in last month’s issue were amazing” combined with your trendy look will further confirm that you belong. If all goes well, you should leave with a hot boy on your arm by the end of the event. If it doesn’t go so well, you may have gotten a cheap hand job in the bathroom. And at absolute worst, you’ll appear in the event photos mingling with the fashion who’s who. Wins all around.