Royal Showoff or Loyal Kings’ Subject?

Any time a local sports team does well, you’ll inevitably see men, women and children walking around town with a portion of that club’s uniform, whether it’s a Rams jersey, an Angels cap or sneakers like A.C. Green wears on the court.

The success of the Los Angeles Kings this year can be seen by looking at all the people wearing oversize hockey jerseys, many with the name “Gretzky” stitched on back.

How can you differentiate true fans from the band-wagoners--those people who thought icing was for cakes before the Kings started winning big?

There’s a foolproof test to separate true Kings fans from the pretenders.

“The people who are kind of in-the-know about the Kings like to keep the right side of the jersey tucked in and the other side out, like Wayne Gretzky,” says Jim Dusserre of the Slap Shop in Santa Ana. “He does that to give himself more freedom of movement when playing.”

Those who wear their jersey tucked in completely are sure newcomers to the game. Those who wear them out may just not be Gretzky fans. Feel free to give those out of uniform a body check.

The skinny: Once a grimy hangout for bikers and sailors, the tattoo parlor is becoming a regular stop for women with an interest in adding a permanent body decoration. Small tattoos are big around the wrist, neck and especially the ankle. A tattoo can be intriguing, but how many can you have before you look like a Harley rider?

“Many women like to have a small chain around the ankle, or a heart where only their husband or boyfriend can see it,” says tattoo artist Beth Campbell of Santa Ana. “A lot of guys think that looks sensual. When you start putting them all over your biceps, your neck, thighs, that’s the sign of tattoo addict.”

If you like the idea, you might want to try a temporary tattoo for a few days to see how it suits you. Take your time making a decision. Removing a permanent tattoo can be more painful than receiving one, and the scar left behind isn’t always a pretty sight.

All crewed up: Like any part of fashion, hairstyles go in and out without much rhyme or reason. The crew cut was in for a while a few years ago, then it dropped out, and now men are leaving their hair stylists once again with the flat top. This may be the perfect haircut for summer, but in terms of style, especially for the office, is it OK?

“If you’re in a conservative business like law or accounting, you might want to go with a less radical look,” says hairstylist Steve Richards of Huntington Beach. “The crew cut used to be the standard hairstyle of the young Republican; now it’s kind of a left-leaning cut.”

For those who may be reading this just after a trip to the barber for a crew job and hoping to find work in those button-down offices, don’t worry. Hair grows out faster in summer.