B1: Deconstruction
Look 1
Heading to the Union Square subway station with AirPods in his ears, this person walks with determination and has a layered outfit to keep him warm on a rainy day. He wears a bright pink Supreme sweatshirt that has a neon green logo in the front, an emerald green and white varsity jacket, a pair of taupe colored cargo pants, as well as a pair of Nike Air Force 1, carrying a middle-sized canvas bag on his right shoulder. The whole look comprises of elements of streetwear, and it’s safe to assume that this person values comfort and function, but also pays attention to the details of his outfit. The eye-catching color of his sweatshirt shows that he’s not afraid to make a bold statement to stand out in the crowd, and the choice of Supreme as a brand, as well as a status symbol, suggests that he’s familiar with the hip-hop subculture. His dreadlocks also indicates the homage he pays to his African-American heritage and beliefs. The wool varsity jacket with the white leather sleeves compliments the pink sweatshirt well, and adds contrasts in texture. The jacket represents an athletic spirit, conveying a notion of strength, and the patchworks on the jacket shows character. The emphasis of uniqueness is again accentuated in the sneakers. He not only picks a pair of grey outlined Air Force 1 instead of the original all-white color palette, but also ties the shoelaces differently, showing a sense of individuality that sets him apart from others.
Look 2
It’s very easy to spot this outfit in a gloomy rainy day with the eye-catching red leopard print puffer jacket as the center of attention of this outfit. Under the statement jacket, this girl layers a grey knit cardigan on top of a white undershirt. She pairs the layers with leather pants with minimal shine that have front slits at the bottom, showing a bit of skin that’s flattering to her body and elongating her proportions. The pair of black Converse she wears has an orange-hued outline at the soles. She accessorizes this look with a crossbody bag from Opening Ceremony, as well as a canvas tote bag, therefore demonstrating that the tote bag is for functionality, and the fanny pack is rather a styling and aesthetic choice. She doesn’t have excessive make-up or jewelry on her, and she ties her hair in a half-pony tail. The way she puts on a “rock on” sign and sticks her tongue out when taking the picture, and the fact that she is wearing animal print, illustrate her image as an easygoing and bold person. However, even though she doesn’t have much accessories, her nails are delicately manicured with a neutral pink color. Everything about her represents a notion of cleanness, which shows that she definitely puts efforts in her outfit, and her image in public. The entire outfit looks stylish, but not extravagant; laid-back, but not insufficient.
Look 3
Through the bustling Washington Square Park, students from NYU rush to get to their classes or the Bobst Library across from the Park. This girl in the picture is no exception. She has a hurried expression, and agreed to get her picture taken on the condition of it “only taking two seconds.” She carries a black leather tote bag, also clutching a thin binder with her class material. She has a heavily layered look: a grid blouse under a black casual blazer, with another black down jacket that looks like the thinner Heat-Tech jacket from Uniqlo, as well as the outer rosewood pink trench coat. Her outfit is seemingly inspired by military style and utilitarian aesthetics: she styled her straight-legged army green pants with a pair of combat boots for the coldness. She also pays attention to details and maintains a cohesive color palette by choosing low-saturated colors, and matching her beanie with the pants. The softness of the beanie also gives a nice contrast to the strongly structured outfit. The whole look portrays a rather neutral aesthetics; however, the sharpness of the outfit is softened by her coral lipstick color, adding a touch a femininity. The polarized sunglasses in such a gloomy day is an interesting choice. Maybe she didn’t have time to finish the eye make-up and wanted to cover it up, or maybe she wanted to use sunglasses to avoid interactions with people, or the opposite, to get attention from people. The outfit is practical and minimalistic, but the careful layering, as well as the color-matching, makes it not simple.
Other Looks
