Analysis of three looks (Joey Huaiyu Dong)

I spotted this girl at Union Square Park. She was waiting to take photos of some street artists while she was also photographed by me discreetly. I saw eager and curiousness in her sight. She was clearly interested in that group of street musicians.  I found her style to be very eclectic in a good way. A black coat, tight black jeans and a pair of sneakers are quintessential outfit for New Yorkers in winter. However, she made a lot of effort by adding interesting details to make this outfit standout. She wore a dark blue down vest inside the black coat, while most people wore down vest outside. There was a colorful hood hanging outside the black coat, reflecting her playful personality. It seemed to be made of cotton and the color palette reminded me of those toy balls in my childhood. She was also wearing a neon pink wool beanie. It added an especially playful touch and because of the fluorescence. This beanie could draw others’ attention to her at first and so they would check the rest of her interesting outfit. She was also wearing a pair of silver “leaf” earrings. The earrings looked extremely feminine and delicate and formed a nice contrast to the generally sporty outfit. This eclectic outfit demonstrate the possible duality of her personality. On one hand, she was expressive and highly enthusiastic, with fast, clever and curious mind. She was definitely easy-going and an excellent communicator. On the other hand, she also looked artsy and emotional. She had a secret wonderland with romantic dreams and had some stereotypical girly features which she normally would like to hide. The delicate earrings and the vintage camera with the leather belt reflected her artistic side.

When I saw this guy in front of the university center. His fluorescent green beanie immediately caught my eyes. Generally he looked very sporty and seemed to be ready for hiking. He wore a long sleeve crewneck shirt which was dark grey and white, and got a red vest outside. He also wore a pair of black sweatpants and sneakers with pale green bottom. He was carrying an army surplus backpack. He looked a bit puzzled and was listening to something through the earphones. Without the hat, I would only think this was a normal dude who seemed to be puzzled, perhaps by his school, work or relationship.  He was walking in a consistent fast pace and seemed to be in an isolated mental state. He was not prepared to talk to any people and had covered himself with ease and comfort. But with the fluorescent green beanie, he truly stood out from the crowd. This beanie created a strong color contrast with his red vest and looked very distinct in downtown Manhattan, where most people prefer dull colors like black. Through closer look, I also found that he was wearing a gold bracelet. This guy might have a restrained personality. He wanted to have a normal sporty look to blend into the crowd and that’s why most parts of the outfit appeared muted, but he also didn’t want to be ignored completely. He threw out hints of his fashion through the green beanie and the nice bracelet. These demonstrated that he might has dressed up himself a little bit before going out and was a muted person outside, vibrant person inside.

This is a street sweeper outside the Union Square Park. He was leaning on the stone wall to take a rest. There was a garbage cart outside the photo. What striked me was how he appeared very fashionable in his uniform. It was a typical cleaner uniform which was basically a vest of fluorescent orange and yellow. I knew that the color choice were for making cleaners noticeable for drivers. But meanwhile, the color combination also looked vibrant and chic. He also wore a hard white hat made of steel. I suddenly saw the connection between fashion and this street sweeper’s uniform. The fluorescent vest felt very futuristic and sporty, many high-end sports brands would promote designer sportswear with this kind of color combination. The white steel hat also looked modern and futuristic. As designer are always experimenting with new materials, I can see them using this for an amazing runway show in the future. In addition, the guy’s posture looked amazingly stylish. Although he was relaxed, his body and leg were folded in perfect angles that it was almost like he was posing for a fashion magazine photoshoot. Fashion has no limit, the uniform of a street sweeper may be the most popular fashion piece in the future.