The weather was great this past weekend in Kobe, so I took the opportunity to sit outside of the entrance of Chinatown and sketch. Lots of people are shedding their winter layers this time of year and going for breezier, cooler clothes. On more than a few, I spotted some denim shirts – worn open like jackets, tucked under sport coats, and used to create light layers. Some highlights:
I first noticed this man because he was tall – standing by the crosswalk towering over people. He was wearing a sort of 1970s inspired, bohemian hippie look: denim shirt jacket with patches on the arm, buttoned just at the top to create an A-frame silhouette. Below were some skinny grey pants (possibly denim) and brown Chelsea boots. For some reason, I especially liked the fact that he wasn’t carrying a bag and only had a wallet poking out of his back pocket. A simple, but unique, look for a seemingly simple day.
What better time is there to wear something bold than the start of spring? This guy was wearing a light blue denim shirt with tan pants, a grey buckethat, and an indigo tote bag. Nothing terribly unusual, until you see his shoes – deep red slip ons! A much more interesting choice than your safer white sneakers or brown chukkas (although, those would be good too). This is a nice example of Jesse’s post on having a “point of distinction.”
Denim shirts aren’t just for casualwear. This guy was wearing his with a lightly checked, brown sport coat for a smarter, more tailored look. The deeper blue in the shirt kept it looking distinct from the jeans (which is what you want when you go denim-on-denim). Like the guy above, he also had a bold accent – this time a pair of bright red eyewear frames.
This might be next-level denim matching. Not only was the woman wearing a light blue denim shirt with darker blue jeans, but her partner was sporting denim as well! Both wore their denim shirts open, revealing a lighter layer underneath. A good way to create a layered look when the weather warms up. In the guy’s hand was a Saturday’s NYC bag, as they just came out of the shop sipping coffee. It looked cooler inside the store, so I packed up and headed there for coffee myself. – Graeme