Winter in Hipster

Man 1/14/09

What’s so great about enduring American brands like Woolrich, Filson, and Carhartt is that some of their stuff is just iconic. One look and you know where that item came from. And with that, you know what the wearer is trying to say.

So, say you happen upon a 5’10” slightly built man in elf-green skinny jeans wearing what is obviously a Woolrich Stag Jacket; in that distinctive red and black Woolrich plaid, which also incidentally doubles as their logo. What is that guy trying to say?

Maybe he is just trying too hard. Red and Black plaid Woolrich wool jacket and elf-green skinny jeans- you just can’t make this stuff up.

On his feet were Nike Dunks. The SB lockup on the logo stood for Skateboard. These white Nike Dunks with purple laces, and purple trim. He wasn’t carrying a skateboard but rather a Timbuk2 messenger bag – his bag had the trademark tri-panel front done in green, yellow and red.

He also had on a scarf which looked like it was cloth just cut or torn from a bolt of fabric. The edges were clearly frayed and unfinished, and the fabric itself was too thin to be an actual scarf. Plus, it looked like he had about 3 layers of that wrapped around his neck. It might have been a small Prince of Wales check. And for extra warmth, he was also wearing a light green fleece with a white zipper.

On his head was a wool knit hunting cap, pulled low, covering most of his head. But one could still make out the black shaggy hair peeking out. His face was a Vincent Gallo redux; gaunt, sunken-in, and unkempt facial hair that’s not quite full and just a week past wispy. Actually, he only had the mustache and sporadic facial hair. Again, very Vincent Gallo.

I often wonder why people don’t dress true to themselves. Be authentic and the style will take care of itself. Then I realized my mistake. He was true to himself. He was a poseur. And with that, I felt very sorry for the girl he was making out with at the platform.

And in case you were wondering. She was dressed like she had an actual job in a real work environment. Quite the opposite of him.