They’ve been growing in number. In Beijing, skating and the styles that are such an important aspect of it were more the province of men, but recently a number of girls are doing the look well.
Tag: beijing skaters
Red, White and Blue Braces
Converses – international symbol of free-thinking and youth – have always been best when red, at least in Beijing. I have read articles that praise a range of rockstars being the first to don the red Converses. This summer there were even more. It must have been the patriotic fervor surrounding the Olympics. Skinny jeans also became black, and girls studying finance adopted the Brit-rocker style of many of the young blokes, complete with the narrow, red, white and blue braces.
This type of braces have been around for a while, but I have been noticing this red, white, and blue stripe theme showing up everywhere. It is a signature detail for Thom Browne’s suits and coats, as in the following:
Pretty neat. Thom Browne’s quirky designs reference American classics and sports popular in Fairfield County. This leads one to believe that this highlight on the coat is not-quite-concealed patriotism. Still, the order of the colors is the same as the tricolour, of France. Chinese youngsters are most partial to referencing England, its rock and punk culture and its flag, in their attire. Let us try hard to interpret of these colors together as a sign of support for all three Western members of the security council. It is no surprise that US, France, and England have a strong grip on young people’s worldview.
Tedious Trend Three: Skulls
Calling this trend “tedious” is far too glib, considering the long history of the skull in art, jewelery and fashion. As this fun Esquire piece contends, the current omnipresence of skulls matches our global society’s unabashed embrace of wealth and materialism with its ephemeralness. The skull is probably even more fitting for this moment in China’s history and quite an appropriate symbol to mention on a website that celebrates a new blossoming of individualism and vanity. The skull has, often, represented the meaninglessness of these eternal human pursuits. There is not enough time to consider whether the skull might have any relation to this day, on which the Chinese people celebrate standing up for fifty-nine years, ever since the Great Helmsman declared the birth of the People’s Republic. I did want to wish everyone a happy October first.
Anyway, here are just a few pics, of hundreds I could have chosen, to show that skulls in all forms are just as common in China.
This one is a little bit pirate-like. This was right next to the bird’s nest.
Here we have a creative skull that seems to have an almost Central American influence. The wearer works in the new Mac store.
Here is a skull on the leg of a skater.
And a skull with paper clips.
This one looks as if illnesses have haunted it well into the grave.
This post reveals my ignorance more than anything else. More research clearly needs to be done on the subject of skulls in Chinese culture. When young people in China wear shirts with skulls is it rebellious (like it was previously in the West) or is more fashionable (like it is now)? Clearly it has to be associated with death. Some might respond that they are just wearing shirts that they find amusing, but it cannot be that simple. There have been decorative skulls made from jade dug up at sites in China, suggesting ritual importance for the symbol.
Premium Brit-Fan
Chris is a Beijinger studying advertising in Chengdu; in fact his shirt is a beer advertisement. His jeans are from Cheap Monday and the sneaker/brogues are from Paul Smith, one of his favorite brands, though the chance that they are real is rather slim. Like many of the young men on Stylites, his style takes its cues from British rock musicians.