In March, a homeless man in Ningbo became an instant celebrity when an amateur photographer posted images of him wearing the ultimate street wear: a fur-lined and hooded long overcoat over a leather jacket and knit sweater, khakis and a colourful straw belt, matched with a perfectly dishevelled hairdo that was not unlike those of many Japanese or Korean pop sensations. Facebook pages dedicated to this 'most handsome homeless man' have been read by thousands of netizens. The new star, thirty-something Cheng Guorong, or 'Brother Sharp' as he's affectionately called, has since been hired as a model.
Brother Sharp's look might remind former backpackers of the times when they too would throw all kinds of clothes together - an exotic top, a pair of khakis or loose trousers and a pair of hiking sandals - and just look fabulous.
When you reminisce about those carefree days, you might go for Vivienne Westwood's stripped cotton kung fu trousers (5) with waistband, a sailor trompe l'oeil contrast T-shirt and a technical outdoor coat made of linen wool and cotton. To me it seems like the summer equivalent of Brother Sharp's outfit, albeit more expensive. And for next season the British designer has a whole collection dedicated to spontaneous street styles, showcasing everything from holed sweaters to rough, fur headwear.
We have to shop around for Brother Sharp's look, however. One of my favourite classic street styles is the waif look that is typically characterised by an undersized jacket over a plaid shirt and loose jeans (1), as epitomised by PS Jeans this season. It looks best on lean men, and Asian physiques are generally suited to it.
The best street fashion often comes from second-hand stores, not so much because of the prices but also because items from these places are worn in. I would never buy used shoes, but a jacket is perfectly fine after it is dry-cleaned. One of my recent purchases is from my regular vintage shop stop, Select 18. It's a rough-cut, doodled beige leather jacket by Montreal designer Denis Gagnon. Such a jacket's looks only improve with age, and it's best to buy one when it already has this worn-in feel.
In the same vein are 'damaged', or ripped jeans, which are prominent this season. When I was young, holed jeans were DIY or happened naturally when you didn't have money to buy a new pair, but nowadays the work is already done - at a price. But can you make holes and discolouration look as perfect as in Evisu's slim-leg, five-pocket jeans? A pair of such jeans (4) will match well with a tunic, like that tie-dyed number (3) shown on the runway of Versace, matched with a keffiyeh-style cap.
For that French street-urchin look, Agnes b. has an ensemble (2) including an indigo washed-linen jacket, indigo washed-linen pants, grey short-sleeved linen and cotton T-shirt, complete with a matching cap. It is a great look for someone with a small-to-medium build, with either long hair or stubble. A pair of black Superstar 2 black sneakers with grey graffiti from adidas might give the look an appropriate boost.