John, in Oxford

Where: Magdalen College and Christ Church College, Oxford, 30th January, 2013
meandering in meadows and parks

Wearing: waxed jacket a la Barbour from secondhand shop in Utrecht, vintage oversized sweater from n.beely,
jeans from Jean Shop (via Lane Crawford sale), Nike Free Run 5.0...

and sandqvist LARS-GÖRAN multi-colour backpack, found on official online shop here: link

From Utrecht he travelled to Amsterdam and hopped on a bus to London: five pounds, ten-hour ride. I was happy to have a share of his precious week in England; he has many friends to see, many places to go. I was monstrously late to meet him, yet he's forgiving. Warmth understated is the sign of a gentle soul and an old friendship, distant and dusted as it may be.

I was excited to see him, not only to catch up on his experience studying abroad in the Netherlands, and to simply chat with him, but also, quite literally, to see what he's wearing. He's been a style icon among friends since 2007, the originator of mixed socks, bow-ties and other fashion experiments. A photographer and writer himself, he's also one of the very few I know who've actually modelled  for magazines and professional photographers. (That makes me nervous to talk about style or photography with him, hah!)

His style: a mix of Taiwanese-Japanese aesthetics, Scandinavian influences, European flair for details and texture, and an otherworldly sense of a fun and eccentric ensemble that's all his own.

When I saw him, the wonderful colours of his backpack caught my eye almost immediately, so as we walked around Oxford, I stalled him in pace to stare... From Stockholm label sandqvist, the bag is a special multi-colour edition, which is, in his words, "fun, but still classic and humble looking." It's also functional - fits a 15" MacBook Pro in a separate compartment. There is nothing much else a traveller asks for, really.

What a traveller needs: a spacious, sturdy bag, and a pair of sensible shoes. Gals, alas, are especially susceptible to the mistake of wearing shoes that they cannot run in when they travel. (Arguably, it's easier for guys to pull off wearing trainers with your daily outfit. Running shoes look pretty clunky with tight jeans... Pumas for ladies, maybe?) Europe requires a lot of walking, and a pair of Nikes, light and flexible on the feet, can get you far. Plus, if you care to, as John does - you can actually exercise in them!

We walked around Magdalen College to see the fields flooded and the deers hiding out on the other side, away from the river. We then toured Christ Church College, now famous as Hogwarts - "the dining hall is where they shot Harry Potter!" Reality is underwhelming, but I don't have expectations, so I did love the interior there, though Keble's still better (no bias...). Stunning stained glasses in the Hall and Chapel though, perfectly lit by sunlight.

We walked outside. It was windy, and just sunny enough. The sundial was working - it was three.

***

If you'd like to travel in Europe, or for that matter, England specifically: invest in a waterproof jacket, and choose one that you sincerely love - you'd spend a lot of time with it. John's jacket pays homage to British label Barbour's waxed jacket, for which it's best known. The brown corduroy collar adds winter texture to the outfit, and matches with the colour palette of his sweater.

The Missoni-esque knit John bought from his friend's start-up boutique, n.beely. Grace, the owner, curates a charming collection of vintage or new items from Korea herself to sell worldwide. I've also bought a little something there, so look forward to an entire review post soon. ;) Though my item is nothing as colourful and full of character as John's choice here.

As most people can't afford big labels, here's the lesson to take away: look for second-hand pieces that are inspired by classic design you love. Not blatant fakes - pieces and patterns that evoke the original.

***

He altered his jeans - according to him it's a "big nono" for washed denim, but I don't see why anyone shouldn't if it improves the fit. The straight fit jeans are comfortable, yet I'd think the slightly tapered leg offers better visual balance. Men's trousers, though, is a topic that escapes me!

***

Two regrets: I was gutted not to have taken a picture of his watch, bought from ka-pok, his favourite Hong Kong store with free international shipping:

From void (Swedish design), it's all-black in steel, with a speedometer-style analogue display: two rows of numbers indicate time intervals, and two clock-hands, like compass pins, painted red on one end and white the other, move in opposite directions. Ladies and gents, use your imagination and intelligence. Not the watch to have if you just want to tell the time, but a very stylish and intriguing piece - for John, a conversation opener too!

And I wish I have a close-up of his very, very lovely *Minolta srt101 film camera, borrowed from a friend. It falls in your hand heavy, with the real weight of metal.

John has an incredible talent to capture mood, in words or photographs. He finds poetry in the little things: two empty bowls, a dress on the wall. Find him on flickr here (If you have the pleasure to understand his chinese prose, all the better!)

Three old friends (one hidden from camera, hah!), a lovely day out in Oxford. I owe my thanks to John for his time, for being so supportive - he puts up with my lateness and harassment, and was so gracious to provide tons of information and *corrections afterwards for my write-up - and for being inspiring as always.

x

Filters used: The Free Collection from The Color Shop (from nirrimi of the road is home), Clean Tones and Creamy Gray from Night Fate Actions