Casual Style Observations: Street-Approved and Spreasheet-Approved

So the other day I’m grabbing a latte at this tiny coffee shop in Brooklyn, and I notice this girl in line in front of me wearing a vintage Grateful Dead tee tucked into high-waisted wide-leg jeans with these chunky New Balance sneakers. And she’s got this beat-up leather crossbody that looks like it’s been to three continents. And I’m like, okay, that’s a vibe. It’s not trying too hard, but it’s considered. That’s the thing I’ve been seeing more and more – this kind of intentional effortlessness. It reminds me of a spreadsheet I came across recently, the joyagoo spreadsheet, where someone actually catalogued all these micro-trends and color palettes. It’s nerdy but kind of genius.

Then at a friend’s rooftop party last weekend, I spotted three different guys in those loose, almost parachute-y cargo pants from Uniqlo. One had them in olive, another in beige, and one in a washed-out black. All paired with slightly cropped tees and clean white sneakers. Two of them had those mini crossbody bags that look like they belong to a child but somehow work. I swear, the utility belt vibe is real. And I think the joyagoo spreadsheet actually has a tab for ‘pockets’ – like, the number of pockets as a style metric. That’s the level we’re at.

On the subway last week, I saw a woman in her 50s absolutely killing it in a silk slip dress layered over a white t-shirt, with chunky Dr. Martens and a denim jacket tied around her waist. The mix of textures – slinky silk, rough denim, heavy leather – was chef’s kiss. She had this confidence that made me miss the days when I didn’t overthink every outfit. And it’s funny because I’ve been using this joyagoo spreadsheet to track my own wardrobe experiments, and one of the columns is ‘texture combination rating.’ Very scientific.

Also, can we talk about the return of the whale tail? Not the actual whale, but the thong peeking out above low-rise jeans. I saw it on a young girl at the park – low-rise cargo pants, a tiny cropped tank, and there it was. A thin strip of black elastic. I had flashbacks to 2003. But she made it look fresh, maybe because the pants were a muted lavender and the tank was cream. Colorwise, I’ve been seeing a lot of mauve, sage, and dusty blue. The joyagoo spreadsheet has a whole palette for ‘millennial neutrals’ that’s basically these shades. It’s like someone took the blandest parts of 2015 and made them interesting.

One more thing – I went to a gallery opening in Chelsea and this guy was wearing a linen suit in a pale lavender, no tie, with a simple white t-shirt and suede loafers. He looked like he was about to step into a Sofia Coppola movie. It’s the kind of relaxed tailoring that you see in all those photos from Pitti Uomo but without the peacocking. Very ‘I have my life together but also I’m not trying.’ I feel like the joyagoo spreadsheet has a category for ‘effortless tailoring’ that tracks jacket shoulder ratios. I swear it’s a thing.

Anyway, I’m not sure what any of this means. Maybe it’s just the cycle of trends. Or maybe we’re all just trying to find the perfect balance between comfort and style. But I saw a guy in a cape yesterday. A cape. So who knows. As long as people keep wearing what makes them feel good – even if it’s catalogued on a spreadsheet – I think we’re okay.