A monthly street fashion column by Yutaro Saito

yutaro saito fashion column — © Yutaro Saito

- Monday, February 12, 2024.

Unusually, I woke up at 9 a.m. Normally on my days off, I wake up past noon and spend the rest of the day regretting it, so today felt remarkably fresh from the start. I got ready in about 30 minutes and stepped outside with my camera and some spare batteries, having no particular destination in mind.

As I wandered aimlessly, I somehow ended up at Sakuradai, the next station over.
It's a small station with just a few shops out front, but nestled among them is a “Ramen Jiro” - one of my favorite Ramen shops. I nearly gave in to its gravitational pull, but today, I was craving yakiniku. I pulled myself away with some reluctance.

Taking a detour down a back street, I kept walking. About 50 meters ahead, I saw an old man sitting at the corner of the sidewalk. Next to him was a cane. In my experience, elderly men who use canes tend to have a high NOT PLASTIC FASHION rate. I approached him and decided to strike up a conversation.

YT (Yutaro Saito): “Um, excuse me. I'm a photographer and I take portraits of elderly fashion — uh, clothing — and I thought your jacket was incredibly cool! Could I take a photo of you?”

OJ (Ojiichan): “Aw, it's not that cool.”

YT: “No, really, it's cool! I'd love to write an article about it too — would that be okay?”

OJ: “Sure, go ahead.”

The old man agreed cheerfully. He was trying to light a cigarette, but the wind was strong, and he couldn’t get it to catch. I took a portrait in front light, then continued the conversation.

YT: “By the way, how old are you?”

OJ: “Eighty-seven.”

YT: “Wow! That’s amazing!”

I always ask their age, but I never know what the right reaction is. Saying “I see” makes me sound like an interview robot, which I don’t like.

YT: “That purple jacket is just too cool. Where did you get it?”

OJ: “I picked it up around here. Maybe five years ago.”

YT: “You’ve worn it a lot, haven’t you?”

OJ: “Your jeans are cool too, young man.”

He complimented the ROTHCO camouflage cargo pants I was wearing, mistaking them for jeans.

YT: “Thanks! I’ve had these for about six years.”

OJ: “Gotta wear it that long to get your money’s worth.”

Gotta wear it that long to get your money’s worth.

Thanks to platforms like Mercari (Famous flea market app in Japan), we now live in an age where clothes can be bought, worn, and resold like a subscription service. In that context, his words felt like an ancient incantation. Honestly, I was surprised at how novel the idea of “getting your money’s worth” out of clothing felt to me. Maybe one of the reasons this old man keeps wearing the same clothes for years is rooted in that very spirit, a quiet, practical defiance: “Gotta make it worth it, right?”

YT: “Even the fleece you’re wearing underneath is purple. Do you like the color?”

OJ: “Yeah, I like it! Because I like grapes!”

YT: “Grapes? As in wine?”

OJ: “No, the fruit! I don’t drink, so that’s my substitute.”

Grapes instead of booze. That’s poetic. Like eating rice instead of drinking sake. Let it ferment in your belly and you’ll get drunk anyway. Or so the joke goes.

Meanwhile, the old man’s cigarette still refused to light. The wind just wouldn’t quit.

YT: “Your white sneakers are cool too! I feel like many older people wear sneakers rather than leather shoes. Why sneakers for you?”

OJ: “I used to wear leather shoes. But about 30 years ago, I switched to sneakers. Leather’s too slippery.”

Makes sense. Leather soles don’t grip like rubber. On smooth supermarket floors, leather shoes plus weak knees could be a dangerous combo.
I always assumed sneakers were chosen for cushioning and reduced strain on the legs, but now I realized “slippage” is also a crucial factor. Learned something new today.

Eventually, the old man managed to get his cigarette lit. I figured it was time to say goodbye. I thanked him and headed toward Ekoda. Along the way, I reviewed the photo I’d taken. The shot featured the grape-colored old man, a European-style wooden frame, and some European-style brickwork. With the sun shining brilliantly in the front light, the entire scene evoked for me a vision of the Sicilian Peninsula, a place I’d never actually seen.

Since I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon, my hunger was at its peak, and everything I saw seemed to connect back to food.

Looking at this photo of freshly harvested Sicilian grapes, I decided: today’s lunch will be pasta.