CUTIES SPOTTED is an ongoing series of people whose outfits and energies catch my eye and make it onto my iPhone mini’s camera roll. Part 1 was London-only; this one packs in looks spotted in Marseille, Berlin, Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, Copenhagen, and London. While putting this together, I realised this edition features lots of older folks—all @gramparents-worthy imo—the very best of us.
No one asked, but here’s a necessary recap on what makes a cutie: a good mix of an aesthetically considered outfit, the sense that they are comfortable in their own skin, and how I’d love to strike up a conversation and learn their life story.
An immediate @gramparents tag, spotted on my last day in Marseille. The pops of red hues against the blues; the flare of the denim outerwear; and the way the sleeves of their striped shirt peeped out. They knew what they were doing.
This kid in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg was such an icon, I want to rock a bowl cut like this. Also, just look at their stride.
Spotted when I was getting coffee at a cute café counter Coffee Punkto, housed in a modern puppet theatre Puk Pupa Teatro, in Tokyo.
A good bone white turtle neck never goes wrong. Tokyo.
On the train in Tokyo.
Another Tokyo hit.
Where did this uncle get their top?? In Singapore, or On Vacation.
Another uncle in Singapore.
Double-striped inspo! Marseille.
Looked up from my plate of noodles at Wen Cheng to this effortlessly chic cropped denim jacket look. Berlin.
Loving the play of silhouettes and textures on an all-black outfit. Voo Store, Berlin.
On the first night of my solo trip to Paris in April, I was searching for a bar to head to after dinner. Naturally, there was one right across the street. I walked over and found a live jazz band already playing. Seated on a high-chair in the back corner, I sipped on a red and journaled away, thinking, You can’t make this shit up; this is Paris for you.
This photo and the next were taken at studio x kitchen in Copenhagen. If I recall correctly, these two later sat together as part of the same party, both sporting matching looks with their mini +1s. Parents in Copenhagen surely make parenting look easy, and stylish.
Who would you rather be: the baby or the parent?
Everything about this! The awkward lengths of the tee, jorts, and electric blue socks that just work; something about the way they almost touch each other. Waitrose, London.
I wouldn’t believe it if you told me they weren’t models (lol). I wish I had gotten a photo of them chatting out front! Dreamin’ Man, Paris.
In Copenhagen, on the way to the Airbnb from the airport. Big fan of the colour-blocking of their spectacles and handbag, against the neutral tones of the rest of their outfit and full head of white.
Hope you enjoyed this one! Have a favourite look? Love a part 3? Any other thoughts? Tell me in the comments, please!
I’ve been considering sharing more of my photos on here. Truth be told, I hesitated to post this because I kept thinking, Pin, you’re supposed to writeon here, not upload some pictures and count captions as writing. Yet I kept coming back to this draft, and later realised: photography and writing are symbiotic in my creative practice. Both are in response to observing people, being called to look, finding beauty in the everyday and only sometimes knowing why.
In other photo-related news, I was recently commissioned by NYC-based Byline to photograph Shaad D’Souza, a writer, editor, and creative consultant based in London. That was fun and I’d love to work on more projects like that! If you’re interested, you can find the photos on my website, now featured in my Creative Living series.
