[SH Street Chic] April Spring Edition, Shanghai Candids

Copy Editor's Note:

In this edition of Street Chic, Tima partnered with photographer Harvey Charles, a new contributor who recently had his Weekend Escape published. Harvey brings a unique aesthetic to the shoot: low contrast, lifted shadows, and a signature hazy quality. The vignetting adds a slight cinematic edge while still feeling elegant restraint. Share this with a friend. You're both living in a specific moment of Shanghai's fashion history.

One thing I've realized about living in Shanghai: no matter the holiday, no matter the season or the weather, Shanghai-ren will always go out to get their coffees, take their pictures and flash their OOTDs. Any time there is a public holiday, a time when supposedly people either go back to their hometowns or travel, it seems there is actually an influx of well-dressed folk out on the streets. So, to capitalize on my observations, instead of our regular March Street Chic highlights, we decided to do a different April edition. Snapping Shanghai locals and visitors in their natural habitats, chicly drinking coffee or elegantly rushing to some new obscure clothing brand opening, I personally think it all captures this city's essence flawlessly.

Starting off with me, as per usual. You can see how effortlessly I'm pretending to be just a clueless passerby, completely unaware of the camera with a humongous lens being directly pointed at me. A natural actor. I am wearing a very cute football-jersey-inspired Hello Kitty BF collab top with a pair of nicely-fit jeans, also from Chinese brand Randomevent. And a vintage Chanel bag, of course, adorned with cutesy charms.

A typical sight in Shanghai. A preppy-dressed girly with camera-ready makeup, her personal photographer in tow, at a newly opened cafe. Local influencers (and ppl who aspire to be one) have an interesting effect on new businesses. On one hand, if they make a place go viral, it brings in a bunch of new customers; but at the same time, most of those customers are just other influencers. I've heard from a bunch of people who don't do social media that even if they find out about a new hot spot, they can never get a seat, because it is constantly overrun by bloggers filming content. This particular place, Times, is no exception.

I find this setup very chic. In Shanghai, the second we get some sun, cafes and bars immediately bring out the folding chairs and stools so customers can enjoy the oh-so-needed vitamin D, while sucking on a straw from a cup filled with caffeine. A perfect afternoon, if you ask me. I'm actually pretty sure we've snapped the girly with glasses and leather boots for Street Chic multiple times before. Well, I'm not complaining; she always serves looks boots down. Leather boots down, if you will.

If you keep up with CNS publications, you might have seen my Xuhui gelato places. We may have published it a bit earlier, when the weather was still questionable; however, people in Shanghai do not stop eating ice cream, no matter the weather. I'm giving you an opportunity to be ahead, not follow what others will deem viral and have you waiting in line as a result. Anyways, I love this girl's icy blue Adidas jacket, from the recent collection, by the way. I was eyeing it myself a couple of weeks ago. And this particular ice cream shop on Yongkang Road, Azabuya, I heard has very good matcha ice cream.

Here are some more snaps of people peacefully enjoying their coffees outdoors. That is a unique trait of the Xuhui area, this serene, effortless vibe, uncommon in other parts of Shanghai. People seem to allow themselves to slow down here, enjoy the moment, while also expressing themselves through clothing. The area doesn't seem to carry the weight of a big city, and that's why I enjoy it so much.

Now moving on to an equally common sight on these Xuhui streets: people strutting down the block as if it were a catwalk. They never forget to have their digital cameras hanging around one arm and a bunch of shopping bags around the other. We've probably caught many of them in the transitional period from shopping to sitting outside drinking coffee.

Slay. That's all I have to say. Here is the formula, trench coat, big suede bag and unstyled, casual hair. Very chic.

First of all, why don't brands like Puma make these ballet-core shoes in bigger sizes? Yes, I am a size 42-43 foot, but I also want a petite ballet flat; it's 2026, god damn it. Second of all, I need to steal that Vivienne Westwood bag from this lovely lady. On her it looks like a bag that can fit everything, while on me it will resemble a coin purse; whatever, I do not care, I will make it work.

Some more photos of Shanghai-ren going on about their day, doing it in style. I hope these photos (and my witty commentaries) can inspire you to dress, look and feel like you're a part of this unique city's echo chamber; like we all belong here and can freely express ourselves.