#belikebieber

Fire me UP!!!

    Hello. Today I'd like to call my appreciation of Justin Bieber's bizarre dressing habits to the stand. That is to say, I love seeing the way that Justin and Hailey (but especially Justin) look when they step out of the house together. I find something highly aspirational about her wanna-be-skandiness contrasted against his drew house-hat-over-hoodie swag.

    This appreciation, or perhaps fascination is a better word, can be tied back my run in with this GQ article documenting some of the couples outfits. Prior to this moment, the only emotion I felt towards Justin was a sort middle school contrarianism born hatred. I'm now a changed man.

    Since I'm often very intentional about the way that I present myself, seeing someone frequently in the public eye wear ill fitting athleisure on a daily basis (see below) feels like a freeing influence. Even if my version of this "IDGAF" sort of style is still ultimately going to be intentional on my end. 

    At the same time, Bieber does have a stylist in Karla Welch. Part of me suspects that Justin, Hailey, and Karla could be coordinating these freaky little combos to send a message. When I look at the two of them, it seems to me that Bieber is the slack-off stay at home boyfriend, while Hailey is the bread earner. Something something gender roles? I don't know... but I do respect it.

    This represents another semi-aspirational element of Bieber's swag... I love the concept of having a girlfriend/wife/whatever who is just making so much bread that all I do is hit Erewhon in my Aviator Nation sweats for the weekly groceries! Even as it stands, where my girlfriend and I are both full-time students, I do still derive some joy from throwing on the sweatsuit and grabbing a coffee if the weather allows.

    I guess, then, that the #belikebieber movement is a bit about taking the pressure off. I think it's cool to be intentional about the way you dress, and that most of the time its helpful to be presentable but lets face it. Sometimes you have got to be like Bieber.

Some additional notes:

• Be sure to pretend that the paparazzi are waiting for you wherever you're going
• Do not, under any circumstances, step out in a black leather shoe
• You are not pretending to be Jacob Elordi: If you can make yourself look shorter, do it
• Branded Swag is encouraged. Don't be afraid of a logo
• If going somewhere, get dropped off in the nicest vehicle available. It's about the high-low of the outfit and the Escalade

Practicing looking at the paps so I can #belikebieber