Fashions generally get shaped by designers' runway collections or even celebrities or social media influencers who shape trends through their style choices. This summer, however, the latest fad is not related to fashion but was born on the streets of China.
The phenomenon is popularly referred to as "Beijing Bikini." What it entails is men wearing rolled-up T-shirts to expose their stomachs amid the heat and humidity. Nothing in its name suggests that it is related to any type of swimsuit at all; it is rather an old habit of Chinese men which has been catching the attention of people online each summer.
Photos of men walking down city streets have been shared online again, attracting comments from around the globe.
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A practical response to extreme heat
The history of the Beijing Bikini does not begin with fashion at all, but instead comes out of necessity. Prior to the availability of air conditioning and coolers that are both convenient and portable, people would simply roll up their shirts when the summer heat got unbearable.
The practice was particularly prevalent in cities like Beijing and Tianjin where the humidity and heat could be unbearable. This was certainly not done for any kind of cultural expression but simply to deal with the summer months in the most effective way possible.
What used to be just another part of street life in China is now an object of intrigue on the Internet. People have started to talk about the Beijing Bikini as being amusing, unconventional, yet oddly sensible at the same time. Memes are created based on pictures taken in China that depict people wearing the Beijing Bikini. Its popularity stems partly from the fact that it goes against what we expect modern fashion to be.
A changing attitude towards public behaviour
Although the practice remains widely recognised, some Chinese cities have attempted to discourage it in recent years. Local authorities in certain areas have included the Beijing Bikini in campaigns promoting what they describe as more "civilised" public behaviour.
Despite these efforts, the phenomenon continues to resurface online and remains closely associated with summer life in parts of northern China.
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Why the trend still resonates
The enduring intrigue of the Beijing Bikini may also be seen in the context of larger discussions around authenticity and utility. At a time when appearance often overshadows everything else in the realm of social media, the Beijing Bikini trend emerges as one that is refreshingly pragmatic.
Whether it is loved for its practical solution to bad weather or criticized for its lack of propriety, the Beijing Bikini is certainly among the weirdest summer trends to have captured worldwide attention precisely because it isn't trying to be stylish; it is just trying to keep its wearers cool.
