Blue Jeans Man

Written by Selahattin Celik

Location: Sjávarborg Cafe, Stykkishólmur, Iceland

It was a bright and sunny day as we stopped in Stykkishólmur to explore the filming locations of the Secret Life of Walter Mitty. We walked in to Sjávarborg Cafe which was decorated with vintage wares including skies, radios, and a Singer sewing machine.

Sitting outside soaking up the sun was a man wearing black Birkenstock clogs, an orange North Face fleece, and raw denim jeans. He was sat outside when we arrived and was still there when we left. He wasn’t looking on his phone, but was half reading a newspaper and half looking out to the empty street.

You could tell he had put in effort to what he was wearing, everything was well made and fit perfectly. It was also evident that he didn’t baby anything as everything he was wearing was worn in; the leather clogs were showing signs of age and his jeans were very faded. The things he had were serving the exact purpose that they were made for. This reminded me of the general attitude around Iceland. It is a very expensive place but everything is well thought out and constructed with care. No expense is spared when it comes to the environment or services, but those things are not babied or monitored so that people don’t use them. It serves as a reminder that the things we buy and use are not just that; things. They don’t have any value outside of the use we make of them.

Moral of story; don’t be afraid to fade your jeans.

Photography by Selahattin Celik