“This is for the kids,” he said, “I’m too old.”
October 7, 2015 2:12 PM   Subscribe

A new trend in headwear is taking China by storm. The New York Times is on the case.

NB: The inline links in this article are actually pretty good
posted by theodolite (60 comments total) 14 users marked this as a favorite
 
Humans are funny, sometimes.
posted by signal at 2:15 PM on October 7, 2015 [2 favorites]


Reminds me of Pikmin.
posted by jedicus at 2:18 PM on October 7, 2015 [7 favorites]


Reminds me of this...
posted by jim in austin at 2:18 PM on October 7, 2015 [5 favorites]


If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. If you're going to Beijing, be sure to wear them a bit higher.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 2:19 PM on October 7, 2015 [4 favorites]


Reminds me of flower beards.
posted by Kabanos at 2:21 PM on October 7, 2015


I saw a tourist wearing one of these in Florence this past weekend. I think it looks cute! Not sure I'm fashion-forward enough to wear one but I would consider it.
posted by daisyk at 2:21 PM on October 7, 2015 [5 favorites]


Tongue-in cheek lede with historical overtones .... check
Po-faced mock psychology ... check
Two-three perfectly minted soundbites from ordinary folk ... check
A few grafs of pure speculation involving the internet ... check
A business angle ... check
A skeptical view ... check
A whiff of cultural stereotyping by some kind of expert in something ... check

Yes, I'm afraid you've got all the symptoms of a slapdash New York Times culture story about a foreign country.
posted by chavenet at 2:22 PM on October 7, 2015 [34 favorites]


This is exactly how human transmission cordyceps fungus starts. "headgear" suuuuure.
posted by The Whelk at 2:25 PM on October 7, 2015 [26 favorites]


Aww, I love this and would totally wear a little sprout. How cute.
posted by phunniemee at 2:27 PM on October 7, 2015 [12 favorites]


Reminds me of this:

Some Chimps Are Putting Grass in Their Ears
posted by OwlBoy at 2:29 PM on October 7, 2015 [13 favorites]


It looks like something out of Dr. Seuss.
posted by brujita at 2:29 PM on October 7, 2015 [3 favorites]


This is the NYT trying to prank everyone, right? By running an article about a a runaway fad halfway across the world, meaning no one can fact check, and then inciting a sort of herd mentality so that Americans start placing stray vegetables on their heads and walking around that way? And then they snigger and stage whisper "THEY TOTALLY FELL FOR IT." Right?
posted by mudpuppie at 2:29 PM on October 7, 2015 [4 favorites]


But if it's real I'm going hardcore and stitching a mung bean into my locks and keeping my hair damp all day every day, because in three days, bean sprout.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:30 PM on October 7, 2015 [18 favorites]


But if it's real I'm going hardcore and stitching a mung bean into my locks and keeping my hair damp all day every day, because in three days, bean sprout.

I look forward to the future Portlandia sketch about headsteaders growing their own urban gardens in their hair.
posted by phunniemee at 2:34 PM on October 7, 2015 [39 favorites]


I absolutely love this. I make headbands for myself with giant ludicrous fake flowers and wear them to dinners out, work holiday parties, etc. I would totally add sprouts to them.
posted by skycrashesdown at 2:39 PM on October 7, 2015 [2 favorites]


item: "said the young person who is taking part in the exact same fad that countless other young people in the world's most populated country are taking part in."

Said every young person ever taking part in the exact same fad as countless other young people in any country in the world.
posted by signal at 2:42 PM on October 7, 2015 [21 favorites]


Reminds me of this.
posted by J.K. Seazer at 2:42 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


"bean sprout hair clip" returns 849 items on Ebay. This shizz is real. I might even get one myself (even if it makes me think "that person's head is filthy").
posted by Fnarf at 2:48 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


I look forward to the future Ghillie Suit fad when everyone's walking around in what amounts to anti-camo in the urban jungle.
posted by symbioid at 2:50 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


Do they light up? Because I really want them to light up.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:51 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


The alien pod people's plans to infiltrate the world are foiled when the New York Time's Style section covers the fad they initiated to allow them to walk around the most populous country in the world undetected. In six months, they will remain the lonely outliers to the trend, a trend they are biologically unable to quit, and will be singled out and identified. Earth is saved. THANK YOU NY TIMES STYLE.
posted by Atreides at 2:53 PM on October 7, 2015 [3 favorites]


If you're going to Sanming...
Be sure to put bean sprouts in your hair.
posted by symbioid at 2:54 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


Harvest some of that hair wheat, bake yourself a man bun.
posted by themanwho at 3:04 PM on October 7, 2015 [12 favorites]


> NB: The inline links in this article are actually pretty good

Interestingly, the s.taobao domain in the link near the end of the article gets redirected to a tw.taobao domain, and the result is an empty search result page.
posted by ardgedee at 3:26 PM on October 7, 2015


> By running an article about a a runaway fad halfway across the world, meaning no one can fact check

...because there is no such thing as a search engine or an ecommerce site that anybody, anywhere could use to determine whether such a thing exists and is available for sale, independently of the Times saying it does.

C'mon, the Times deserves its share of mockery for hyping non-fads, but at least check the damn article first, because for once The Times provides citations.
posted by ardgedee at 3:41 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


I've worked with plants quite a bit and I know that, in many cases, the root structure of a plant/sprout can be significant, sometimes even larger than the above-the-ground portion of the plant.

So I see each of these pictures and imagine where the roots are and I find them deeply disturbing.

GO AWAY, weird fashion trend.
posted by mmoncur at 3:43 PM on October 7, 2015 [4 favorites]



Things like this just make me love people. So quirky!

I read the first couple of sentences of the article and realized I really didn't care about the Time analysis of what or why or who. All I needed was people are doing this thing and the pictures.

Pictures that made me smile and giggle which is awesome after a shitty day at work.
posted by Jalliah at 3:51 PM on October 7, 2015 [15 favorites]


Reminds me of 1982. Man, I'm old.
posted by gingerest at 3:56 PM on October 7, 2015 [4 favorites]


C'mon, the Times deserves its share of mockery for hyping non-fads, but at least check the damn article first, because for once The Times provides citations.

My faceitous-ness, let me show you it.
posted by mudpuppie at 3:58 PM on October 7, 2015


For a second I thought they were real sprouts seed woven into hair like the mung bean jokey comment. Then I thought they were live sprouts woven after sprouting. Then I RTFA
posted by aydeejones at 4:10 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


This hat, is it cunning?
posted by theora55 at 4:37 PM on October 7, 2015


So the Chinese are turning into Chia People?
can't believe nobody before me posted this... or did it get deleeted?
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:46 PM on October 7, 2015 [2 favorites]


Was anyone else hoping that people were letting actual beans sprout on their heads?
posted by zenhob at 4:51 PM on October 7, 2015 [4 favorites]


I wish the business men lumbering around downtown here in Chicago wore these. A more interesting work commute.
posted by Windigo at 4:51 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


'kay now... which way is Beijing?
posted by Wolfdog at 4:52 PM on October 7, 2015


"...her coronet weeds, clambering to hang..."...
posted by rmmcclay at 5:05 PM on October 7, 2015


Hmmmm! There are some on ebay! I need a bean sprout barrette STAT!
posted by geeklizzard at 5:35 PM on October 7, 2015


I hope it becomes a whole thing because you could do little fascinator grids, like flower arranging frogs, the mesh squares that you could then clip different arrangements to, and bring back the languages of flowers with tiny spring gardens bouncing around on your head.

I want this to become a thing so bad because it is so delightful.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:36 PM on October 7, 2015 [9 favorites]


I am so happy right now. This is the best thing ever.
posted by geeklizzard at 5:38 PM on October 7, 2015 [3 favorites]


But won't it clash with the onions in my belt?
posted by briank at 5:43 PM on October 7, 2015 [5 favorites]


Interestingly, the s.taobao domain in the link near the end of the article gets redirected to a tw.taobao domain, and the result is an empty search result page.

I didn't see the taobao link in the article, but a quick search of the site shows quite a few sellers. The smaller number to the right of the price is the quantity sold -- the first couple of results are both over 30 thousand.
posted by bradf at 5:59 PM on October 7, 2015


Do you want aphids? Because this is how you get aphids.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:08 PM on October 7, 2015 [8 favorites]


i am literally buying one of these right now, immediately
posted by nogoodverybad at 7:56 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


I've got this under control, guys.

OK, this is actually a hat I made for Easter 4 or 5 years ago.
posted by mollymayhem at 8:32 PM on October 7, 2015 [4 favorites]


By which I mean, this is obviously the best thing, and I am plotting a 3d printed version with either glow in the dark filament or a tiny battery pack for an LED in the leaves.

I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to be placing orders for products here on metafilter ... so someone quick please distract the mods while I ask if I can order one from you!
posted by kanewai at 9:17 PM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


I want firefly, solar head decor!
posted by Oyéah at 9:28 PM on October 7, 2015


If only I hadn't just buzzed my head...
posted by en forme de poire at 10:37 PM on October 7, 2015


Product idea: chia helmet.
posted by mcrandello at 11:48 PM on October 7, 2015


My mommy said not to put beans in my ears.
posted by Segundus at 4:44 AM on October 8, 2015 [2 favorites]


meaning no one can fact check

Right, because nobody in New York ever visits or talks to anyone in China.

There certainly aren't several hundred full jumbo jets going between the two every day, and definitely not millions of phone, video, and other real time conversations.

Better send a penny post, we'll find out in a few months.
posted by dmd at 6:38 AM on October 8, 2015


I moved to Chengdu a few weeks ago and can confirm this is very real. Men, women, children, adults. I have pictures.

My wife was asked by a couple of tourists in the touristy tourist trap Kuan Zhai alley what they were (she was wearing one at the time). She held up her phone and said it improves the WiFi reception. "Really?"
posted by Wet Spot at 7:25 AM on October 8, 2015 [8 favorites]


Reminds me of this
posted by rmless at 9:27 AM on October 8, 2015


Gosh,how come I missed this! I'm excited that I may get the chance to witness this in person in a month or so.

According to this article, the trend started out at a comics/manga con in Hangzhou in May, where a netizen started selling homemade 'grass sprout' hair clips. The fad quickly spread out to all major tourist spots in China, where the going rate has been 3 for 10 yuan (about $1.5).
posted by of strange foe at 9:38 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


I'm a trendsetter.
posted by curious nu at 11:09 AM on October 8, 2015


Metafilter: overtihinking a pate of beans.
posted by progosk at 2:52 PM on October 8, 2015 [4 favorites]


OMG stoneweaver, that's delightful and if you have the urge to do another, please memail me!
posted by Space Kitty at 3:39 PM on October 8, 2015


Hm. This article didn't mention the explanation that I heard. My girlfriend returned from China a week ago with a leaf hair clip in tow - she said that the trend comes from a TV series where when the main character has a thought, a little leaf sprouts out of his head - like a lightbulb flashing on.
posted by Aethelwulf at 2:44 AM on October 9, 2015


I saw my first head-flower growing 'in the wild' of IRL today (across the Strait). This is not just on the Internet (though the Internet roots are Shirley adventitiously spreading it).
posted by infinite intimation at 3:54 AM on October 9, 2015


I love these and really hope that they catch on elsewhere. I think they're super fun.
posted by naturalog at 7:58 AM on October 9, 2015


Groot?
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 4:25 PM on October 9, 2015 [2 favorites]


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