Subway Rat Report: Faux Spring
Photographer Hannah La Follette Ryan captures the confusion of the season.
Hello! We’re back with another Subway Rat report from photographer Hannah La Follette Ryan. This month, her photos perfectly capture how confusing it can be to dress between seasons, specifically “False Spring.” When I first wrote this, it was nearly 80 degrees and sunny, but by the time I hit publish, the real feel was 45. It’s tough out there; don’t be fooled! 🤡 Below is her full dispatch.
Have you been victimized by False Spring? You may be entitled to financial compensation. Like clockwork, the crocuses bloom, and suddenly, every spring outfit feels possible. It requires self-restraint and constant reality testing with the Weather App to navigate New York’s deceptive microseasons.
Mixed style signals are flying on the subway in March. You’ll catch someone in a down coat across from someone wearing open-toe shoes. While shooting on the train this month, I divided passengers into two categories: False Spring Idealists and False Spring Pragmatists.
Pragmatists are always in weather-appropriate attire, traveling with extra layers and a preventative umbrella (or weatherproof bucket hat). Idealists have blind faith in the Spring Equinox and/or a willingness to sacrifice small comforts for fashion.
To help make my assessment, I’d glance at the sock choice and ankle skin gap. Pragmatists wore their coquettish “lettuce edge” socks with tights. Idealists braved the season with bare legs and a dream. Where do you fall on the False Spring continuum?
— Hannah
Hannah La Follette Ryan is a Brooklyn-based artist and educator from Amherst, MA. Her Subway Hands series has been featured in dozens of publications in the US and abroad. She freelances for New York magazine and The Nation and has collaborated with Boy Genius, Valentino, the Guggenheim, and many others. She currently teaches street photography at the International Center of Photography.
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