UNIQLO｜LifeWear Story 100 directed by Yataro Matsuura

Central Park, early summer. Basking in the warm sun, I sat on a bench reading a book. It was so comfortable that I began to sway in and out of the sleepy haze.

Slouching and stretching out my legs, I crossed my hands at the back of my head and gazed up at the sky. The young leaves on the trees glistening in the glorious sun, sparrows prancing from branches to branches.

I laid down the book beside me, stretched myself, and took a long breath.

A boy who looked to be about six years old with a New York Yankees t-shirt approached as he chased the soccer ball rolling this way.

“Can you kick it this way?” he called out to me.
“OK,” I said, stood up and kicked the ball towards him.

“Thank you,” he said as he nicely trapped the ball but then kicked it back again towards me.

“C’mon” he said with a great big smile on his face.

I smirked and kicked the ball back and then he kicked again saying, “C’mon!”

That’s when the memory of learning an inside kick came back, where you kick with the inside of your foot. “Ok, here goes!” I thrusted my foot a little harder this time.

He couldn’t trap the ball and started rushing after it. “Wow, how did you do that?”

“You point your foot directly towards the person you are kicking to, take one step forward with it, swing the other leg far back and kick with the inside of your foot. You kick but don’t try to kick it upwards, like this, try it.”

“This way, you can get better control of the ball which makes it easier for the other guy to receive,” he said.

I decided to come closer to the boy and I said, “Let’s practice,” and we began a pass practice with inside kicks. “Nice!” “Good!” “Thanks!”
We found ourselves, engrossed in our own little soccer world.

The boy looked really happy to be learning about inside kicks.

“Oh, I’m sorry and thanks for hanging out with him…I had a bit of work problem…” A lady who was busy on her mobile and who looked to be like his mom approached, apologizing.
“Ok, it’s time to go home now,” she said to him.

“No problem, I enjoyed it, too,” I said and waved goodbye.
“Thanks for teaching me,” he said and waved with a big goodbye.

I looked at my wristwatch and noticed that it was near my 3PM appointment. With Asha, or I hoped I would see Asha.

Today is exactly five years from our promise. We said that we will meet at the same time at the place where we first met, the Coffee Shop.

No goodbye kiss or hug. That’s how we parted five years ago.

Built-in bra dresses are usually worn as loungewear. But this season, we are proud to achieve the comfort of a bra top with the elegance of a dress. The trendy gathered hem offers a fine silhouette that beautifully flows off the body.

Using elegant modal cotton, it has a smooth touch and added stretch. The elegant drape has just the right looseness and shine, taking away the heavy feel of a long dress.

“I was honestly like Joe from Midnight Cowboy,” said Asha.

One day, early summer, we began to talk about our lives up to that point, sitting on the steps of the Conservatory Garden, sharing roasted nuts and iced tea.

Asha was in high school when she came to New York from Ethiopia alone. The hardship of not knowing English, days without family and friends, graduating high school to pursue her dream career in fashion… Born to an Italian mother and an Ethiopian father, she was graced with a healthy complexion and style which made her a target of constant sexual harassment.

“I always said, ‘This is it, this can be true love,’ and I would fall for a guy but nothing lasted. Once they found out that they can’t control me, they all leave. I don’t know how many times I’ve been deceived. My friends say don’t overthink it, just enjoy the company, but I couldn’t. I had a dream, and I wanted to do what I can only do now. I want to design dresses so I wanted to learn design. That’s it. I can’t enjoy just flirting and partying all night long. Even if it’s just one day a week, I want to truly enjoy the time with my boyfriend. I’m nobody’s accessory. I met many guys over the years which led me to become distrusting. I can’t fool around. It’s just not me.”

Asha took a nut, threw it up in the air, and successfully caught it with her mouth.

“When you are alone, you get good at things like this… hey, I can do it with two nuts.” She did, laughed, and boasted that she can do with four nuts.

“The reason I started to work part-time at the Coffee Shop was that there were many foreigners like me. They all have it tough, you, too, probably, and we became good friends. I want to serve a million of those popular cappuccinos to cheer the lonely New York travelers to keep on fighting!”

Asha had on a simple, light one-piece dress with sneakers, worn barefoot.

“I like your clothes today. They’re nice.”
“Thanks! I designed this myself. It’s easy and feminine. These dresses tend to become sexy, but I tried to make it not so. I always wear pants at work, but a dress makes me feel more feminine which is good when I’m on a date. But a sneaker would be a turn off, I guess, but look!” she said, standing up to take off her sneakers, and posed in front of me.

“What do you think? Barefoot is perfect for this dress, right?” and she twirled around.

“What should we do now? Go some place? Maybe I’ll walk around the city barefoot today,” said Asha, carrying the sneakers in one hand and pulling my hand with another as we started walking.

That’s how we enjoyed our days off, five years ago.
So beautiful was Asha, squinting and gazing up at the glistening sun.

The hold and support of a bra top leaves you worry-free of your underwear being revealed. This season, the bra top dress will be available in the trendy colors of mustard yellow and khaki.

So yes, you can still enjoy it as a loungewear, but it is a stylish summer piece for your casual day out or even for a nice restaurant dinner.

Looks good barefoot
because you wear it directly
on your skin.
The piece you long for a day off in.

WOMENFLARE
SLEEVELESS
BRA DRESS$29.90

Choose this clothes

What is “LifeWear story 100?”

At UNIQLO,
there exist these lines of clothes
which has remained for many years,
trend-neutral
yet never dated.
Out of the line-ups,
they are the unsung presence,
sitting quietly behind in TV ads.

Yet, they are the culmination
of the years of passion and devotion,
where UNIQLO sought to pursue
more comfort,
more durability, and
more quality.

They give shape and gravitas
to what and who UNIQLO is,
and what UNIQLO continues
to nurture with great care.

To go beyond yesterday,
to reach higher tomorrow.

When you take it in your hands,
when you try it on,
it softly speaks to you,
almost like a friend.

What is a rich quality
lifestyle?
How is such a quality day spent?
What does happiness mean to you…

And you will find yourself
surprised to discover that such
piece of clothing has existed.

What is the UNIQLO principle?
Why do we call clothing LifeWear?
What kind of clothes constitute
LifeWear?

Here, we go deep into
the root of LifeWear,
to know
and to tell.
And I hope to write
stories that revolve
around LifeWear and myself.

LifeWear story 100 will be
a story about a journey with me and LifeWear.

Yataro Matsuura

Essayist, editor. Born 1965 in Tokyo.
For nine years from 2005, under the leadership of the founder, Shizuko Ohashi, he was the chief editor for the magazine, “Kurashi no Techo.” Since, he launched an online media site, “Kurashi no Kihon.” Currently, sits as a director for Oishii Kenko Ltd. Recognized for his eye for style and experience in presenting ideas for quality lifestyle. Regularly writes in his columns in newspapers and magazines. Has penned numerous best-sellers including “Kyo mo Teinei ni” and “Shigoto no Kihon Kurashi no Kihon 100.” Hosts a radio program on NHK Radio 1, “Karen Style.”