Uniformity: A Conversation About Uniforms With Frank Yu

Steven Schwankert | May 7, 2014 9:00 am | Add a comment | 1670 reads
 
In this month's edition of Uniformity we speak to Frank Yu; co-founder and CEO of Kwestr, Beijing tech maven and avid Instagrammer (follow him at mkultra00) and co-organizer of the Instagramers Beijing group.

Which uniform were you most mocked for wearing? 
In high school, when you rode public transportation wearing a jacket and tie as a teenager, it was like advertising yourself as a must-mug. We wore denim and leather jackets to school and changed to sport jackets once we arrived. It was uncool to have a jacket and tie that looked as though it fit; it was much cooler to wear three sizes too big and to wear socks or leaves as your necktie.
 
Which uniform was the most flattering?
Military Class A dress uniforms make one look very cavalier and dashing as long as you don’t have to eat, sit down or move.
 
Which uniform was the worst fit?
All of them, Asians are not meant to wear Western uniform proportions.
 
Which uniform do you feel most sentimental about? Why? 
My US military uniforms. When I wore them I was representative of an institution that had a long tradition and history. I may rob banks and double-park in civilian clothes, but I would never dishonor the uniform or the organization when I wore it.
 
Did you ruin any of these uniforms? How? 
They ruined me. Back in the day, many of these uniforms were polyester or dacron.
 
Which uniform did you resent wearing the most?  
As long as others suffered with me, I didn’t mind. Misery and humiliation are like pizza – more fun with others.
 
Which uniform did you have the most fun in?  
Army uniforms were usually almost green. Unlike the Navy, which had sharp white dress uniforms where you can look all Officer and a Gentleman-like, Army dress uniforms made its wearers look like bad prom dates. My father was a naval officer and he looked great in dress whites and a sword. So when I had a chance to go to Dalian, I got to dress up in a PLA naval officer’s dress whites. The girl that I was dating at the time said it looked stupid and gave me a hard time about it, but I enjoyed wearing the uniform and looking all squared away as we say in the Army. 
 
 
 

To read the May 2014 issue of the Beijinger online, click here.

Photo: Judy Zhou