Grandpa blogger dresses with contemporary flair

Wearing sunglasses, a bucket hat and a fluorescent green T-shirt while holding a cup of Starbucks coffee, an 83-year-old man surnamed Kang in Wuhan, Hubei province, impressed netizens with his fashionable outfits on the short-video platform Douyin (known as TikTok overseas).

The video, taken by Kang's grandson last year, received more than 2 million likes within three days. Now the man, nicknamed Grandpa Kang, has about 600,000 fans as a fashion blogger.

He tries on various styles — from Western suits to casual clothes, from ancient Chinese garb to Japanese and South Korean styles. There seems to be no sartorial splendor he won't try. He surfs the internet to learn about latest fashion trends.

"In the 1940s and 1950s, the only choice for us was a Chinese tunic suit," Kang said. "After the start of reform and opening-up, clothing began to diversify, and now there are thousands of fashion brands. We've become more open with rapid development of economy."

He said clothing not only reflects people's pursuit of beauty but also their love and hope for life. He wants to narrow the gap with young people and inspire more old men to update their wardrobes.

"Some seniors will feel they've been separated from society after retirement, which is not good for their health," he said, adding he wants to encourage older people to enjoy life. Before, he has worked in the university education industry for over 40 years.

Besides his fashion pursuits, Kang also likes basketball, fencing, fitness and travel, and he often plays with his grandson. He consults with fans and gives advice when they are facing problems in life.