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words + images: the return of the slow stroll
written by Murph Phi
Have you ever noticed how some streets make you walk differently? Not faster or slower exactly, just… differently. Yeah, that’s the slow stroll. It’s definitely not a pedestrian thing. It’s posture. A Rhythm. An Attitude. In some corners of the city, it forms a subtle rebellion and a way to claim space without shouting. Some people just watch. Cameras click. But mostly, it’s for the walker and the community, and the feeling of moving as one with the streets.
Back in the day, Harlem, Clarksdale, New Orleans, and Chicago had this thing down. Hats tilted, shoes shiny, the way you moved said something. It said who you were, where you belonged. Style was code. Today? The sneakers are fresher, bags heavier, stances sharper but the beat is the same. Walk, glide, look. Main streets become runways, fit checks are at the center of expression. And every slow step carries a little history, even if you don’t know it…whether it's vintage or not.
Photographers get it. Wide-angle shots, faded Polaroids, even Instagram stories and in each frame says, “Look, this is us. This is now. This is legacy.” Fashion historians nod quietly while influencers post in real time. It’s a weird mix but it works and there’s a pulse to it, also. Commuting becomes the performance that doesn’t necessarily need an audience, but the audience can’t not show up.
And yes, there’s tension. Once people start filming, once TikTok trends and street style shoots creep in, authenticity gets a little messy. The stroll becomes content, but does the soul stay? Because they can copy the fit or the pace, maybe even the tilt of your head but you own your own sauce. It’s a cultural power play.
There’s nostalgia here too. OGs remember when slow strolls were coded, almost ceremonial, and every single detail mattered. Younger walkers are remixing it and adding their own spin, layering in sneakers with music and attitude. The city watches both generations collide, blend, push against each other and that’s the beauty. That’s why the slow stroll survives. It’s a pipeline. A rebellion and ritual. Performance and memory.
So yeah, slow down. Look around. You might just catch the rhythm the city forgot it had.
Image Credits:
Getty Images: Jose Perez/ Bauer-Griffin