There’s an art to holding a coffee. Walking into a café, trying to be nonchalant, and somehow making it look magazine-worthy, even if you’re highly addicted to caffeine, need it to wake up, to chill out, and somehow even to try to sleep. Maybe you’ve queued up at Starbucks for their Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso or sipped on a very basic Dunkin’s Iced Coffee - because who doesn’t want to spend the equivalent of a full lunch on a coffee? Now, of course, I’m pretty sure a lot of us wouldn’t mind a Starbucks here in Sri Lanka, but until then, if we want a good substitute for that aesthetically pleasing coffee, a few of the Colombo hotspots offer that, like Department of Coffee, Divide, Kiku, Kiri Kopi and the Grind. And if you still can’t relate to this article, there are the die-hard fans of the classic, Java Lounge. If you think this OG spot serves the best coffee…well, let’s just say your taste is a little questionable. But they do keep the caffeine going, and sometimes that’s all that matters - even if homemade coffee might actually be better. Now, whether it’s an almond milk latte or a classic espresso, every cup has its own vibe - and suddenly, coffee in hand can turn even the most ordinary walk to class, work, or the café into a runway moment.
Cafés as Catwalks
Walk into a trendy café and you’ll see, it’s not just the space that’s curated, it’s the people, the outfits, and every little aesthetic detail, right down to the placement of the coffee beans. Some even go so far as to spray synthetic coffee scents, so the moment you step inside, you’re hit with that fresh-brewed aroma. It’s basically a whole vibe. And people dress for this vibe.
I mean, let’s be real: nobody’s “just grabbing a coffee” anymore - cafés are backdrops. People dress up for them the way they once dressed up for clubs. In a pastel, minimalist café with sunlight streaming in, you’ll spot linen pants, midi skirts, dainty blouses, and tiny gold hoops - the typical soft-girl brunch look. Industrial spots with concrete walls and black metal stools attract oversized shirts, sneakers, slicked-back hair, and denim. Even cosy, rustic cafés with wooden furniture and vintage posters pull in the cardigan-and-sweater girls, even if it’s 100 degrees outside, as if the lighting itself whispered, “wear something warm.”
And the coffee cup? It’s no longer just coffee; it’s an accessory. The kind you casually pose with or photograph alone on a marble countertop, knowing it will make it into at least one Instagram story. And it’s never just “a cup of coffee.” Notice how iced coffees are never in a plain old glass? It’s always some aesthetic glass tumbler, sometimes funky-shaped, or worse, a plastic ice cup with a useless paper straw. Even when you’re at a café to ‘work’ - really just an excuse to dress up and escape the house, the whole setup is curated: the MacBook, the oversized tote and the notebook are part of the show. At this point, your coffee fuels your personal brand more than your body.
Drinks Dictate Outfits
As the tastes and seasons shift, so do the coffees - and the looks that come with them. Honestly, you could almost match the drink to the outfit, or even the person. In most parts of the world, fall is all about pumpkin-spiced everything: lattes, chai, and a dash of cinnamon. Outfits follow suit, cosy knits, oversized scarves, leather boots, and suddenly, with orange leaves, it’s a little romantic, very Gilmore Girls-coded.
Summer flips the script: bikinis, sundresses, sandals, cold brews and fruity refreshers, with sunlight streaming through café windows for a breezy, effortless mood. Spring is lighter and brighter: floral teas, iced lattes, cardigans, and pastels. Winter brings hot chocolate, spiced cappuccinos, wool coats, beanies, and layers upon layers. And December? Everything tastes like ginger, peppermint, and eggnog, with cafés turning into North Pole pop-ups and baristas doubling as Santa’s little helpers. Here, in Sri Lanka, not so much. No winters or summers; just hot, hotter, and slightly less hot. But the effect is the same: your drink still sets the vibe. A rainy morning will call for cappuccinos and soft neutrals, while a sunny day will call for strappy, relaxed fits and iced lattes or Tinkiri Kopi, the Sri Lankan version of the Vietnamese coffee. And it’s not just about coffee. Matcha? Basically, holding a cup of grass and somehow making it look effortless, like you didn’t force yourself to drink it just because it’s the trendy new thing. Milo? That’s your inner child - or maybe your inner manchild, depending on who’s sipping it , taking a stylish coffee break. Wellness drinks and smoothies with turmeric, beetroot, and ginger (basically an ayurvedic potion) attract the fitness-focused crowd, all in their coordinated workout and yoga sets. Every drink isn’t just a drink; it’s a mood and a tiny costume change.
Caffeine or Identity Fix?
Here’s the truth: your coffee routine was never about staying awake. It’s about staying in control. That daily iced latte or frappe is less a necessity and more a ritual that tricks you into thinking life is orderly, structured, and manageable. The chaos feels quieter when it comes with a paper sleeve. Basically, it’s the ‘That Girl’ energy; for coffee. And loyalty? That’s not about taste anymore. Its identity. People swear by their coffee spots the way others swear by their horoscopes. Tell me your go-to order and I’ll tell you who you think you are: the mocha chooser who secretly avoids caffeine but still wants to feel part of the café tribe, the oat-milk drinker auditioning for wellness status, the basic iced coffee addict insisting it’s essential but just wants to be effortlessly cool when really it’s just sugar and milk at this rate.
Another reason iced coffees are so beloved by Gen Z? They’re just easier to drink. They come with a straw, and you don’t have to wait for them to cool down. Honestly, it’s a pretty pathetic reason for the rise of such a daily essential, you’d think it would be something cooler, when really, it’s just impatience disguised as a trend. At the end of the day, the addiction isn’t really to caffeine - it’s to what the cup in your hand says about you. It’s become a prop, part of your outfit, a subtle statement all on its own. Every step from the counter to your seat turns into a mini runway, even if you barely notice it. You don’t need caffeine to function, you need the performance it buys you and convince yourself you’re the next Victoria’s Secret Angel on the coffee runway.
