Approaching people on the street in Amsterdam, where I met Mark McGoey, is harder than you might think. There are generally more cyclists than pedestrians (except for in the most touristy places), which makes stopping stylish passers-by feel like a game of cat and mouse. I was on a bike when I saw Mr. McGoey, walking with a friend on a Wednesday in late April, and had to hop off to get a better look at his outfit.

His pale knit sweater matched the color of his bleached, buzzed hair and popped from beneath the vibrant paisley jacket he was wearing. The sweater was a hand-me-down from his father, who had bought it in Dublin decades ago, he said. Mr. McGoey, a 21-year-old art history student at Middlebury College in Vermont, added that he bought his jacket secondhand in Oxford, England, where he had recently spent a semester abroad.

“I just loved the pattern and also the cut,” he said of what drew him to the jacket. “I also love that the sleeves are kind of short. I love layering, so it’s cool when things kind of come out more.”