the art of layering

Whenever I go to Korea during the winter, I always find myself amazed at how wonderfully the girls layer their clothing. The way that they mix prints, colors, and fabrics is like an art. I'm so insanely jealous of that girl who looks like they just woke up and put on all the clothes they had in a drawer but has that enviably cool demeanor that makes you want to be her friend but you know she'll never choose you. Okay, maybe not.

But going back through my binder filled with editorial clippings, I came across this editorial from a Korean spin-off of an American magazine (it's gotta be from either Vogue or Harper's Bazaar... or possibly Elle, but not likely) that featured the traditional Korean dress, the han-bok. I have huge han-bok envy. I don't know why because my relatives always sent one every year. (The one I had in middle school was BANGING. I may post pictures of the evolution of my han-bok later.)

Browsing through these, I can see where Koreans learned the art of layering. I almost forgot how it takes an hour to put one of these on. You start with a slip (which I never wore and made my grandmother comment on how I was running around with my ass flapping in the wind and that boys didn't like girls who were like that - haha, grandma, look who got the last laugh) and just compound layer upon layer of silk (or a gauzy linen in the summer, usually) until you pretty much look like a shapeless blob. But the modern interpretations in this editorial makes me think that I need to order a new one this summer, preferably one with a dramatic corset with a matching headdress.