Friday, March 20, 2009

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.

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13 comments:

  1. I've always loved han-boks and kimonos, too bad I'm caucasian and would look ridiculous if I wore one!

    ~F

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  2. I'm Korean, and I love their street style more than anything!
    Their traditional fashion is great ,no doubt, but mannnn, those streets are incredible!

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  3. you are lucky you get to visit korea!

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  4. So absolutely, completely, totally awesome. My friend posted me some fashion mags when she went home for Christmas from Korea, the editorials and ad campaigns were so amazing. I was in awe of the colour combinations and layering.

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  5. colors and texture *__*
    I think I'd be more interested in seeing some prim/proper english rockabilly inspired looks. All the studding, leather, a.wang, apocalypse now looks are starting to get just a little repetitive.

    That was a response to your last comment if you're totally confused right now ( :.

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  6. i keep checkin ur blog because you said there is like something that happened or i dont know, maybe you just haven't posted yet....but I really love this shoot because it features korean heritage in a nice way...im sick of koreans trying everything to be whiter than white people..

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  7. I know what you mean, I had the same experience in Montreal. The girls and guys knew style almost instinctively, like they were from another world. The layering was effortless, and every age group it seemed could pull it off. Makes you feel a bit inferior!

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  8. I think HanBok is what makes me deathly proud of being Korean, they're so beautiful...even the men's... The royal range is absolutely amazing. I'm really looking forward to seeing some designer try fusing this with a very western piece.

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  9. wow these are amazing...i cant wait to visit Korea...watching so many dramas modern and historic, and making really good Korean friends studying abroad has only fueled my interest to go there...hopefully in the next couple of years, then i'll be able to see what you are talking about myself.

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  10. this looks amazing! I never seen so nice an interpretation of the trad korean dress, but its awesome!

    many say that the reason for asian fashion to be as it is (with its most well known interpretators being issey miyake or CdG or the likes and being all layered and loose fitted) is because of their trad dresses with hiding the body more than emphasizing its natural features (like European fashion always did).

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  11. oh issey miyake and CdG are surely not the interpretators of the whole of Asian fashion! I was talking about Japan mainly, because thats what I know most about!

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  12. Oh man... a hanbok with a corset would be so killer. I've always disliked how all the layers on my hanboks make me look super-pregnant, but the colors and fabrics are always so elegant.

    I can't layer for shit, though. I'm always impressed by the girls in Korea (on the TV dramas and all that, too).

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  13. i love hanboks as well. they're so elegant and detailed. i recently got a new one made but i think i'm going to go and get another one that i can wear more casually. will be posting about my hanbok experience on my blog soon! hehe

    but did it really take you an hour to wear a hanbok? i can usually slip into mine in about 10 minutes i think...

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