Seoul Fashion Week – Hit or miss this season?? SS19

We are fresh off of all the main Fashion Weeks all around the world.. All the instahusbands-wives/boyfriends/girlfriends/profesh photographers can have a breather..  I went to my fourth fashion event in Seoul, which are known around these parts as Hera Seoul Fashion Week showcasing the Spring/Summer 2019 styles.  The major people watching event happens twice a year, typically in October and March.  

 

{non-stop people watching in full effect}

 

It has seriously grown since the first time I attended after moving to Seoul.  You can see some previous posts here and here and a vlog version here.  Kids are still dressing better and often used as accessories to event goers, the occasional devout goth tribe, and then the people there to actually watch the shows.  The daily crowds bring in people from all over the world and one thing Seoulites do well, is start some sort of trend that the rest of the world picks up a few months later.  This year the trend was neon colors to include hair styles.  I saw it on the runway and in the crowd.  If I had the balls nerve to do that to my hair, I would totally do it hot pink for the day.  The maintenance on neon hair has to be insane. 

 

 

 

             

 

{if ballerina’s were to roam the town}

 

For my first outfit, I was going to be doing a lot of running around with little time for pictures, but I wanted to be able to be light on my feet.  I call this look, ballerina chic.  The tulle skirts with tennis shoes are very popular in Korea.  We often associate tulle skirts with the holiday’s or attending a party, but in Korea, girls wear this as a normal every day uniform, shopping at the market and I have to say, it makes you feel dressed up but comfortable at the same time.  Also, Converse on my feet.. need I say more?  The dress and black denim jacket were finds I picked up at the department store here in Korea called Shinsegae.  Not sure you could find these online, but I’ve linked the store below.  I added my vintage Gucci bag as the final touch for that extra flare.

 

 

 

            

 

 

{outfit details}

Dress and Jacket: Shinsegae

Shoes: Converse

Bag: Gucci (vintage)

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

 

Smaller shows like Daily Mirror and C-Zann E often take place in a smaller venue, and call this side the “generation next seoul”.  Although still located at the famed Dongdaemun aka DDP, is usually more intimate, and honestly, I love them.  It’s more on par with the shows in NYC where people cram in for the 20 minutes, oh and ah over the styles, then quickly pile out to the next show.  Also, the lighting was a million times better in the smaller venues than the larger ones that pack in hundreds of people.  Not to say the larger venues aren’t fun, because watching all the lights flicker all around me with famous kpop idols (that I have no clue who they are), is a spectacle in of itself.  The beginning of each larger show usually begins with music and a video highlighted on the main walls where the models start to strut from.  Either way, the vibe is cool and I always get excited for Seoul Fashion Week.  

 

 

 

{Recap of my Day 1 runway shows}

 

Daily Mirror had minimalist chic so down, I could wear every single piece in their show. The black, nude, and brown camel colors had my Fall vibes on ultimate alert.  The models had the typical fierce looks with slicked back hair.  This was my favorite for personal style. I absolutely need the white checkered raincoat like my life depends on it.  Even if it’s not raining, I’ll would wear the crap out of that piece.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

C-Zann E focused on black, white, navy colors and incorporated the traditional Korean style hanbok with a modern twist for those wanting to reach into the Korean heritage. If avant-garde and minimalistic merged, you get C-Zann E.  I can see New Yorkers wearing these styles and looking so well put together with a side of futuristic mod.  I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it all just worked.

 

 

 

 

 

My last show for the day was with LIE.  The clothing channeled the 70’s and I wasn’t mad about it. Give me a pair of bell bottoms paired with a cute Samsonite bag, and I’ll be good to go!  The luggage company paired up with LIE to create the cutest handbags.  They had these clear covers on them.. I’m not sure if they were a part of the bag so you can see through them, or if they were raincoats for the bags, because ladies and gentlemen, that is a thing now!  Who wants to spends a ton of money on a bag, just to be ruined by a little rain.  We have legit monsoon seasons here in Asia, so the struggle is real.  I left the show feeling funky and that I needed to assess my current wardrobe and incorporate more of that 70’s feel.  

 

 

 

 

 

{outfit change up; making vegans happy}

 

My second outfit, I wanted to put a little more “effort” into.  I changed my mind about 3950220 times that morning of what to wear, and in the end, I was quite happy with my creation.  I wanted a little leather look but girly it up with lace and add a touch of what someone would wear to the office if they worked at the chicest of chic magazine companies somewhere in the world.  At least that’s what I hoped I was going for.  I paired my leather overalls (read: pleather for my vegans out there) with a lacey top and added a longer than normal blazer letting the sleeves peep through for a little something something.  Since the 90’s are still all the rage, and having bare legs in October seemed a little much, I put thigh high socks on with my Sam Edelman boots.  Added my vintage Moschino and bam.. Fashion Week outfit that I didn’t feel weird wearing the rest of the day for dinner and party festivities! 

I’ve always been a big advocate of wearing something I could WEAR.. not a “costume” to fashion week.  There’s a very fine line and I saw some costumes.  While they’re eye catching, they’re only meant for roaming around fashion week during October and March and not when you are heading out for an outing with friends.  Needless to say, the costumes were saturated with photographers and I could hand pick out who would show up in Vogue the next day.  Next season I might dress up with that in mind just to see what would happen.. Future headlines would read “girl dresses up like a purple dinosaur and now everyone wants to be a purple dinosaur!”.. Stop. Just. Stop. 

 

 

 

 

              

{outfit details}

Overalls Dress: H&M (similar)

Blazer: H&M

Booties: Sam Edelman

Lace Top: Vici Dolls (similar)

Purse: Moschino (vintage)

 

{Recap of my Day 2 at the fashion capital of Seoul}

 

If you ever want to see a zoo of fashionable (and some not so fashionable) people assemble in one condensed area, head to DDP on the last Saturday of the shows.  You will be sure to see people lining the walls waiting patiently to be photographed, Mom’s (not Dad’s) fixing their kids outfits and perching them up on the rails to better be seen, and photographers armed with their Canon and Sony cameras ready to snap the best new styles that show up online in Vogue or Bazaar editorials.  It’s quite the spectacle.  There’s always fun kiosks to check out (these are there all week), and since Hera, a makeup company, puts the show together, they have an area dedicated to selfies and picture taking.. Guilty!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

 

I ran into fellow blogger Christine Evers of Vogue Up Like This. She’s from Germany and lives in Seoul and takes super dreamy photos that make Korea look amazing and really colorful!  Check her out!

 

 

Taking instahusband (Chris) to this event to help with pictures is painful (btw, looking for a photographer next time because I think Chris is purposely trying to take bad pics so he doesn’t have to attend anymore) I don’t think he will read this particular post, but let’s test if he does!  Not his scene, but it is mine, and somehow he stands it (sort of.. crying is sometimes involved.. him, not me), but I always promise Shake Shack at the end.  I know food is his happiness.

 

{final show for the season… Ordinary People}

 

My final show was with Ordinary People. Think oversized neutral colors with the occasional pop of red and purple.  This best closely shows what the average young Korean wears in their everyday wardrobe.  Button up oversized shirts and trench coats.  To add a little uniqueness, they somehow integraded a sporty feature with the typical vest, i.e. bicycle shorts?  I was unsure, but it didn’t look bad.  I mean, somehow it could translate into getting ready for physical activity, but also ready for a meal at a 5 star restaurant.  Nothing wrong with a little double dipping with your clothes.  Men were seen wearing chokers and that’s just not a trend I can get on board with out here.  I.just.can’t.sorry.  Other than, that the styles were all very wearable and on trend out here in Korea.

 

 

 

 

Another wrap on the fashion season.. is it weird I’m always thinking of what I could wear to the next season which isn’t for four more months?  Always taking collaboration ideas for my fashion labels out there!  Let’s keep the fashion in Fashion Week!

Stay tuned to my vlog… still in the works.. seeing movement in fashion is always next level..