These newspaper fashion pieces are really funny — they’re generally just booster pieces for whatever is in fashion, and they’ll push it to no end: “Short shorts? Work? Why SURE! They’re perfect! Just accessorize and you’ll look great!” That sorta thing.

Also, isn’t it funny how much the legs are exposed, even as the upper body is covered up? I think you hit the nail on the head, SF — in Korea, I think it’s about having long and skinny legs, more than they or other parts of the body being shapely. Especially since they seem to be judged by sheer length as much as what they actually look like. One thing I noticed is that I’ve never, ever had anyone Korean agree with me that a woman with “short legs” actually has “pretty legs.” No matter what the shape or tone or what-have-you, without sheer length, both men and women seem to be very sensitive to calling them “radish legs” if they are short or have any thickness.

Unfortunate.

But as for the short shorts and heels in general - I haven’t been to Korea but its funny how I picked up that style myself naturally for myself. My favored outfits are really just simpler versions of the pictures above. I might be assuming to much here but for me it was because I think my legs are pretty (well more so than my boobs XD) so that’s what I naturally started emphasizing in my clothes. As an Asian, I wonder if that’s how the outfits above come about: most of the shirts are on the unrevealing side and the skirt+heels emphasis the legs. This especially strikes me as true in the last pic where the polo collared shirt is rather casual (and almost masculine) but is paired with black heels.

Also, I may be going out on a limb here but I get the vibe that Korea thinks pretty legs and a slim (as opposed to super curvy) body, are the highlights of bodily beauty. While on the other hand, America places more of an importance on breasts and butt (curviness). Which isn’t to say Koreans don’t indulge in plunging necklines all the same But yes….I think the whole “mile long legs” with a fairly conservative top is the look most average Korean citizens seem to favor….Korea’s brand of fashion….

if you’re a hooker or exotic dancer.

However, that’s the interesting and sometimes marvelously funny part of being a Westerner who is looking at Korean fashion. Sometimes Koreans really misinterpret things. That’s great for the Western guys who are here but a bit disarming when their parents show up and see how women are dressed on the streets of Seoul.

Example: The obsession American women have with great shoes as shown in Sex and the City and the interpretation of that here. I don’t know many American women who wear hookerlicious heels unless it’s to go out to a club or a night on the town. In contrast, I see Korean women wearing shoes like that to class or to work and I laugh at them because IT’S NOT COMFORTABLE. (I went to E-dae, so I saw it a lot and now that I’m teaching college once again I see it at my job.)

I think the same thing is going on here with hot pants. I remember back in the day when I was slim enough to wear hot pants. I’d wear the hookerlicious ensembles out to clubs or out with friends. However, I’d NEVER show up to work in them. I was once mistaken for a band manager while wearing hot pants, but I was in a club in hot pants passing out fliers for my friends’ band. That’s totally different

I do have to say that I like the short pants in the bottom middle pic because they look like a mini ruffle skirt.

If they got decent looking legs to show why not let them flaunt it.

But for workplace I don’t think so.