"스피드"

우리 "길거리 스타일" 컬럼은 개인의 패션 선택만 벤치마킁하는 것아니라, 찰라리 대표적인 길거리에서 보일 수 있는 패션 장르를 잡으려고 해요…

"Street Styles" tracks not just individual fashion choices, but tries to capture fashion that is representative of types of fashion genres visible on the Korean streets…

1998년, "공주병"이 한국을 덮치고..

2007년 "공주 패션"이 서울 거리를 휩쓸다!

사실 공주병이 도진 이후로 매년 공주 치마, 샤랄라 블라우스들이 인기였었지만, 올해부터 왠지 이제는 "공주 패션"은 하나의 트렌드로 잡혀간다는 느낌이 드네요. 왜냐하면, 전에는 발목까지 오는 치렁치렁한 공주치마, 소매를 한껏 부풀린 블라우스들이 좀 튀고 가식적이어 보였어요~ 근데 이제는 오히려 스타일이 다양해져서 길거리에서 봐도 "저건 샤랄라에 좀 못 미치는 정도인데 공주 삘인가?" 할 정도로 자연스럽고 하나의 패션 스타일이 되고 있어요!

일명 "샤랄라 스타일!"

사실, 서울이 언제부터 패션 도시 였나요? 패션도시하면 밀라노, 파리, 런던, 도쿄 정도를 생각할 수 있었죠. 하지만 한국도 한번 패션리더 하겠어요–이 "샤랄라 패션" 때문에!!

한국 여자들은 무지하게 외모에 민감하고 꾸며대요. 이건 과장이 아니라 스무살이 되자마자 화장을 하고 패션에 눈을 뜨게 되요. 아마도 좀 더 넓게 생각하자면 한국은 대학 시험이 무지하게 어려워서 보통은 십대말까지 외모보다 공부에 신경쓰고, 대학 가면 공부보단 외모에 쪼끔 더 신경쓰게 된답니다 ^^;;;

이 젊은 여자들의 폭발적으로 꾸미고 싶은 욕구가 공주 패션에 반영된거 같아요! 사실 한국 남자들은 대체로 치마 입고 여성스러운 여자들 좋아하는 경향이 있어요~ 20대에 들어서 새로 생긴 남친들에게 이쁨 받고 싶은 여자들, 당연히 공주 스타일 옷 한 벌쯤은 갖고 있겠죠?! (사실, 저도 갖고 있어요..ㅋㅋ)

Seoul has not been a major center of fashion for very long, since Korea tends to follow, rather than lead, international fashion trends, and has been known to some pretty peculiar styles. So, there have always been uniquely Korean aspect clothing looks and styles, but only recently have they begun to gel with trends around the world, and in a timely fashion; now, instead of 2-3 years before looks become adopted to Korean tastes, major trends often reach Korea at the same time, or within a season or two.

One look that is truly Korean and truly interesting is the "pretty princess" look, marked by being more conservative hemlines and less revealing cuts, bows and ruffles, as well as flowery and other very feminine patterns. Over the last few years, this look has been expressed in 50's-esque cute dresses or matching outfits, and is becoming a bit more 60's "mod" in recent days.

이 커플에서 주목하실 분은 여자분의 공주스타일!

머리, 옷, 가방, 신발까지 매치하느라 신경 많이 쓰셨네요! 거기다 머리도 아주 공주스타일에 맞춰서 뱅헤어에 차분한 생머리, 하지만 발랄하게 레이어가 많이 들어가 있구요. 또 색깔도 화이트 톤으로 맞추어서 훨씬더 성숙하고 느낌이 차분해요~ 하지만 치마 밑단의 주름과 짧은 길이, 또 밋밋해서 너무 심플해 보일수 있는 앞부분이 살짝 주름 져서 오히려 차분한 비지니스 우먼이 아니라 귀여운 대학생으로 보이게 해주는 센스!

The look is still playful, so it is decidely not a "schoolmarm" look, but most aptly described as young and playful, usually with pastel colors or more aggressive patterns than an East Coast blueblood girl would bring in with a Laura Ashley dress – like most young women's fashion in Korea, the hemline is higher, since the showing of more leg is associated with younger women in their 20's, even though showing the arms and shoulders tends to be considered a bit "fresh" for Korea.

가방이랑 신발은 세트같을 정도로 매치가 잘되는걸요~ (정말 세트 아닌감?;) 슈즈도 완전 플랫도 아니고 하이힐도 아닌 적당한 굽이라서 아주아주 귀여워요. 가방은 조금 지나치게 포말해보일 수도 있지만 전체적으로 잘 어울리네요.

공주 패션..예전엔 쫌 가식적이라고 생각했었는데 이제 저도 막 끌리는데요~트렌드는 무시할 수 없어ㅋㅋ

One codeword for Korean beauty these days is a Western sort of "sexy" that sees itself expressed in terms of hot pants or extreme miniskirts (and ironically, these seem to be worn far more frequently and are on average shorter than in average in the US, even as these styles are associated with America), but in Korea, there is also a dominant influence of "cute" or "princessy" that finds expression in terms of the look being featured here.

You may see something like this in the US as a Laura Ashley summer dress, but Americans would consider wearing such dresses only on more formal occasions, such as a family reunion, wedding, or a party; in Korea, the "pretty princess" look is much more everyday fare, and would be good for a weekend date with the boyfriend or pretty much any event that would require a bit more effort than usual to look pretty in front of others.

In that sense, such wear isn't really considered "formal" or even American "semi-formal", since such definitions lose their meaning a lot in the Korean context because 1) by American standards, Koreans are generally more formal dressers by default, and 2) there are many culturally specific occasions that require "formal" wear – such as a "meeting" or "group blind date" – which American students don't engage in, and require clothing that Americans in a similar position might never wear; therefore, you won't see 21-year-old American co-eds wearing expensive business attire, e.g. a silk blouse with sheer pencil skirt, and stiletto heels – whereas you see this quite often in Korea. It is not at all unusual, in fact, to see

우리 "길거리 스타일" 컬럼은 개인의 패션 선택만 벤치마킁하는 것아니라, 찰라리 대표적인 길거리에서 보일 수 있는 패션 장르를 잡으려고 해요.

"Street Styles" tracks not just individual fashion choices, but tries to capture fashion that is representative of types of fashion genres visible on the Korean streets.

We ran into these two young ladies in Hongdae, the neighborhood that is home to a reknowned art school and a vibrant youth and arts scene, and who looked interesting because of their matching hat, bag, necklace and shoe styles. Their sporty style also reminded me of cheerleaders.

These two are typical of several different trends: the vanity name necklaces popularized by Sex and the City, sports team hats, oversized bags, athletic gear tops, short shorts, and Converses. Casual and tomboyish, while a bit risqué and playful. An interesting look, to say the least.

They told me they were hotel management students on their way home from a training shift at a local restaurant; wow. They looked pretty fresh and fashionable for having completed a long, hard shift on their feet taking orders and running back and forth!

You keep working it, girls!

A flash of silver, white, and pink accents on a summer night in Hongdae. / 홍대에서 어떤 여름밤에 실버, 화이트, 그리고 핑크색 포인트를 잘 맞춘 언니.

우와. 홍대에서 자신있게 빨리 진행하는 이 언니를 봤을때 너무 당황스러웠지. 미니원피스. 핫핑크 가방. 문신! 또 핑크 샌달. 그런 사람들하고 비교하는 거아니라. 그냥 감상하는 거지. 이런 멋쟁이 보면 "와우. 진짜 홍대이구나."라고 생각할 수 있게. 기분이 너무 좋았지, 이 언니 보고.

I spotted Little Miss Fabulous speed-strutting past the park in Hongdae, with minidress, hot pink bag, and tattoo?! Even if it's fake (as it likely is), it's still a little piece of fabulous that you don't see around too often. This isn't the kind of person one lusts after, or even compares oneself to; she's just a little piece of the atmosphere that really makes one think, "This is definitely Hongdae!" A flash of beauty to be appreciated, I think.