Purchases from the Weekend

Below, Olivia Palermo looking polished in khaki at the Peter Som show at New York Fashion Week. She was the inspiration behind my purchases this weekend, proving khaki can look sophisticated and youthful.

Khaki, slim, slightly cropped trousers. Like Burberry without the price tag.

Cross between a satchel and a bag my granny used to have. Very lady like.

Best dressed: Vintage Chic

Two, very cute assistants at the vintage market, wearing chic buttoned up blouses and pretty pencil skirts. I particularly liked their accessories, kitsch hat, Victorian brooches, red leather watch and tough biker boots. Vintage worn superbly.

Seoul's Only Vintage market

"What I really love about them... is the fact that they contain someone's personal history...I find myself wondering about their lives. I can never look at a garment... without thinking about the woman who owned it. How old was she? Did she work? Was she married? Was she happy?... I look at these exquisite shoes, and I imagine the woman who owned them rising out of them or kissing someone...I look at a little hat like this, I lift up the veil, and I try to imagine the face beneath it... When you buy a piece of vintage clothing you're not just buying the fabric and thread - you're buying a piece of someone's past."
— Isabel Wolff A Vintage Affair

"The idea of wearing old clothes was simply not mainstream. It wasn't until the early '90s and the ascendancy of grunge that vintage really hit the mainstream. Grunge as a fashion moment passed but the doors of vintage clothing shops had been thrown open, never to close. Subsequent trends meant interest in vintage has waxed and waned, but just barely. It has successfully permeated the red carpet, and instead of suggesting eccentricity, now suggests taste, a good eye and subtlety,''
- Tim Gunn A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style

Vintage clothes are appealing to people with distinct styles and tastes or people wanting to differentiate themselves from the masses. As Time Gunn points out, vintage has moved from the bohemian world to the popular sphere, championed by icons such as Kate Moss. In Glasgow, the vintage shops are excellent, with apparel ranging from the 50s to 90s, in good condition. It never occurred to me that Seoul would have a market for vintage wear, considering the dominance of malls, filled with cheap, throwaway fashion. This seems the opposite of vintage shopping, of rummaging for hours for one piece, hoping what you like doesn't have holes in it. Yet, after stumbling upon vintage shops in Hongdae, I did a little more research and found Gwangjang market. This is one of the oldest markets in Seoul with a traditional food market and hundreds of stalls selling hanbok and textiles. Imported mostly from Japan, the vintage section is located on the second floor.

Walking up the stairs, the musty smell of clothes hits you, reassuring when you are searching for vintage garments. In a tiny space, 80s woolly patterned jumpers, 50s flowery sundresses and blazers in all shapes and patterns are crammed to the heights. There are rows and rows of plaid and denim shirts, in amongst leather biker jackets and funny, but sometimes vulgar knitwear. I noticed a few pieces encapsulating trends of the moment, specifically military army jackets, leather, furry aviators and polka dot, 50s full skirts. Menswear and ladieswear is mixed together, accompanying chain bags, bowties, belts and suspenders. I invested in a sleek lady like bag, a cross between a satchel and boxy, 50s purse. This type of bag is another key trend for winter.




The majority of vintage clothes are overpriced considering their quality but here, prices range from 5000 won to 20 000 won, so it is very affordable and more reasonable than the vintage shops in Hongdae. Consequently, the customers were predominantly young, cool students, eagerly searching for something unique. Lugging armfuls of clothes, they want to separate themselves from the shoppers at Dongdaemun or Myeong dong, where mass produced clothes prevail. And, I would recommend this market for its difference to these shopping areas. Although it was tiring raking through the clothes, it was a fun, shopping experience.


This market can be reached by line 1, Jongro 3, exit 12. It is open from 6am to 6pm and closed on Sundays. All photos were taken by me.

In anticipation of Seoul Fashion Week

As all fashion aficionados will know, the Spring/Summer 2011 shows have commenced, with New York showcasing its style now. London, Paris and Milan will follow suit soon. As for South Korea, Seoul fashion Week will begin on the 22nd October, running until the 27th. I am very excited to say the least. Hopefully, I will be watching menswear on the 23rd and the first day of womenwear on the 24th. Seoul does not seem to be as organised as their counterparts in Europe and America as tickets are yet to go on sale. However, all details can be found at http://www.seoulfashionweek.org/.

Vogue Korea August and September Issues

In high school, I was terrible at maths, science or anything remotely involving numbers. My area of expertise was languages, specifically French and German. (I can still very proudly recite the German alphabet.) Grammar, pronunciation and writing, I was quite the enthusiast. So, in anticipation, before moving here, I was certain, adamant even, I would learn Korean or Hanguel as the locals say. Ashamedly, I have been here for seven months and can only speak a handful of words. Retrospectively, my certainty was very misguided. My days have been filled with teaching, writing and exploring this exciting city. So, no time for Korean classes. Conveniently, I also forget I had to learn languages in school, I was not doing it by choice.

So, lack of time and motivation have contributed to my lack of Korean. Unfortunately, this means the inability to read Vogue Korea. Flicking through the pages, I can appreciate the beautiful photography and fashion. However, I'm at a big loss understanding what the articles are about. My lovely mum has been kind enough to send me magazines from the UK so I can keep updated. Yet, I still wish I hadn't been so lazy so I could fully enjoy Vogue Korea.

The first photographs are Ji Hyun Jeong from the August issue, perfectly modelling lady like, calf length skirts with block heels.






The following photographs from the spread "The Poetics of Body" juxtapose sharp, black ensembles with beautiful draping and intricate headwear, modelled by Freja Beha from the September issue.

A Collection of Korea Vogue Covers

Published in 18 countries, Vogue is the most critically acclaimed, respected fashion magazine in the world. Revered for its excellent visuals and its acute, insights into art and culture, it influences and dominates fashion and consumer culture today. It is also widely acknowledged that Vogue pioneered celebrities as cover models, appreciating their public appeal.

The American publication of Vogue is perhaps the most widely known, with Anna Wintour as its infamous editor in chief. I advise watching The September Issue for a fascinating exposition of the relationship between Wintour and Grace Coddington in the creation and countdown to the publication of the most significant, consequential issue of the year. A lesser known but excellent counterpart, South Korea has its own publication of Vogue. It began in July 1996 with Myung Hee Lee as the present editor in chief. Since its inception, the cover has featured prestigious supermodels Claudia Schiffer, Coco Rocha, Chanel Iman and Karlie Kloss to Korean actresses and models such as Kim Tae-hee.

Flying in Aviator Jackets

My aviator from Japanese brand Uniqlo

Amelia Earhart, the original aviator

Burberry's cosy models

It's finally September and a change of season is upon us. It is time to go back to school and time to choose and buy new pieces for winter . Sheepskin, leather and big collars, the aviator jacket is the investment for this coming season. Cosy and comfortable, yet stylish, the aviator is the one winter trend from the catwalks which is already selling abundantly in stores. Burberry's collection, Burberry cadet girls, is the most responsible for developing the trend when it closed London fashion week in February. Then, the mania began and the world is now obsessed with the aviator jacket. Why did it become so desirable so quickly? Well, it is practical enough to cope with freezing temperatures but stylish enough to wear with pretty dresses, slim trousers and Chelsea boots. We can now equate style with the reality of winter weather.

Historically, the aviator was used to keep World War 1 pilots warm in their open cockpits whilst the US Army established the Aviation clothing board in 1917 for pilots. Their flight jackets with high wraparound collars, numerous zips and tight cuffs provide the trademarks for today's aviator. Shearling and fur were also introduced into the design when pilots began flying at higher altitudes and therefore, needed cosier jackets. Perhaps, the most iconic female to wear the aviator was Amelia Earhart, when she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932. So, the aviator symbolizes power, a mixture of femininity and masculinity which makes it so appealing.

Unfortunately, I can't afford a Burberry aviator but I bought my faux version from Uniqlo last week, in preparation for Seoul's harsh winter. Hopefully, it will be as warm as the real version. Fingers crossed.