The Style Sidekick: asian fashion

Showing posts with label asian fashion. Show all posts

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Droptokyo part 3 - Speaking Volumes

By Lea on 12:00 PM

I've already mentioned my love of Japanese aesthetic in terms of voluminous structure, but these are really great showcases of how it can really be stunning (and yet wearable) in real life. One of my favorite captured streetstyle looks from my trip to Korea also featured such drama.

Here are some from Droptokyo:

Name: Kurumi | くるみ
Occupation: Free Model
Tops: HELK
Pants: JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
Shoes: Cry.
Accessory: Used

How elegant is this woman? It takes skilled tailoring to achieve volume like this without looking heavy.

Name: Daiki | ダイキ
Occupation: Hair Stylist (OOO YY)
Jacket: Used
Sweater: UNIQLO
Bottoms: Used
Shoes: VANS

Something as simple as unexpected bagginess (while everything remains crisp) really adds attitude.

Name: SEN | セン
Occupation: Model
Jacket: LOEWE
Shirt: LOEWE
Pants: LOEWE
Shoes: LOEWE

I'm not sure if this counts as volume or just relaxed, but Sen Mitsuji is just good looking so I'll just leave this here anyway ;)

Name: Yuka | ユカ
Occupation: Office Worker
Tops: H&M
Pants: Bershka
Shoes: Balenciaga
Bag: LOEWE
Belt: Polo Ralph Lauren

Whether she works in a creative field or this is her off-day, this is an incredibly bold look! Definitely not the typical OL-san.

Posted in asian fashion, culture, men's, streetstyle, women's | No comments

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Droptokyo part 2 - Cult Classics

By Lea on 12:00 PM

Sometimes the classics are the most striking. Love how these looks all have a modern twist - whether it's in length, combination, hair and makeup, accessories, or cut - that definitely keep them from being anything but boring.

Name: Shuhei Uesugi | 上杉柊平
Occupation: Actor (KEN-ON)
Coat: UNIQLO

This blazer coat hits at such an interesting place. Since the rest of his outfit is completely white it really highlights the sharpness of his outerwear.

Name: Ruka | る鹿
Occupation: Model
Jacket: ROSE BUD
Bag: ROSE BUD
Shoes: Dr.Martens

Styling is so important. Neckline buttoned up all the way, matching red in the lips and nails = on point.

Name: Ken Morita
Occupation: Model (BARK in STYLe)
Sweater: UNIQLO
Denim pants: A.P.C.

Rings and earrings are super subtle. Love the cozy grandpa knit and suave hair. Hipster style, Tokyo version?

Name: RUKO | るうこ
Occupation: Model
Tops: Acne Studios
Skirt: IRENE
Bag: Bottega Veneta
Shoes: Bottega Veneta

So many ways things can be reinvented.

Posted in asian fashion, culture, men's, streetstyle, women's | No comments

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Droptokyo part 1 - Muted Magic

By Lea on 10:54 PM

Japanese fashion's influence on minimalism is monumental. I absolutely love voluminous structure inspired by traditional shapes, and the classic combination of varying shades of navy and khaki reminiscent of indigo dye and bamboo. The simpler some things appear, the more studied and perfected the lines actually are.

Droptokyo features all sorts of streetstyle, and I love how they give you facts such as occupation, so that you can imagine how each person incorporates their style into their normal lives. It surprises me some of the unique major designer items people own, but they are always incorporated in a subtle, personalized style all their own, and mixed with low, and even second-hand pieces.

Here are some of my favorites in the muted theme:

Name: Saki Shibata | 柴田紗希
Occupation: Model
Jacket: Yves Sain Laurent
Bottoms: Used
Bottoms: flower
Shoes: Used
Bag: GUCCI

No rules for petites. Anyone can rock a dramatic hemline.

Name: Rintarou Asari | 浅利琳太郎
Outer: MUJI
Tops: Used
Bottoms: AOKI
Bag: Christopher Nemeth

That white scarf really pops despite the restrained, introverted air.

Name: Suzumi | スズミ
Tops: Used
Bottoms: MUJI
Shoes: JOURNAL STANDARD relume
Bag: ZARA
Hat: Used

Love her use of texture to break up the black, and make her French chic look not at all cliché.

Name: Sho Ono | 小野匠
Occupation: Actor
Jacket: YANTOR
Tops: YANTOR
Pants: YANTOR
Glasses: Chistian Roth
Hair Salon: vicca

The hues of this look are so rich when combined in layers. See how large yet streamlined the shape is.

Name: RYUTARO | リュウタロウ
Occupation: Hair stylist (OOO YY)
Jacket: NuGgETS
Setup: yotsuba
Casket: Yohji Yamamoto
Shoes: MIHARAYASUHIRO

A cute, mori ("forest") look.

Posted in asian fashion, culture, men's, streetstyle, women's | No comments

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Article: 'Getting Over My Fear of Dressing "Asian"'

By Lea on 8:08 PM

Article by Connie Wang

And here’s something that’s worth bringing up: Cultural appropriation has made it so a blonde, white woman who doesn't know her chopsticks from her hair accessories will always look “cute” in a cheongsam, and an Asian woman will look like she’s dressed in a costume. That was definitely how things were in the ‘90s, and is often the case today. But, to my surprise, I’ve also found hopeful signs that we are moving in a new, more informed direction. These days, when I encounter non-Asian people wearing Asian trends, oftentimes they’re from trips they took to abroad. They know the origins of these garments and are interested to learn more. I’m biased, but I’ve always found that these clothes are objectively beautiful, too; the silhouettes are striking, and the patterns hit that mix between eclectic and elegant that I’ve always been drawn to. I'm willing to share, but to do that, I need to have ownership of these trends, too. They’re rooted in a history that feels real and tangible to me. In my mind, Woodstock will always evoke technicolor snapshots from Lifemagazine; Audrey Hepburn’s LBD will always conjure scenes from the movie — those are my adopted cultural story. But a jade earring is my mother and my grandmother and my aunts and my cousin; it comes from the same place I do, and it's part of the narrative I was born into.

*applauds*

But seriously though, I thought I was the only one who felt shame about emphasizing that I was Asian. Going through the racks in the thrift store to see beautiful qipaos discarded and then picked up as Halloween costumes or "boho" styles... And worse, knowing that different traditional fashions are "cooler" than others. I hope I'll have the guts one day to don my culture one day.

Posted in asian fashion, culture, quotes | No comments

Friday, August 7, 2015

Marvle: A Sensitive Magazine

By Lea on 4:18 PM

Adding to my (tiny) international magazine collection: Marvle Magazine!

Marvle Magazine - Kyobo Book Centre

Snapback and cartoon socks - various small shops

Some cool features included reports on local designers, backstage fashion shows, and interviews with professionals in the industry. Wish I could read Korean haha... but the pictures were amazing enough on their own!

And of course what really sold me - the streetstyle shots! I've seen these all over Tumblr so was excited to have the real deal in hard copy (which is printed on lovely heavy weight paper to boot). Didn't even realize that this magazine/photographer was where they came from.