The "Gangnam Underground Shopping Center" at 고속터미널 will be closed for a year starting next month (May 2011) while the shopping area undergoes renovation. This means that you only have a couple of weeks left to stock up on man-won dresses and flats that will last you one summer in Seoul. The spring's fashion trend seems to be ultra-feminine, so if you're into such things, you'll want to check out the sales.
Having shopped in Seoul for several years now, I'm no longer as quick to purchase every cute, suspiciously cheap item that catches my fancy. With that said, look at the cute, suspiciously cheap rain boots that I got for 19,000 won! I know, very colorful. Some might argue that these boots are likely to clash with whatever I'm wearing, but I'd like to think that with so many colors, these boots are bound to match at least one item I'm wearing.
There's a new fashion franchise in Myeongdong called Spicy Color. The two Myeondong shops are basically around the corner from each other (near A-Land). I think it's being branded as an "Urban Lifestyle" store in the vein of "Urban Outfitters". It's also got a Japanese pop flair to it, so everything is ultra colorful. I decided to blog about it because it's been awhile since I've seen anything interesting in Myeongdong. Though not groundbreaking, I do like look seeing brightly hued merchandised arranged by color. I'm also pleased because I found a bright red tote bag that's perfect for work. It's made out of some rubbery plastic material that I hope will be light on my shoulder.
If you're like me and enjoy looking at pictures of fashionable people that are not models, you might want to pick up the March issue of Vogue Girl Korea. This month's issue comes with a special compilation of street fashion featuring the photos of Jak & Jill.
I usually save Korean fashion magazines for when I'm getting my hair done, but I do occasionally pick up Vogue Girl for their features on Korean fashion. I particularly like a section called "Fashion Blender" which I suspect is an advertorial (basically advertisements for various Korean "shopping malls"), that offers a nice glimpse of the trends in Korean fashion for young women.
Headbands with Feathers and Other Bedazzled Goodies
Ballet Flats
Ballet Flats with Large Floral Ornaments
Fake Pearls
Tulle Skirts
Okay, you got me. These aren't the hottest trends per se; just the trend items that I like (In fact, I have that exact skirt in the polaroid above, only I paid more in Dongdaemun. Aish!). My personal tastes aside, the ballet girl/ princess look seems to be a big trend for the spring. The Alexander Wang look (black-gray-white color scheme, black leggings, blazers, leather accessories, and sky-high heels) also seems to be another prominent trend, though not my cup of tea.
Oh, look at me advising people on fashion. Hehehe.
Okay, that's a bit of an overstatement, but I don't think I could survive this winter without the thermal sleep wear from UNIQLO. Trust me, I usually sleep with three blankets. Winter may almost be over, but these fleecey jammies of magic and warmth are definitely worth buying -- especially now, since they're on sale for 19,000 won (regular price, 29,000). I'm not sure how long the sale will last, so don't wait too long.
There a number of UNIQLO stores across Seoul, including Apgu (across from the Galleria), Myeongdong, Kagnam, and the Coex. For additonal locations, check out the company website.
Usually Christmas decorations are swept away as soon as the 26th hits, but Christmas still lingers in Seoul - trees, carols, Christmas themed merchandise -- they're all still around. Even though Christmas in the Motherland doesn't feel quite the same, I'm glad to see reminders of Christmas around town.
Even the buses are still celebrating Christmas. This weekend, Seong and I managed to catch one of those magical local route buses, charging throughout town, bedazzled with garland and lights (both inside and outside of the bus). As gaudy as they may be, these decorated buses make you feel special.
Though we've been working 6-7 days a week (We're done by 8:30, so it's not as bad as it sounds), we made the time to walk around Myeongdong, primarily to pick up winter accessories. My memory's not so keen, but I swear, winter is MUCH colder this year. Or, maybe it's just the building...
The Hagwon is located in a newly built building, so the facilities are quite nice. It's just that the building was so poorly designed. First of all, the heater/air con is built into the ceiling. I don't remember much from my science classes, but I do know that heat rises. Heat doesn't fall down to short people like me. Secondly, the building is not well insulated. I can feel the cold air seeping in through the windows! We could complain to the building manager, but we're all a little afraid of him. He's like one of the bosses from a Korean gangster movie. We all decided to wear shawls instead.
Anyway, here are a few of my favorite winter accessories, essential to surviving a Korean winter (or a poorly insulated building).
1. Earmuffs (10,000 won). I don't know what I was thinking, but I left my earmuffs back in California. I picked up a new pair in Myeondong. I know they look rather silly, but they are very warm. It's strange that my ears are so sensitive to the cold, despite all my hair.
2) Finger-less gloves (10,000 won). There was a cheaper pair for 8,000, but I sprung for the thicker knit. I either wear these gloves under a pair of mittens or wear them while I'm typing away at the computer. They make feel like a cartoon bum, but I don't care. They're very effective.
3) (기모) Gimo Tights. I'm not sure what gimo means, but these tights are much warmer than an ordinary pair of tights. The tights are lined with cotton, similar to the lining in a pair of sweat pants. I know what you're thinking. Why don't I just put on a pair of pants? Firstly, jeans (even with the naebok) aren't that much warmer. Secondly, I prefer to wear skirts and dresses. Don't worry. I'm usually wearing boots when I head outdoors.
As much as I complain about the cold, I enjoy having a legitimate reason to wear such accessories.
Both Cyndi and I have become moderately obsessed with belts, especially the wide ones with the elastic band that cinches your waist like nobody's business. We just picked up a few at Migliore in Dongdaemun a couple of weeks ago.
I have to pat myself on the back because I bargained the belts down to 3 for 30,000 won. He had told us the belts were 13,000-14,000 won a piece, so I'm quite proud of my growing bargaining skills. (I know. I know. They're probably $5 on eBay. Please don't burst my bubble.)
I've been wanting a skinny belt for awhile now, but since I like to wear my belt high up (a little below the boobage area), belts have proven to be too long. To my surprise, the ajusshi offered to the belt for me. Basically, he takes off the buckle; chops off a few inches; then nails the buckle back on. I think he only does this for the cheapy belts, but the service is free.
If you too are interested in shorter belts, I suggest stopping by his belt stall. He's on the third floor of Migliore, immediately to the right of the escalator.
By the way, you're probably asking yourself, "What's the deal with the mannequin?" We plan to sell some children's clothes on eBay. We got the whole shebang for 20,000 won in Namdaemun.
Ack! My Taiwanese classmate told me that the place to be in Taipei is actually the posh area near Taipei 101. I wish she had told me this last week, when I asked her about where to go in Taipei. Oh, well. I still had fun.
One of the highlights of our trip was probably the glamour shots. Let me first begin by saying that Taiwanese "glamour shots" are far more glamorous than the studios you'd find at the mall. Definitely a step above Head Shots. With all the makeup, styling, lighting, and props, it's quite a production. Depending on the number of outfits you order, the photo shoot could take up to half a day. On top of all the "glamour" that they pile on to you, the photographer will then photoshop you out of recognition. If you ever wanted to look like an Asian pop star, glamour shots are for you. Many folks even fly in specifically for the glamour shots, particularly young Japanese women and engaged couples (for official wedding portraits).
Given the production value, the photos are relatively inexpensive. I say "relatively" because it is still quite pricey. We selected the smallest package, which included two outfit changes, a small album of 15 photos, a keychain, and a photo CD. I'm a little embarrassed to admit how much we paid for our photo session, but let's just say that it was slightly more than a scaling at the skin clinic. I figure that when I'm a wrinkled little ajumma, the photos will prove to be a worthy investment. The photo studios accept credit card, so you don't have to worry about carrying enough cash.
Our session took about 2.5 hours. Reservations are recommended. After some research, Cyndi found a studio called "White Ladder," and made an appointment via email. There isn't a lot of information online about Glamour Shot studios (in English), but here's a Japanese list of all the studios in Taipei. I think. The site also seems to feature coupons.
I should warn you that neither the studio staff nor the photographer will likely speak or understand English. They are more likely to be proficient in Japanese. My makeup artist, for example, only knew a few phrases: Go!, Stop!, Look at me.
The studio will ask you to pick out looks from their albums, but I believe that you can also bring in your own outfits. Most of their clientèle seems to be fairly slim and long, so if you, to borrow the words of Beyonce, are bootylicious, the studio will unlikely be "ready for your jelly."
Once we selected our looks, we were taken to a den of clothes and makeup.
The makeup artists applied some mysterious makeup base from a little vial. She said that it would make us "more beautiful." It costs 300TWD! This is why you should never nod before thinking.
Here we are with our saeng ogul (natural face), pre-glamour.
They lengthened Cyndi's hair with some extensions.
Check out the arsenal of makeup. Even if you select a "natural look" they will likely pack on a load of makeup. They use a variety of products including MAC, Bobbi Brown, and Etude House! In addition to plastering my face with foundation, my makeup artist added two layers of false lashes and taped my eyelids. I never thought I'd be one of those girls who taped my eyelids to get some ssankapul. It felt so strange.
Here are our first looks:
Cyndi went with the "natural" look.
I chose a "cute" look, which allowed me to try on some fake bangs.
For our second look, we both coincidentally went with a Chinese-ish look. I had originally wanted to wear this frilly mint green dress, but it did not fit.
I did not realize that the woman was going to stick a floral garden on top of my head.
Cyndi's look was more elegant. She must have been a wealthy Chinese concubine in her past life.
We asked the photographer to take a picture using our own cameras. He instructed us to pose with our hands at the side of our faces. I felt like a major cheeseball, but the picture turned out pretty well.
Cyndi and I were each assigned a photographer. Cyndi got a photographer that could speak a fair amount of English. I got a guy who only knew the phrases: Smile; Open mouth; Look at me. I felt bad for him. He seemed like he desperately wanted to give me more direction, but had to resort to posing me like a mannequin or miming his directions. I'm not even being false-modest when I say that I am terrible at posing. I basically had to mimic him for each shot. Let's just hope he's got some mad photoshop skills.
Usually, you return to the studio a few days later to pick out the photos for your album, but we had to go to Kaohsiung, so we entrusted the photographer with this important task. I'm excited, yet a little worried, to see what my photographer picks out. I really hope he doesn't pick out the one where I'm holding the stuffed dog.
The photos will be shipped to Korea in a couple of weeks.
Overall, I'd say that the whole glamour shot experience was worth it. It was fun to get all dolled up.
There are a number of studios throughout Taipei, but if you'd like to check out White Ladder, here are the directions:
-Take the MRT to Shuanglian. -Take exit 1. -Walk straight up the street for about 15 minutes. - Make a right at Zhongyuan. (#8 Zhongyuan St.)
The studio also has a location in Ximen.
I will conclude with a removal of all the color and spackle.
The rainy season has officially begun in Korea. I believe that in Korea, they call rainy season "summer." Normally, I'm not so big on rain, especially when I have to drive. Today's downpour even has me wondering if I should start building an ark.
Though I'm not looking forward to riding the bus in the rain, I'm very excited to have the opportunity to wear my rain boots!
I came across a bunch of really cute boots a few months ago at a shoe store in Myeondong called "Spai." (I wish I could tell you the exact location of Spai, but even with all the time spent there, I still get lost. It's not that big, so I think you can find it if you don't mind wandering).
EDIT: You can buy the boots at spaimall.com Thanks for the link, Heng!
I bought two pairs of boots. I sent a pair of brown lace-up boots back to the Homeland, but I still have my high-heeled flower print boots. That's right! My boots protect my feet and legs from the rain AND gives me a boost. The boots are also surprisingly snug, which prevents it from looking like work man boots -- that, and the fact that there are flowers all over them. The boots were 40,000 won; more than I would normally pay for footwear in Korea, but definitely worth it.
As my Korean teacher noted, other than children and fisherman, Koreans do not typically wear rain boots. I asked her why given that Korea gets so much rain. She said that Korean women prefer to wear slippers or sandals. I used to wear slippers in the rain, but, as you can probably imagine, they'd SLIP off my feet if the rain got heavy. Rain boots are definitely preferable to slippers when walking in the rain.
My flower boots are a little loud and I will often get stares, but I like to think that soggy footed gawkers are thinking to themselves, "Dang, that's such a good idea right now."
Cyndi purchased a pair of long, equestrian style rain boots from zappos.com. Her brother delivered them to her during his visit in the spring. She too understands the merits of a stylish rain boot.
I know that rain boots may not seem very attractive, but trust me, it's so much better to walk through a puddle than jump over one.
Having grown up in a tropical climate, I've always yearned for the opportunity to wear winter apparel. (I always thought that earmuffs were an accessory. I never realized that they were a necessity!)
Unfortunately, the saying is true; be careful what you wish for. I'm still struggling to adjust to the biting cold, but I certainly appreciate the opportunity to buy more winter coats! (The coat that I brought from California barely even sufficed for autumn in Korea).
I'm a bit embarrassed to admit how many coats I've purchased within the last month. The assortment of coats can be quite overwhelming. All but one of the coats that I purchased in Korea cost less than $100 (Can you guess which one was more than $100?).
TIP: All winter coats go on sale in early January, so this is the best time to shop for trendy winter gear.
These trendy coats may not be the best long term investment, but they certainly enable a nice variety in your winter wardrobe.
(Oh, man. I can only imagine what it's going to cost to mail all of these coats home).
Cyndi and I decided to ANTM it up, and share some of our new coats with y'all. Check out the photos below.
STACY: The first two coats are actually for you. Let me know if you want any additional coats.
The Librarian
Sexy Ninja (Military Style)
The 어머나
Sporty Devil Zip-Up
Short Skirt, Long, Cap-Sleeved Jacket
Checkered Cutie
In the Navy
Church Coat
Waldo's Coat
The Coat that's in Dire Need of Dry Cleaning
The Spottie Dottie (Stacy: The bunny hat is also for you. Man, I am one thoughtful sister!)
Put some pants on. As Gummy will attest to, it is far too cold to wear a mini skirt or hot pants.
Sure, I know you have your little sheepskin-lined boots on, but unless those Uggs go up to your thighs, there's no excuse for you to wear such mini articles of clothing. It is winter for goodness sake! Lindsey and Paris can get away with such foolishness, because they live in L.A. You, girlfriend, live in Korea.
I see you running around the streets of Seoul, pretending not to be affected by the cold, but, girl, who you foolin'?
I see you walking briskly, trying to act like you're in a rush, when you're really just trying to keep your legs from going numb.
I see you walking amidst large crowds, hoping that those bundled up strangers will block out some of the cold.
I see you trying to block the wind with your shopping bags.
I see you huddling with your equally silly girlfriends.
A good pair of tights may keep you warm, but not if you're wearing a mini skirt!
Despite all of that, I know how you're really feeling. I wear about five layers of clothing, and I'm still freezing my bum off. I am admittedly less tolerant of the cold than you are, but look at any of the gentlemen next to you. Do you see any of them in slippers and khaki shorts?
Even the dudes in Cake know better. At the very least, short skirts should be accompanied by a loooooooooooooooong jacket.
Seriously, put some pants on. You're making me feel cold.
Hello. Thanks for stopping by! The short story is: I am interested in the way children learn and like helping them find the fun in learning.
I'm also really into cute things.
If you'd like to know more about me professionally, here you go:
http://about.me/anna.ho
