The Fashion of History (Germany Edition)

Continuing with the theme of cold and depressing videos, this week he head off to Berlin with the rookie group History!

Their new music video is called What am I to you? Check it out!

The video was released on November 25, 2013 and had 2,161,792 views by December 10th. 

For added fun, watch the video with Air- Sexy Boy playing in the back. They make some exceptional faces. 

What is the point of this review?

Ruby: So this video sits comfortably within the grunge category. It spans scenes filmed in Berlin, which tend to be more street and everyday clothes and a dance section which has a more fashion take on some of the outfits from the video. The color palette is muted and dark, which fits nicely in the setting and song. There was nothing ground-breaking but its a clean video with a good mix of street and fashion represented. And it’s nice to see history go back toward their cleaner, darker concepts, which have always suited them well.

Dance Sihyung, sleek and classy 

Grunge Sihyung and their filming location in Berlin

Em: There were some fairly simple, black-and-white dance costumes, which were nice and full of contrast, and then some fairly every-day clothes for the angst scenes. Aside from one rather distinctive orange jacket, there wasn’t a ton of color, adding to the somewhat darker theme of the video. There wasn’t as much detail as we tend to see in women’s fashion, but the details we did get had the advantage of being nice and clean, such as the silver earrings paired with the red hat.

Add a dash of color, for the christmas spirit 

Going on vacation? If you’re a college kid, going home for winter break? Wondering what to pack? Don’t worry, History packed up and headed for Berlin and they’re here to offer advice on what to bring in that suitcase! (And some tips from the writers might sneak in there too…)

Kyungil - That cover all black leather jacket. It’s warm. It’s versatile and it never goes out of fashion. It’s great for any occasion, like breaking up with your girlfriend, getting drunk alone at a bar and dancing in odd places! Definitely pack multipurpose pieces, less space for more use!

Kyung-Il looking appropriate for all occasions in his spiffy leather jacket. 

Dokyun: Neutral accessories. Committing to different shoes and jewelry every day is way too much for the savvy travel packer. Little bits everywhere are easy to lose. Pack a pair of simple, sleek black shoes and pick some great neutral jewelry, like diamond studs and wear those. You will only have to keep track of one set of earrings and they’ll look great with everything. Never know when an impromptu angsty photo shoot will come up. Gotta look good.

Simple jewelry that still looks really classy 

Sihyung: Don’t forget to pack some workout clothes! They’re great for working out on the go (like in old warehouses) or just chilling with your friends. Make sure you include appropriate accessories, like a good knit hat,  if you’re headed somewhere cold! (This includes a good pair of sneakers for walking/exercising!)

Exercise clothes for keeping in shape 

Jaeho- Bold graphic tees are Jaeho’s recommendation! They’re great for layering (even underneath that snappy leather jacket) and can be used for sightseeing or chilling. Graphics are especially nice since they’re bright and eye catching. Which is great for spray painting in fields and other tourist activities. No checked baggage is no excuse for no fashion statements.

Jaeho, making a lovely face, in his graphic tee

Yijeong- Even if its the only thing you pack, pack underwear. NEVER FORGET THOSE WHITEY TIGHTIES.

but I might recommend bringing other clothes next time Yijeong

Can someones KINDLY take the time to tell me why NO ONE CONSULTED ME ON THE MAKEUP?! I spend hours, no, days, WEEKS on outfits and you just take acryclic paint and SMOOSH IT ON HISTORY’S FACES?!?! HOW IS THIS MAKEUP?!?!?! All my hard work, RUINED! I cannot believe this was allowed to happen. I was all excited to see the finished mv and then THIS. It’s distracted and uncalled for. Its not even makeup. This is not performance art. MY CAREER IS STAINED LIKE HIS FACE WAS.

#sogrungyiwantabath

#birthdaysuit

#siryourpantsareTHEPANTS

#sogrungyiwantabath both this week and last week we talked about grungy fashion. It’s usually very urban, with cool jackets and tight jeans. What Am I To You was cleaner than Tasty’s Day’n Night, but they appealed to a similar aesthetic preference. It’s not grunge in the purest sense, but rather grunge inspired, and its nice to get a variety of influences like this. One interesting choice that channelled the mismatch aspect of grunge was the sweatshirt under leather jacket look [2:20] At least he probably wasn’t cold during filming.

#birthdaysuit well one person WAS probably cold during filming...you guessed it, that was the naked one. Yijeong did the same thing CL did two weeks ago (well, CL was even more naked, but still). Apparently its a trend to look really cold in the winter, or maybe to just expose a whole lot of skin. I will say that it had a somewhat different effect when Yijeong wore whitey tighties and angsted around an apartment as opposed to when CL sat dramatically in a steaming bath (also angsty) and then sat on freezing cold stone. These poor idols.

#siryourpantsareTHEPANTS and that’s okay with us. The pants, referring to ripped black skinny jeans are a staple in the kpop world of mens fashion. It was one of the first things we ever noticed and they just never seem to go out of fashion. Everyone is wearing them, there are a million variations. Sometimes there are zippers and chains, sometimes you can see the whole leg and sometimes just a few patches of skin. At any rate, Yijeong and History, welcome to the club. Now you’re the cool kids too.

Taemin of SHINee stage performance, Juilette Era

Dara from 2ne1 during Fire (Space Version) MV

What am I trying to get at?

Ruby: Finals are right around the corner and this week I really wanted to write a happy review. We had the chance to review some REALLY INTERESTING fashion choices this week, but decided to go with something simpler. The clothing in this video is on trend and wearable, but still takes risks. Some of them work while others don’t. That orange suede jacket was cool (that leopard print shirt not so much). Aside from a few of these little details, the video was really well put together.

It's simple and clean, but nice, which is kind of a change.

Leopard print button downs are not going to happen.
Stop trying to make it happen.

Em: Yup, this video is about as simple as I wish my life was right now. YAY FINALS WEEK. For all its lack of decoration, it still looked pretty good, and as far as everyday fashion goes it was definitely wearable. I wasn’t exactly enthralled by it, but I also wasn’t deeply and personally offended...YAY. Hope to see more from History soon….go rookie (ish) bands!

That is a dang cool jacket, and someone could ACTUALLY wear it

Simple and clean 

You okay kyungil? Absinthe is a bit bad for you.

Everyone wearing matching white socks. Because what stylist goes MAKE SURE ALL THEIR SOCKS ARE WHITE?

Let us know what you think about the dark grunge trend? Where are the christmas videos? do you miss them?

Leave us some love!

Ruby and Em <3

Missing Your Winter Wardrobe

This week we headed home for thanksgiving and the weather turned absolutely frigid. Last week we saw the cuddly, fuzzy side of winter wear but this week we'll really dip into the amazingness of winter fashion with (one of our favorite female trend setters)

Missing You by 2ne1

The video came out on November 20th 2013, and as of November 26th had 5,024,801 views. 

Don't miss the details!

Ruby: I’m just so happy. I’m home on break, I’m eating mac and cheese and winter fashion is back! (Okay so the only relevant part was that last one). 2ne1 fashion tends to be wild, crazy and all over the place (spiked bralette anyone?) but this video was rather reserved for them. It played up voluminous cuts, block-usually dark-colors and sparkle. It was warm and fuzzy, but with a hard edge. The result were outfits that looked expensive and luxurious. Recently I think kpop has strayed away from the luxury concept, (it looks costumey when done wrong) but this is just so spot on fashion wise.

Dara in an adorable color block dress.

Leather studded, dark and punk but still classy.

Em: I really liked this. A lot. The nice thing about winter clothing is that you can only reveal so much skin, so sexiness because a lot less in-your-face and a lot more subtle and classy. The stylists have to focus more on color and material than on skin exposure, so they end up playing up the mystery with a dark hat, sunglasses, and a black coat rather than just throwing lace and eight inch heels all over the places. I mean, it wasn’t that everyone was completely covered *cough* CL was nakey *cough* but overall it’s a classier sexy.  The makeup helped a lot too. The video also had some decidedly weird moments, but they were well-integrated so that the outfits seemed fashionable rather than out-of-place.

This picture is totally NSFW, if you work with shoe-a-holics  

Bom looking pretty and classy and warm

CL takes a dark approach to winter chic

URGENT MEMO

TO: SUZY

DEPT: STYLING

Suzy. I know you were planning a concept for 2ne1’s video shoot today including cute dresses and flirty heels, but looks like that’s going to be a no go. The heating in the filming location’s heating is totally broken. Sorry we didn’t get this to you sooner. Please send a new concept idea back ASAP. I have high expectations.

.... WHAT.

THESE ARE NOT WINTER SHOES, I REPEAT NOT FOR COLD.

RE: URGENT MEMO

TO: PAPAYG

Alright. Well we can’t scrap the entire outfit set, so we’ll have to work with the dresses…. But we can add, uh, JACKETS! YEAH! We have left over jackets from some earlier scrapped concept ideas. Sure they were meant for guys, but they’ll work. I think we have a few super hipster sweaters lying around as well. I’ll throw those in the box too.

Idk why we have this jacket, but doesn't bom look awesome!?

And well, I guess we can use tights? Lots of tights? We are running a little low, but we have a pair with rhinestones, and studded leggings? Skinny leather pants? Whatever they’ll work! We might even use one of the ripped hairs, super edgy right?

We got them on, that means they're still technically clothing.

We even have some accessories left over from that trot video we never aired. Sparkly jackets can be a thing right?

The jacket is weirdly old fashioned, but Minzy can pull it off.

Thank god we already did Cl’s scenes…

And now, in case you’re getting a haircut soon, (Like Em!) here are some possible hairstyles for you to choose from!

Whacked out Rockstar

Cropped red hair, pretty short (easy to care for!) You’ll look like an angsty rocker, which is always nice. Choppy layers and inconsistent color add to your charm.

Romantic Female Lead #342

Long, simple, straight brown hair in a half pony. You might end up romantically staring off into the distance or posing dramatically in really tall heels. Take notes from every kdrama ever made.

Arsty Indie Film Star

Long, smooth, black hair. You might end up watching artsy films that don’t make a lot of sense, like she is. It’ll make you a cooler person at hipster colleges, and a more confused person. But we all make sacrifices.

Rebel Barbie

White-blonde hair in a high, messy bun. Could you be more prim and proper? You might develop a penchant for chess and then... putting your shoes on a chair? (rebellious)

Queen of Contrasts

Perfectly straight, white-blonde. You may develop a liking for oversized sweaters and lying in giant vats of purple fur. Basically you like fuzzy things. Which is odd cause your hair is now the opposite of fuzzy. Also buy a hair straightener. You’ll need it.

Dying to be a Zookeeper

Black and white stripes. You might be a penguin, or maybe a zebra. Possible skunk. You’ll get endless questions, and might even have to cage a few rowdy boys! *winkwink* Woohoo a trip to the zoo!

#fabulousfur

#nailedthenails

#brimmingwithjoy

#fabulousfur is great, though fake fur please! It seems like these have been quite  a few fur coats floating around this season. There’s the constantly relevant coat from Cooked, GDragon, Everybody (SHINee), and Very Good (Block B)… But those are all boy bands… Don’t worry ladies, you look great in them too.

Cl rolling around on a marble floor in her fur trench

GD from his MV Crooked, showing off his own fur trench.

#nailedthenails as always! Fashion nails are really trending in South Korea right now. There was even a drama featuring a Nail Salon (full of cute boys). As for styling nails, the bigger, the fancier and the flashier the better! These nails are somewhat toned down, but the feeling is still there. Recently Love Options also featured some pretty epic nail art.

Dara casually flicks a chess piece with her glitter manicure. 

bestie's Love Options nail styles. 

#brimming with joy would definitely be an over exaggeration of the way we feel about the broad brimmed hats that seem to have cropped up recently. Now we have nothing against hats, we quite like them, but in this instance, it feels a little bit overwhelming to have that large of a brim. This trend definitely is still on the rise and maybe it’ll stop before it really becomes widespread, but we’re gonna keep watching for them...

Dara shields herself from the snow

Jonghyun shields himself from fangirl tears in the
teasers for SHINee's everybody

Just to make sure we didn't miss anything...

Ruby: The video had its weird moments, my diamond encrusted bondage hood, for example. However, the overall effect was really stunning, So far this year, we’ve really stayed in autumn videos and sort of happy fluffy winter styling. This video was a real departure. I mean I have no idea what was happening at all, but they looked classy while doing it. I loved the emphasis placed on sparkles (they didn’t need to be on people’s faces) but Bom’s liquid silver dress and head piece or Dara’s gold detailed fur coat just really exemplified what was so awesome about this video. Lux and classic are trends I’d love to see continue.

Bom looks like a frosty winter princess. 

The emo tear drop feels... angsty and unnecessary. 

BUT i do love the fake eyelashes CL dons. 

Em: The scenes were set up like a moving photoshoot, with every detail taken care of, and the attention to detail showed. Their poses were very photographic and deliberate, even more than usual in a music video, and the clothes complemented that idea with powerful, eye-catching pieces. It was beautifully done and the whole video seemed like an art piece in itself. Very cool.  

Bom looking thoughtfully into the distance 

CL glancing at the camera while taking a bath. At least it's warm.

Dara has a purple feather Mohawk. JUST ACCEPT IT, OKAY? Okay.

Bedazzled Bondage is classy bondage.

Are you guys looking forward to winter as much as we are?

Let us know! And leave us some love in the comments!

See you next week! 

Ruby and Em <3