The most popular designations are Korean Street Fashion and Hongdae Street Style. And the most prevalent sub-styles right now are Hongdae Street Fashion; Ewha Street Fashion; and Retro/Vintage Street Fashion.
The reason why “street” is everywhere in these denominations is both because there is a heavy street style influence, and because, well… streets are quite literally where youngsters buy their clothes!
Hongdae Street Fashion
Hongdae is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Seoul and hongdae street fashion is the definition of the Korean fashion style. It is characterized by sporty items, loose unisex items that are more often than not a one size (and yet look amazing on both guys and girls, how??), extremely skinny or tight pieces of clothing, and often a lot of black. Korean idols wear this style the most of all main styles, and so do most fashion inclined youngsters. From Seoul to Busan, you can see people in their late teens and 20’s dressed as if they were in the streets of Hongdae!
Lately, this style has also come under the influence of American street fashion! Personally, we feel that Black Pink’s Lisa, Mamamoo’s Hwasa and JYP’s Jessi are the biggest trendsetters of this style for women.
IG @jessicah_o | @lalalalisa_m | @_mariahwasaThe biggest (and perhaps most exaggerated) representative of this style is the Seoul Fashion Week. If it’s in this year, it will be there.
Seoul Fashion Week 2020 - Photographed by Alex Finch
But on a daily basis, lots of Koreans wear a softer, more casual version of this style, like Ewha Street Fashion!
Ewha Street Fashion
Ewha Womans University Fashion Street - the area around Ewha Womans University, Korea’s famous women’s university, is the perfect place for girly casual Korean fashion. It’s casual, but it is feminine, elegant.
IG @midamizmIt still has loose and skinny clothes, but they drape over the body, and the fabrics and colors tend to show a different elegance. Characterized by soft colors, they are always clothes you could wear from school to the office without changing and it became popular both domestically and abroad when Girl’s Generation hit our hearts back in 2007, and they are still the main trendsetters of this style. Close runner ups are Twice and A-pink, who bring a fresh and youthful vibe to their outfits!
Retro/Vintage Street Fashion
Retro Street Style isn’t a separate style as much as it is a reinterpretation of the previous two. Whether you prefer sporty or feminine, you can fit it in the retro Korean street style. This style takes a lot from vintage patterns, bold colors, and even bold cuts - yes, we mean 80’s shoulder pads. And if you look at it, if you truly look at it, you will see 90’s Korea style as an influence, from when Hallyu (Korean Wave) had just started.
Nowadays retro and vintage inspired fashion is all the rage in Korea, it is in every new item and advertisement’s design. And it is also among our favorite stars! No, we aren’t talking of the (amazing!) 90’s revival group SSAK3, with handsome Rain, beautiful Lee Hyori, and crowd favorite Yoo Jaeseok. They quite literally copy 90’s vintage street style, which shows how the 90s are influencing 2021’s Korea!
The stars rocking the most trendy 90’s retro street style right now are no other than power couple Hyuna and Edawn! Earthy colors, classic blouses and baggy oversized styles are super popular within this sub style.
But that leaves one question.Where can I buy Korean Street Style fashion?
In the streets of Hongdae for hip hop street and retro pieces! Or Ewha streets if you’re into a girlier look. But for those who can’t be here, online shopping malls, like our own, also have lots of items in street, sweet and retro styles that will fit your tastes!Check our collection for both Hongdae Street Fashion, and Ewha Street Fashion, and definitely keep your eyes wide open for our super trendy Korean Retro/Vintage Fashion items!
How do you style your #koreanstreetstyle outfits? Sound off in the comments & tag @magicCOSMOS_official in your looks on IG and TikTok!
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