Allure Mag Talks Korean Fashion with Olivia Kim | Required Reading

Olivia Kim makes Seoul’s pop-culture-obsessed fashion scene sound dangerously exciting. Talking recently about trends and It items with a writer at Allure.com, she puts herself in the platform shoes of the city’s youth culture and imagines them going, “We’re going to embrace it. We’re going to love it. We’re going to kill it. And then we’re going to move on to the next thing.”

(Insert that wide-eyed, surprise-face emoji here.)

The imaginative style vibe of South Korea’s capital is totally trending right now, and in Allure‘s new must-read memo on the ten hottest brands, our New Jersey-raised, Korean-American creative projects VP dishes on the pop stars and designers who drive the obsession, trends and demand through the streets and then out into the world.

Allure.com’s Korean fashion news flash

 

It’s a cool read and a great way to get caught up with what might become the world’s next fashion city—Seoul Fashion Week anyone?—and it’s also the perfect primer for our brand new Pop-In@Nordstrom: KFASHION, which runs March 31 through May 7.

So, who are the designers behind these It items?

From long-running brands like Kuho to streetwear favorites such as SJYP and Rihanna-endorsed Hyein Seo, we think the most exciting and enduring of them are all in our shop.

 

SHOP: Kuho

 

SHOP: SJYP

SHOP: Hyein Seo

Check out all the designers at Pop-In@Nordstrom: KFASHION.

—Laura Cassidy

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At Practice with Our Shoe Designer’s “Pointy Shoegaze” Band, Fotoform

As Nordstrom’s footwear design director, Kim House oversees the styles that brands like Halogen®, Caslon®, Treasure & Bond and BP. put forward for feet. In her off-time, Kim is a singer and bassist in the band Fotoform, which she describes cheekily as a “pointy shoegaze” outfit.

“Shoegaze came out of Britain in the late ’80s, early ’90s,” Kim explains, when we meet up in the band’s practice space in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood. “Bands like Lush, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine were characterized by a wall of guitars, lots of effects, with ethereal vocals on top.” It’s Kim’s heavenly voice that floats like soft gauze on top of twin guitars, bass and drums. “‘Pointy shoegaze’ was a nod to some of the early ’80s dark stuff we were inspired by—and that time and that scene. People wore a lot of pointy shoes at that time.” But it’s also a nod to Kim’s day job, one that thankfully provides an outlet for her visual inspirations, like the Fotoform avant-garde photography movement, from which the band takes its name.

Fotoform is also a family. Kim looks to her bandmates, with affection and admiration, for inspiration. “We have two guitar players. Geoff  [Cox], my husband, he plays with the most amount of pedals. He has a PhD in German lit and works at a little translation agency. Our other guitarist, Stephen [Jones], is amazing. He works for Paul Allen at the Living Computer Museum, so he restores super computers,” Kim says. “Our drummer, Garret [Croxon], is super talented. He’s played with bands like the Fleet Foxes and Erik Blood. We’re super lucky to have him.”

That tight-knit feeling extends to the Seattle music scene, with which Fotoform is intimately involved. “Seattle has such an amazing music community. There are a lot of diverse artists who celebrate and support each other. It’s more of a community than a scene,” shares Kim. “The Northwest in general has a lot of great music. Tender Age from Portland is a new up-and-coming band. Erik Blood from Seattle is one of our favorites.” Kim gestures to Blood’s latest album, Lost in Slow Motion, resting near her. “Black Nite Crash, Jupe Jupe, blicky, I could go on and on.”

In her formative years, Kim was influenced by the band Blondie; she describes Debbie Harry as “my first girl idol and crush.” The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Lush and other moody ’80s acts shaped her style and sound. “Musical influences tend to shift and evolve, just like fashion,” Kim says.  Some of the musicians she’s currently got on play are Be Forest, Wild Nothing and Drab Majesty. And as for her style, Kim really does rock a pointy shoe box. “They’re easier to dance in while I play,” she explains.

Fotoform’s debut album releases on clear vinyl April 28. The band will be performing with Erik Blood at the Seagaze Festival on April 22.

Watch the video to see Fotoform at practice:

Videography and editing: Kirstin Small
Copy and art direction: Britt Burritt

via Nordstrom Fashion Blog http://ift.tt/2olPl49

10 Styling Tricks to Update Your Look—Without Buying a Thing

Style is mostly about how you wear something, not what you wear. This spring, after examining our packed closets, we turned to Nordstrom Styling Director Ruth Basloe for tips on how to make the most of what we’ve got. Ruth gave us 10 ways to wear things we already own, incorporating small updates to look fresh this season. So here’s how we’ll be wearing everything—along with some street-style inspo and shopping links (in case you feel inclined to buy)!

Draped Shapes 

1. Forget wearing your coat or jacket thrown over your shoulders. The new way to wear your outerwear is to put it on and then shrug or slip it off your shoulders. When done in a way that looks casual and accidental, it lends an effortless, sensual feel to your look. With longer styles, keep one shoulder on so it doesn’t drag on the ground.

Shop spring styles:

Burberry London Kensington long trench coat | J.Crew stripe trench coat | Line & Dot Obispo moto jacket

New Knots

2. Tweaking the traditional preppy approach to wearing a sweater over the shoulders provides another option for updating your look with something you already own. Instead of neatly laying your sweater over your shoulders and tying it centered at the neck, loosen the tie and shift the sweater so it is sitting askew and falling over one shoulder. For a more advanced look, pull one sleeve under your armpit and then tie the sleeves in the middle of your chest.

Shop spring styles:

Topshop poppy embroidered sweater | Tory Burch seaside cotton & merino wool sweater | JOSEPH destroyed cable knit pullover

Totes Amazing

3. How you carry your handbag can also show you are in the know. The of-the-moment approach is to hold the bottom of a shoulder bag or satchel like a clutch. Another way to wear a bag that is trending is to take a shoulder bag with a shorter strap or even a belt bag and wear it as a crossbody. Essentially, wear your bag in ways it was not intended to be worn.

Shop spring styles:

J.W.Anderson Medium Pierce shoulder bag | TOD’S Mini Double T leather shoulder bag | Tory Burch Duet embellished leather shoulder bag

Untucked Tails

4. With all the new shirting for the season, how to tuck also evolves. The half-tuck is no longer just reserved for casual, traditional-fit shirts. To add drama, try half-tucking some of the longer, more exaggerated styles. Make sure to unbutton up to where the shirt is tucked. I’ve already been playing with more exaggerated half-tucks and the questioning looks from my mom are a good sign.

Shop spring styles:

Leith stripe shirt | IRO Aadi ruffle top | Robert Rodriguez ruffle print silk shirt

Button-Down Bases

5. Also part of the shirting trend is layering button-downs with or instead of a tee. Try a dress shirt underneath a slip dress, instead of a tee, or worn open between a tee and blazer as a mid-layer.

Shop spring styles:

Helmut Lang ticking stripe cotton top | Diane von Furstenberg Carter blouse | Equipment Reese stripe silk shirt

Cute Contrast 

6. In a season of contrasts, my favorite layering idea is wearing distressed denim under a frilly, feminine dress. The mix of preciousness and destroyed feels fresh.

Shop spring styles:

Free People One Day midi dress | Topshop Unique Aster silk midi dress | Rachel Comey Steady seersucker maxi dress

Teed Up

7. With the return to all things ’80s, graphic tees are trending: from rock tees to quirky sayings to iconic logos—and the more vintage-looking, the better. Instead of saving them for the weekend to wear with jeans, mix with something tailored, like a blazer, or with something feminine and fancy, like a lace skirt or a silky slip dress.

Shop spring styles:

Lucky Brand Death Valley graphic ringer tee | Stella McCartney ice cream logo tee | Junk Food Michael Jackson tee

Flirty Feet

8. Fortunately for our feet, the flats trend doesn’t end with fall. To update your favorite styles, add a little quirkiness with a sheer sock. My favorite look right now is a classic penny loafer style or a retro sneaker with a fishnet anklet.

Shop spring styles:

La Double 7 fishnet ankle socks | Chelsea28 sheer crew socks | kate spade new york dot crew socks

Scarf Art

9. Silk scarves continue to trend. For a new way to wear them, try wrapping smaller styles around the wrist like a cuff.

Shop spring styles:

Halogen® Bella Floral square silk scarf | Rebecca Minkoff silk bandana | MARC JACOBS embroidered silk scarf

Clean Cuffs

10. If you never quite managed the artof rolling your jeans owned by brands like J.Crew and Madewell, you’ll be happy to know the of-the-moment approach is just a simple, clean cuff.

Shop spring styles:

Madewell Perfect Vintage ripped high waist boyfriend jeans | 7 For All Mankind Josefina boyfriend jeans | KUT from the Kloth Catherine boyfriend jeans

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