Quotes: "People used to laugh at my fashion..." -Coco Chanel

"People used to laugh at my fashion, but it was the beginning of my success. I was same with nobody." -Coco Chanel



I was looking at a magazine when I was young and I noticed this quote in the Chanel page. I got a moment to think about it and I thought, 'I was same with nobody...What does this mean?' While thinking for a few days after that, I came up with a thought that inspired me. 'I was same with nobody. Nobody. Then, who would I be? Myself.' I would be no one, except myself. Surrounded by lots of friends who talked about their lives every day, I was influenced by them. My clothes, thoughts, hairstyle, and even handwriting were influenced by my friends and peers. After reading this quote, I felt that I needed to keep my own identity. The word, "identity" seems a little serious, but it is a hard thing to keep as an individual since we're surrounded by a lot of things. Fashion is not an exception. Fashion is filled with influence and originality is hard to form. Coco Chanel did it. Lots of designers did it. Why can't I? Obviously, I wouldn't come up with a brand in one day and get famous, but my every day style would be my own. It seems easy, but it's not. Try it. Have your own style every day. Your own, creative style. Be no one, except yourself.

Be a fashionista by having your own style!

Trend: Fashion in Japan

I've been to numerous places in the world such as Guam, California, Philippines, Australia, and Bali, but I haven't been to Japan until this week. My sister is currently a senior, so our family went on a trip to Japan, which was actually a senior trip for my sister. We went to Tokyo and had lots of fun, but one thing popped into my head while walking in the streets of Tokyo: fashion in Tokyo. I've also been curious about how Tokyo would be; the people, the shops, the weather, but mostly importantly fashion.

Before arriving in Tokyo, my mom, my sister, and I spent some time in the airport. While observing other people there, I noticed that I was only looking at their clothes! I couldn't resist myself from peeking at others' clothes and the only thing in my head was 'fashion'.



While walking in the street of Tokyo, I noticed a specific fashion item: boots. Especially Japan women seemed to enjoy wearing boots with short pants and stockings. I was amazed at how young and old women all wore boots in subways, in the streets, in the taxis, in the buses, everywhere!



(pictures taken by me!)

Other than boots, I also noticed how lots of fashion involved laces and flowers. Lots of people wore feminine clothes with laces and pink flowers. I usually don't wear lacy clothes, but I'm planning to wear some soon!


(pictures taken by me!)

Even MEN. It was amazing how some men in the streets wore flower printed clothes even unlike how men in Korea usually wear black, gray clothes. My mom, my sister and I were both surprised at the scene, but we saw many more men with flowers and laces on their clothes.


(pictures taken by me!)

You can be a fashionista by knowing the fashion trend in Japan!

Trend: Goodbye Minimalism

Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is stripped down to its most fundamental features. -Wikipedia

"Less is more when it comes to the minimalist fashion trend for fall 2008." -from a fashion article.

Minimalism was considered as a growing fashion trend until the the winter of 2008. Simple, clean, and classic were some key factors to minimalist fashionistas in the runway and in the streets. However, minimalism is no longer a "boom" in the fashion industry for the 2010 spring/summer season.


Maximalism in fashion describes a trend in which a lot of decorations, jewelry, patterns, and accessories are used to perform a fancy, but chic outfit.

Maximalism is a new trend in 2010 and it is favored by Hollywood stars, designers, and people everywhere. Maximalism emphasizes on certain aspects of fashion and it can summarized into six rules.

1) Impact Accessories: Accessories can be a better fashion item than clothes or bags because it gives a big "impact" despite is small size. To give a better impact, you can wear accessories with long chains, feathers, laces or gold designs.

(Pictures taken by me!)

2) Diamond Coated: Diamond is also a never-ending trend item for fashionistas. It can turn out to be fancy with dresses, classic with suits, and simple with casual outfits. Diamond is definitely an "IT" item for jewelry, but clothes, bags, and shoes can also have diamonds or cubic to show a fancy look.

(Picture taken by me!)

3) Pattern Deluxe: Patterns, patterns, patterns. The "boom" of the 70's have once again arrived in the fashion runway. Argyles, stripes, birds, nature, and dots enhance your outfit with a showy look. No fashion item is an exception when it comes to patterns as it matches well with shoes, tops, dresses, pants, skirts, and jewelry.


4) Blooming Season: As spring is coming, the fashion industry is also getting ready for the blooming flowers. Roses, ribbons, laces represent the blooming flowers in the season of spring and designers are busy with putting them on clothes and other items.


5) Layer Layer: As maximalism emphasizes a lot of fashion items on an outfit, layer looks are IN. Layer over layer: skirts over leggings, shirts over shirts, cardigans over shirts and necklaces over necklaces.

(Ashley Tisdale)

6) Head Dresser: Decorating head dressing items can be one of the steps in becoming a fashionista. What are some head dresser items? Combs, hairpins, toques, hair clasps, head bands! Head bands were used for organizing a messy hair, but it is a TOP fashion item these days!



You can be a fashionista by following the new trend: maximalism!

Trend: Welcome to the Flat World!

"I don't know who invented high heels, but all women should thank him." -Marilyn Monro-



Yes, high heels were one of the fashionable items for all women fashionistas and even Marilyn Monro agreed to it. It made women look taller, skinnier, sexier, and prettier. This "boom" of high heels, often called kill heels, continued its fame even until the last season in the fashion industry. Hollywood stars such as Paris Hilton, Kate Moss, Jessica Alba, and Angelina Jolie enjoyed wearing high heels, especially with their red carpet dresses. However, this season, it's taking a rest.

Higher! Higher! Higher! These were the endless shouts of women which showed their desire of high heels until the previous season in the fashion industry. This season, "Lower! Lower! Lower!" is the trend. Do you recall the period of Romanticism? It emphasized on arts, emotions, and love. Well, Romanticism has once again appeared in the fashion industry for shoes. The trend of lovely, adorable, elegant flat shoes have started. Why? It's spring! Spring makes people think of blooming pink flowers and these blooming pink flowers have reached the flat shoes. Brands like Marc Jacobs and Tods have showed collections of flat shoes including fringes (flats with twists and tassels).


Flat shoes literally means "flat", but there are "kitten heel shoes" for heel maniacs. Kitten heel shoes have two to three centimeter heels which give no pressure to the feet, but it can be a fashionable item for heel maniacs who want to try flat shoes. However, kitten heels can be a hard item to match your clothes because it is in between high heels and flats, which may be a little awkward for some people. Kitten heels with neutral color pants, chiffon dresses, and blouses would make the best feminine look for women fashionistas.

You can be a fashionista with elegant, adorable flat shoes instead of feet-killing high heels!

Trend: Find Your Own Style!

Are you still struggling with your fashion style? You can be a fashionista by following this chart. Camping look? Sports look? Gypsy look? Chic look? I'll help you find out!

[To get a closer look, click on the chart!]

Now, if you have identified your fashion style, let's take a deeper look into it!

1. Camping Look: If you are a traveler, this would be the best look for you! In the Spring & Summer season of lots of brands in the fashion industry, the Camping Look has been a HOT trend. Dsquared2, Chloé, and Louis Vuitton has shown collections of Camping Looks with aspects from nature including colors like green and brown. If you're still wondering what to wear to complete a Camping Look, loose-fit clothes, denim shirts, check patterned shirts, cotton scarves, and caps are perfect items!

[Models from the Dsquared2 fashion show wearing camping looks.]


2. Sports Look: If you are active, this would be the best look for you! The fashion runway is filled with American sportswear and athletic sportswear such as Bermuda shorts for scuba divers and Anorak jumpers for joggers.

[Bermuda Shorts]


3. Gypsy Look: If you want to express a romantic mood from your outfit, this is the best look for you! The "point" is to have a long & lean silhouette with colors such as beige and brown. Boxy coats, blouses, long cardigans, baggy pants, flower dresses, and bohemian clothes are great items for gypsy looks!

[Some of the famous Korean stars who enjoy wearing gypsy looks.]


4. Chic Look: If you are one of the fashionistas who love to wear fancy items from the 80's, this is the best look for you! Colorless tailor jackets from Lanvin are the best items for Chic fashionistas!

[Lanvin has been showing chic looks with suits and black dresses.]

You can be a fashionista by finding out your own style!

Trend: Only for Women?

"Fashion" is frequently mistaken as a word only for women and girls. Lots and lots of men say, "We don't care, it's only girls who care about their clothes." Is it really?

Designers and their brands such as Hugo Boss, Dolce and Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, and Paul Smith, have separate collections for men as well. In the Spring & Summer collection of many brands, there has been a "boom" of check-patterned shirts and vests.

Check-patterned shirts has gained popularity among women and men. In Burberry's 2009 Spring & Summer fashion show, models have showed up with various check-patterned shirts such as red&beige, black&white, and more.

Check-patterned shirts are absolutely popular in the runway, but also in the streets. We can see lots of men wearing them with black suits to establish a semi-formal look or with jean jackets to show a casual look especially for students and teenagers. Matching a colorful check-patterned shirts with a simple t-shirt as an inner layer can be a perfect outfit for the spring.

Vests can be a fashion item for both casual and formal outfits for men. For decades, vests have been a must-item for formal outfits with suits. It adds a chic look to the outfit and it covers the simplicity of a plain y-shirt inside the suit. Grey and black are one of the popular colors of vest among men because it doesn't stick out too much, and it adds unity to the outfit.



Vests are not only for formal clothes; it also matches well with jeans and casual shirts. It establishes a semi-formal look with its perfect match with jeans. Matching the color is an important thing to do when wearing vests. You can wear a check or argyle patterned shirt with the same blend of color vest.


You can be a fashionista with a check-patterned shirt and a simple vest!

Shoes: Trend of Converse Shoes

The All Star Converse sneaker was first created in 1917 when Marquis Mills Converse began his new rubber shoe company. It first came out in only seven colors; black, white, red, ivory, blue, pink, and gray. These colors were popular among both men and women and the All Star Converse didn't stop.

" Converse - Chuck Taylor, Jack Purcell, Basketball Shoes, Design Your Own Converse Shoes." Converse - Chuck Taylor, Jack Purcell, Basketball Shoes, Design Your Own Converse Shoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2010. .

After numerous types of designs and editions, Converse came up with 15 different series of shoes; Converse Basketball, Converse Re-Isse/ Marquis, Converse Sports Lifestyle, Converse Jack Purcell, Converse Kids, Chuck Taylor All Star, Converse America's Original sports Company, Converse Heritage Basketball, Converse Re-Issue, Converse Marquis Collection, Converse Performance Basketball, Converse Signature Series, Chuck Taylor All Star vintage, Jack Purcell Fall Collection, and the Chuck Taylor All Star Seasonal.

Converse shoes has been popular since it was made, but the styling has changed. Back in the days, only jeans were expected to be worn with converse shoes because they thought sneakers were only for jeans. These days, converse shoes are not only for jeans, they are for every fashion items such as leggings, skirts, short pants, and even formal clothing.

"Europe Vintage Style." Naver Blog. Naver, 3 Jan. 2010. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.

Kirsten Dunst enjoys matching All Star Converse shoes with black leggings as her casual outfit.

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"La vie en rose." Naver Blog. Naver, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.

All Star Converse shoes do look fantastic with jeans, especially skinny jeans.

"패션은 실천이다 - MissYum♥ :: 네이버 블로그 ." 패션은 실천이다 - MissYum♥ :: 네이버 블로그 . Naver, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. .

Converse shoes are certainly not only for women! Men can also be a fashionista with converse shoes by matching them with jeans, formal pants, or any other outfit. Celebrities in Korea such as Gong-yoo and Rhy Seung-Bum have stated that their favorite fashion items were All Star Converse shoes because they fit just about anywhere! You can click on their pictures (two on the right) to see more information about them!


The All Star Converse site has been allowing customers to order shoes online. However, did you know that you can style your own Converse shoes? Here's a video clip of what I designed and you could try it for fun, too! It's not only designing. You can also order the shoes you designed! It's amazing!

My Own All Star Converse Design:


You can be a fashionista with All Star Converse shoes!