Designers are finally taking my bow declaration to heart. Bows abound. (Nice work, Gwyneth.) Unfortunately they seem to be in the wrong place. Get those bows away from the neck and back on the butt where they belong!
And since some people have asked, of course I loved Sandra Oh’s lambasted-till-someone-got-educated SAG award gown!
It combined two of my obsessions by adding a flamboyant boob bow to a Korean hanbok. I’ve wanted a hanbok ever since I saw brides in hanboks posing for photos in Seoul. They come in the most amazing color combinations. I saw a lot in pink and turquoise, or red and royal blue. Here are some Korean celebrities wearing hanboks for New Year’s.
Random hanbok picture.No, I don’t know what’s up with the blonde hair.
Sandra looked like she was having a great time, plus she schooled people on what a hanbok is. She’s fashionable AND educational! Just like a piece of Wendy Brandes Jewelry. Sandra, call me! My Queen Min ring is almost finished and it would be perfect for you.
I’ve been meaning to move a post from my emergency backup blog over here, and this is a good time to do it. Here’s what I wrote on January 28 about party fashion:
“… I looked at E!online’s Fashion Police feature for the first time in many months. Jebus! These people are tightly wound. Everything is either too crazy or too boring for them. Or the outfit would be perfect if only she wore different shoes, lost the jacket, had a more moderate turtleneck (really!), did her hair differently, had a tan, etc. Does anything please these people? How perfect do ‘the police’ look themselves? This is the antithesis of my ‘wear what you want’ philosophy about party fashion. You’re going out for one night. It’s not a lifelong commitment. You should feel happy about yourself and comfortable in your outfit. Then you’ll have fun, and that’s what counts. Don’t worry about whether some judgmental lunatic might think your skin is too white or your heel a millimeter too low. Throw on your giant pink puffy coat-thing or a butt bow, have a glass of Champagne and enjoy yourself!”
I’ve enjoyed these vivid colors and sweeping shapes this morning, WendyB. Now I’ve got to get dressed for good ol’ work. Thanks again for all of your visits and comments. Have a great Thursday!
Dear WendyB, I totally agree re: Sandra Oh’s dress! I saw the E! postmortems on TV and thought they were fairly kind about her dress. However, some of the mags and bloggers were frothing at the mouth. Sheesh, people, you realize you’re basically dissing an entire national dress, right?
Anyway, I loved the color of the bow on her — very flattering.
I’m more partial to the cheongsam, though. With my size, the hanbok would just overwhelm me. I love the sleek, fitted shape of the cheongsam. One of these days I really need to get a proper one made.
Salut,
Marjorie
Yeah, they gave Lucy such a hard time about the accordion thing. Remember the whole Bjork swan dress scandal?
I thought she looked cute. Sorrrrry for looking slightly avant-garde, US Weekly.
I’ve loved Sandra Oh’s dress from the moment I first saw it; sometimes the GoFugYourself girls are a bit unnecessarily harsh on things, without taking in to account genuine ingenuity and experimentation in dress.
The grey/pink color combination is beautiful, and pre-schooling, sure the dress was unusual, but not unflattering.
And an emergency back-up blog! That’s genius, and totally what I need to be doing.
Bjork in the swan dress — that’s all anyone remembers from that year’s Oscars. I think that’s brilliant. She stole the show and showed a great sense of humor. Go Bjork!
Ashe, I definitely find the whole Go Fug Yourself concept to be way too limiting. And contradictory. It’s just like E! where they basically demand nothing but goddess gowns and then when all they see is goddess gowns they’re bored. Or then they pick on someone’s hair/shoes/purse. If no one experimented, nothing would ever change. Today’s “weird outfit” is often tomorrow’s “everyone needs to have it.” I am happy to be in the business of making people feel beautiful instead of making them feel ugly.
I agree with you!
The only time I get to wear those big bows is when I’m in my kimono…and had to have my Obi in bows… 😉
Kong Hei Fat Choi!
ooh youve got your real blog back, im soo pleased!
i went back and read the posts id missed
I’d fuck the hell out of that pink accordion. Sorry, that was lewd for my first comment on this blog . . .
Yep, agree with you. These Fashion Police people need to loosen up and have fun, AND study traditions from all over the world before they declare themselves Mr. and Ms SmartyPants. I adored Sandra Oh’s dress!
I’d also like to note that sweatpants and hoodies are like the most stylish things ever, and we should lay off dudes who wear them a lot.
Sincerely,
Some Guy from Some Fashion Show I Don’t Watch.
I’ve never seen the hanbok, but I really like the look of it. The color combinations are startling and brave. I’m with you, let’s be brave and “wear what we want,” Fashion Police be damned.
Never went to Fashion Police, but you let me curiouse, so I’ll see it, despite I think that you’re so right saying “wear what you want”.
I’m still planning my gigantic bow takeover dress…. it will be done, it will be done…
Hmmm… Lucy Lui’s bow is interesting although I always imagine her as a fierce dominatrix. I don’t know maybe it’s because of the roles she has been portraying in recent years e.g. Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill and other action films. I think your latex pants and infamous whip will be more suited for her. lol.
Besos!
I can’t see a giant bow anymore without thinking “Wendy B!” Not that I mind.
I thought the dress Sandra wore was great, but a lot of major fashion hot or not features mocked it, I think sometimes they are way too nitpicky.
I love all these dresses. They might be a little out there, but we need some peeps who aren’t afraid to try something new. Do you think Patricia Field styled Lucy’s look?
TCH, you know, it just started with that one bow and now it’s taken on a life of its own in my wardrobe.
Jill, I agree, they’re too nitpicky…and their comments usually are not funny!
AC, I was thinking it must have been something she was sent for the event? I don’t know! I wonder if Pat is doing her styling on and off screen. Pat! Give Lucy some WendyB jewelry to wear.
i really don’t get E’s fashion polics. Sometimes I look at it when i want a good laugh. it’s also like TV Guide’s fashion advice. really uptight and commercial
I personally think it’d have been even cooler if Sandra wore the ACTUAL hanbok, but I was too distracted by the boob bow :). And as for Lucy, I think she looks fierce- she always does.
And pffft to the fashion police, I say. GFY is funnier than E! etc, and sometimes right, but US Weekly, E! etc really need to lighten up.
I really liked Sandra Oh’s dress too. My only complaint is that maybe she was a tad tiny for it and it could have been carried better by a taller, slightly larger person.
I picked up on Sandra’s dress right away, but only because I’m married to a Korean, and I actually own a hanbok; I wish I had more occasion to wear it. (Don’t ever try to wear one in the summer; they’re unbelievably uncomfortable, and once it’s on, it’s on)
I feel the same way about E!Online’s Fashion Police. They need to think outside the box. To me, fashion isn’t perfection, but the little idiosyncracies–that’s what makes something fashionable and unique.
I’ve always heard that they’re uncomfortable, CDP. I would definitely rather wear something “in the style of a hanbok” rather than the real thing. Hopefully, Sandra’s was adjusted to be a bit more comfortable than usual.
omg i love the hanbok! thank you for the post!!!!!
omg, i love the hanbok too….and your blog! just came across it & am adding to my favorites list on my site. it’s lovely.