Monday, June 22, 2009

The well-heeled woman


www.suecommabonnie.com

A Korean modern woman is akin to a pair of high-heels. Lean and long, delicate yet sturdy. In fact, you can easily spot a foreigner from a distance with the absence of clacking high heels or the catwalk grace. Us, from the other side are usually criticized with our laid back manner of dressing. For them sloppy but we mean comfortable. We do know how to dress up on occasions. What woman wouldn't love to?

I came to Korea in the fall of '07. Among the first 'happening' places I've been to was in Myeongdong and I was treated to a sightful of these heel-clad women in all forms and sizes. Coming from the tropics (ehem, Third World) where flip-flops were our year round get-up, I felt misplaced amidst a throng of Korean Barbies.

Good thing, my friend Dee was there to save me. I mean she educated me with everything 'Korean'-- street-wise and fashion-wise. She has lived here for four years before her family migrated to the US. We're no fashionistas but we definitely cringe at TACKINESS! And I love looking at fashion trends. Seoul or anywhere in SK for that matter, is such an ideal place for trend-spotting because they know how to translate it! What you see in the runways or fashion magazines are what you literally see on the streets. No wonder, Korea is one big manufacturer of designer knock-offs!

For young Pinays planning to visit Korea or stay here for sometime, let me share with you a handful of tips for a street-smart experience. Some were handed down from my friend, Dee.

So here goes...from one Filipina to another...from one well-heeled woman (feeling lang no!) to another! ;)

1. Learn the chopsticks! Really!!! As in don't even think of coming here if you couldn't! Good thing I learned to use them since high school. My brother and I used to kupit some in Chowking! =) You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself if somebody treats you out. Some restaurants also don't provide forks for the simple reason that they don't have them! And if you're a foreigner, Koreans would definitely treat you for some authentic Korean food. Forks are usually reserved in fast food places or fine dining. Extreme, eh.

2 . Wear make up! Back home, I ONLY wore make-up for night-outs or if there's a pang-hotel occasion. Otherwise, why bother? Hello, ang init no! But in this country, respect is gained by one's demeanor. It's not saying that you'll clone yourself to be one of them. But a little brightness in the face would surely make a difference.

3. NO JEAN JACKETS!!! This tip was courtesy of Dee. I plead guilty of bringing my old one before! In the Philippines, that's no big deal but you'll understand what I mean once you get here!

4. Baby-Tees are so out! So if you plan to bring 10 new pieces that you thought were so cool from your cosmopolitan city, trust me...they don't belong here. They're good under shirts though!

5. Be friendly and courteous. By this I mean learn to greet and say, Ahnyonghaseyo! to anyone or even a simple nod. Also get used to bowing down to older people. Some say Koreans are rude but that's not entirely true.

6. Learn to walk in stilettos! ...or run or jump or chase a bus and climb flights of stairs with them! That's one wardrobe staple for every Korean woman ages 15 and above! It's ridiculous sometimes to see them so high and mighty in the middle of rain or snow or whatever catastrophe brings the day. Don't worry if u haven't brought one. You can get 'em cheap everywhere here. But I admit, I haven't gotten used to them at all!

7. Bring your FAKES. If you thought your knock-off LV, Chloe, Gucci etc. purses were so shameful in the Philippines, bring 'em here! This is one country where women pride themselves of owning anything designer, real or not! That doesn't end in bags too! Bring those scarves, wallets, belts, jewelry...anything that has foreign HIGH-fashion names on them as in haute couture ha...hindi fake Natasha! (meron ba? jologs hehe...)

8. Don't bring your oversized WINTER WONDERLAND costume. Unless you want to go sledding all day in the winter! Buy your winter clothes here. Instead, bring warm socks, undershirts, mufflers, gloves if you come here on winter time. The outer jackets are aplenty and inexpensive especially in a lot of discount stores.

9. Bring your ALIEN CARD everyday and everywhere. You'll never know when or where immigration randomly checks. (as in may topak!)

10. Yes, don't forget you're still 100% Filipino. So if someone asks you where you're from...say it ala Bb. Pilipinas...I'm from the Philippines!!! And yes, it's THE Philippines hindi lang "I'm from Philippines!"... please lang no!!!


10 comments:

wendy said...

galing naman ng post na 'to. it's so true. i love seoul fashion! it's just funny watching these high-heeled women go up the Namsan Tower in high heels... at ito pa, biking in yeouido park in high heels.

:::April::: said...

oo nga, as in hindi kaya ng powers ko yan! but you just have to admire them for that!

Anonymous said...

i've been teaching koreans for 3 years now and haven't really gotten the real picture of what fashion is really like in korea -- obviously, because i haven't been there. in the philippines, people can be so discriminating of those who try to be fashionable and even to those who are "true blooded soysal." what i mean to say is that people here look at you differently when your get-up is kind of attracting attention. especially when you're not pretty or handsome. generally, filipinos think that fashion and beauty (face) must go together, otherwise, they'll laugh at you. i guess, it's nice to experience fashion there in korea. one can experiment and display his/her own fashion statement.

Cher@SurvivingKorea said...

bwahahhaha...very nice post, anyway with the make-up thing i really did adapt to that but after giving birth i don't have enough time for my self anymore....it's funny yesterday for the hundredth time i saw korean women wearing high heels at the swimming pool...and they often do it at the beach too....kkkk

Cher@SurvivingKorea said...

by the way how's the wedding preps?

:::April::: said...

@ anonymous, that's so true. it's liberating and yet in a way it's still conforming. realize how korean girls are obsessed about weight or plastic surgery? foreigners esp Westerners do have a hard time finding clothes and shoes that fit! =)

@cher..in a swimming pool? di ba sa beauty pageants lang yan? hehe... btw, we're legally married na from this month. we signed there in uijangbu city hall :) we'll process my F2-1 soon. your posts about that have been very helpful! thanks for asking. yung ceremony hopefully by nov. hope u can come!

Cher@SurvivingKorea said...

CONGRATS!

wendy said...

hi april, i just realized i haven't added you to my blogroll. anyway, i just did. congratulations on your marriage:-). enjoy!

kitaay ta kung may time ka.

:::April::: said...

hi wendy!
sure! san-o? excited eh. =) hope to meet your little dynamo too. can he speak ilonggo? :)
your blog has been in my links for sometime. sorry i haven't informed you. thanks for adding mine in your site too...m so honored!
take care! :)

wendy said...

hi april, unfortunately the Little Dynamo can speak neither Filipino nor Hiligaynon. he will, eventually. hehehe.

pagbalik ko from bakasyon,kitaay ta. i'll keep in touch:-)