Inspired by: Kim Taehyung
This month’s style inspiration is Kim Taehyung, “V” of BTS. Yes, he’s a guy. Ha. Lately, men’s wear seems more inspiring to me than women’s. And he has a flair for fashion that I find very appealing.
Taehyung’s looks range from casual to, for lack of a better term, dapper. While he does have a love of designer fashion that I cannot personally afford, I still am inspired by how pieces and colors are put together.
One thing he does beautifully is black on black. So simple, yet modern and pleasing. Definitely not boring.
I’ve definitely been more drawn to all-black looks recently…or even the variation I do so often of the black column (black turtleneck + black jeans) with a third piece over top.
When doing color, he leans towards warm, autumny tones with lots of layering and pattern. And fall is my favorite style season for just these warm colors and the layering.
That center picture of the olive jacket with the olive flower shirt over the goldy-tan pants KILLS. ME. I almost bought a pair of jeans this color earlier this week but convinced myself they might be better in the fall. Am I going to regret that if I can’t find them in the fall? I just might be a different size then, that’s the reason I hesitate to buy them now. Thoughts? Come on, Jodie, tell me to buy them. I’m THIS close 🙂
His use of uncommon colors and color blends is such a vibe. I love it all.
He shares my love of navy + brown and brown + black a lot. And this springy green with the yellowy-brown trousers, LOVE. The navy trousers with the chocolate brown jacket w white shirt and sneakers is…all my navy and brown dreams.
He has these pea+olive green pants, that by themselves seem…ugly. It’s an ugly color. But I’ve seen them on him time and time again and the things he combines with them…I can’t even.
I have a deep love for sort of “off” colors. Colors that are greyed down or multiple colors sort of combined. I feel like sometimes they combine with more other colors than a “pure” color does, if that makes sense? Get past the “ugly” green and look how nicely it combines with the grey or the navy or the peachy blush. I think it’s a confident person that can select a color like that. I aspire to be that confident in my style.
He wears floral prints beautifully and has no problem wearing a shirt that would be considered a woman’s shirt.
This is one of the looks I’m obsessed with for spring. A feminine floral on a man-tailored button-down. And that ditzy floral with the tiny check trousers? So Much Yes.
Something I’ve been thinking about lately is how clothing has historically been considered to be gender-specific…but why? Clothing itself – fabric and fasteners – is not one gender or the other. That’s a construct we (humans at large, not WE: you reading this and me) have put on them. See -> https://chhsnews.com/4737/opinion/clothes-have-no-gender/.
And yet many people still…react…or make judgment on a man wearing “women’s” clothing…and, to a lesser extent, a woman wearing “men’s” clothing (somehow that seems more generally acceptable, and how does THAT make any sense?). Anyway, don’t want to go too far off-topic, but I’m happy to see more people in the public eye dressing as they want, without regard to gender.
ANYWAY.
THIS. I so love this palette. And the combination of everything together is just…chef’s kiss!. The v-neck over the button-down with tie is just a little unconventional and yet each piece is very tailored. He loves a backless shoe, which I think “casuals” down a more formal outfit. Also, and this is something I’ve really noticed while watching k-dramas – Asian men just GET a cropped length pant. And I LOVE (lovelovelove) that look. On men and women. And I just don’t see it on men in this country…and certainly not on straight men. I think it’s sharp-looking and modern.
We all know I love a stripe. And look at all those colors! Yum!
I’m sharing this next look for the interesting but almost unnoticeable detail (I kinda feel like that’s the person I would like to be, “interesting but almost unnoticeable”). At first glance, a simple enough outfit, basically black and white, but “smart casual.” Two things: the buff color loafers…I would not have thought of thought. I’d have been boring and gone with black. But those desaturated grape color socks just barely peeking out above the shoes – WHAT?? Where did THAT come from?! And yet – lovely. Interesting yet almost unnoticeable.
And I will finish up with the piece de resistance….he wore this at an award show…they won something (yet again) and were going up the steps to the stage single file. The rest were all dressed “awards show conservative.” He was last in line and when he appeared in the video clip it was just for a few seconds and I was like WAIT, WHAT? WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WHAT WAS THAT? I had to google it to find still photos of him in the grey Prada suit WITH A FUZZY RED CARDIGAN OVER IT!!! I’m dying. Who Does That??? I thought it was so…striking and original. It may not be your cup of tea. *I* will probably never wear such a thing. But. It screams. I am confident that I look good in everything…therefore, I can wear ANYTHING. And to feel like THAT? To see someone who feels like THAT?! That is an inspiration. THAT inspires me.
Phew. That was a long one. I was originally going to do “Inspired by: BTS” but since there are like four of them whose style I love, the post would have been 97 pages long. So I’ll do them separately.
Also, there was actually more I wanted to share here but my computer is TRYING TO KILL ME (I think it’s in cahoots with the sewing machine) and everything is taking SO much longer than it should. It keeps locking up almost every time I open up file explorer to upload an image to the blog. REBOOTREBOOTREBOOT. OMG.
If I’m dead tomorrow, you know who did it.
xoxo
Pamela Gray
I love this post! I could totally see you in most of these outfits, especially the brown. I’m not Jodie but I say go for the pants, I think they would be a gorgeous color year round. And if you’re a different size in the fall buy another pair! (Assuming they become a closet staple.) Thanks for the reminder we can be inspired by menswear and alternative fashion.
https://tangerineteawinterbee.com/
bettyewp
Right (identifying with so many of his looks)? Who knew I would find my style soulmate (ooh, can that be a thing? that should totally be a thing) in a 25-year-old Korean kpop idol? Ha.
Life never ceases to amaze me.
Re being inspired by menswear and alternative fashion, YEAH! Lets Be Open to All the Things!
julia
Ok, now I popped over here to see what you meant about your style change and this is very do-able I think. I see a lot of button down shirts and sweaters or jackets and trousers. You could easily pull off the buff shoes and purple socks! For summer, maybe everything is short sleeve or sleeveless? Or tailored but summery. I don’t know. Summer is hard for me to pull off too so maybe limp through summer and go strong for fall winter and spring? This will be fun to watch you do!
bettyewp
I’m definitely a FALL. Color-wise AND style wise. Where can I go to live that would be fall climate all year round? That sounds easier than figuring out a whole new summer wardrobe!
Sally in St Paul
There is so much to love here, but I could not stop looking at the black pants, purple socks, and buff loafers *that have a black sole* and thus tie back to the pants in a perfect way. I hope you find (and share) some wonderful floral button ups that have the vibe you’re looking for!
withinaworldofmyown.com
bettyewp
Those subtle, greyed-down grape socks just KILL ME! That attention to detail to something that could so easily be overlooked…and yet when spotted, POW! And the beautiful mind that THOUGHT of that! I have no way of knowing how much of his sartorial choices are his vs a stylist…but damn, that’s some fine work right there.
I have to remind myself to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX more. Sometimes that directive puts me on the defensive, like WHAT’S WRONG WITH MY BOX? I LIKE MY BOX! WHY DO I HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE IT?! But the lesson here is that “thinking outside the box” doesn’t have to mean something big and splashy and attention-grabbing (oh the horror), it can be something delightfully clever yet so subtle that some people won’t even notice it. But YOU know it’s there. THAT’S the ticket.
Still on the vibing hunt!
Karen
Hey Bettye — I just wanted to say that today I wore my black brogues with greyed out mustard socks with my skinny pants and tunic top instead of booties or my other usual shoe choices. WOO-HOO! Nobody may notice. Or they may notice and say nothing but I NOTICE and I love that I’m trying something new! xo karen
bettyewp
-> Not me with tears in my eyes. Literally. Like a dummy. Seriously.
This pleases me NO END. I mean, what, you wore different shoes and socks, ha ha SO WHAT. But it’s so much more than that to me – it’s being open to trying new things. I feel So Strongly that that is a Big Part of staying alive and vibrant and young at heart.
I know I share a lot of different things here…and I get some feedback that’s like ENOUGH ALREADY, ha ha…but I hear from others that they actually tried something I talked about here – wore something different, watched or listened to something new – and whether they LIKED it or not is almost irrelevant. It’s about being open to just TRYING. Take a bite, poke your head in, dip a toe…just TRY.
Listen, a year ago all these “new things” in my life were not even a glimmer on the horizon. HipHop dance? What? No. Kpop?? Huh? Jump rope? Are you kidding me? Asian tv shows?? Get outta here. TikTok? That dumb kid dance app? No thank you. Reading a newspaper? Ha, who do you think I am?! But. Something made me give ALL these things a chance. BTS? What’s that? I’ll just take a look. Ooh, I kinda like this song….that’s a beautiful music video set, maybe I’ll just learn their names. HA HA HA HA HA and the rest is history. I feel so much more ALIVE with some New Things in my life. And I never want to lose that.
SO it makes me SO happy to see someone else just TRY something. It’s all about the mindset. It’s not about the greyed-out mustard socks and black brogues. They’re just a perk.
I hope you’re loving your look today, Karen! *I* am, and I can’t even SEE it!
Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
xoxo
Karen
Somebody mentioned my shoes — nobody said anything about the socks between my cropped pants and shoes. But I smiled every time I looked down. Normally I would cover up that space with boots or leave it bare. I’m proud that you’re pleased. Thank you! It’s not about the shoes and socks – it’s about a way bigger shift. I need one.
bettyewp
🙂