For the January’s Marie Claire Korea, Uhm Jung-hwa oozes sensuality and power in outfits of black leather, feathers, and fur. This diva represents my ideal idol; talented, influential and indescribably fierce.
At 42, this singer has achieved more than most budding idols strive for, making Uhm Jung-hwa a role model that many female artists look up to. Although known for her music and acting abilities, Uhm Jung-hwa is also known as a fashionista. Her clothing and lingerie lines, ‘Corner Suite‘ and ‘ZHUM in New York,‘ were instant hits, making 10 billion US dollars within 3 months of launching. That being said, let’s take a look at her pictorial and see if she lives up to her reputation.
This first look wasn’t my cup of tea, but I did like the fur vest with the dark feathers. Overall, it wasn’t a cohesive outfit where everything blended together to make a solid look, but instead it seemed to be a large jumble of random pieces. Although I don’t particularly like to have jewelry, it worked with this shot because it would have been plain otherwise. I could have done without the necklace though as I thought the neckline from the corset top was beautiful. I did not like those black shorts. The different fabrics of the top and bottom only seem to draw attention to how much of an awkward couple satin and cotton make. Plus, Uhm Jung-hwa does not do camel toe.
This shot continues the theme of black leather and feathers. I am in awe over the details on the leather top! The intricate stitching brings a higher level of drama to an otherwise plain top and black skirt. The high slit on the black skirt really brings home the sex appeal that Uhm Jung-hwa is striving for. Unfortunately, I seem to be getting dominatrix instead of high fashion. All she needs is a studded whip to go with that mask.
All I can see in this shot is S&M, especially right after that dominatrix shot. Curse you brain! Apart from the S&M thing, this was one of my favorite shots. Here, I felt that the makeup enhanced the look instead of distracting from it. I love the balance of the clothing in this shot; see how the simple black skirt and top made the perfect display for the outrageous feathered collar. Instead of trying to find another piece to pair up with the glossy feathers and gold chains, they found a way to show off this piece without trying to overpower it.
I absolutely love this cut-out dress. It is a shame that the stylists chose to leave her hair down for this shot, but that doesn’t take away from the dress. The crisp clean lines of the dress show the skill of the tailor and the beauty of the body. Although, I can do without the feathered and tasselled hat, because this little black dress can speak for itself. All I have to say is, where can I order that?
Oh my. And not in the good way. To be very frank, I hated this look. It looks like a combination of a pimp and a street-walker. And even if Uhm Jung-hwa’s body is amazing, I don’t like seeing it encased in a black catsuit. Only one person can get away with it and that is Catwoman. And I didn’t like it too much on her either. Everything, from the black boots to the leather fedora, just makes this outfit look cheap and cringe worthy. Urgh, just no.
All in all, this wasn’t my favorite pictorial from Marie Claire but since I am a fan of Uhm Jung-hwa, it did draw my attention to it. This pictorial was taken along with an interview. But since I can’t read Korean, all I can do is look at her shots and raise an eyebrow at some of the ensembles. Although it wasn’t anything eye-opening, it was still nice to see pictures of Uhm Jung-hwa being awesome. I do wish that there were more singers like her. I don’t think there are any other idols that could match up to her at the moment.
What do you think? Is Uhm Jung-hwa one in a million, or is there another artist out there that can give her a run for her money?
