In spite of my deep, sincere love for clothing and fashion, frequency of reblogging pictures of pretty gowns on Tumblr, and for all my obsessing over shoes and shopping, I don’t have very many fashion icons. You’d think I would, but I don’t. I love Elle Fanning’s style (she reminds me of a Sofia Coppolla film), but I primarily take inspiration from abstract, random things, like time eras (40s, 60s), TV characters (Cassie Ainsworth from Skins UK), films (Marie Antoinette), and SNSD’s “The Boys” stage outfits. There haven’t been any K-pop stars that have really caught my eye fashion-wise – except one: IU.
I’ve been meaning to catalog my love for IU’s fashion style for awhile now. There’s a good chance that a stylist dresses her for every event and occasion, and always for performances, but because IU is wearing the outfits, I’m just going to credit it as her style. IU has a very feminine fashion sense, wearing doll-like dresses that have girly details like lace, tulle, ruffles, or Peter Pan collars. She also has a tendency to wear thick, chunky sweaters and mary janes. Whatever she wears, IU always looks adorable and her wonderful taste in clothing has inspired me to write this article.
Music Videos
I’ve already spoken of the fashion in”You and I” and my thoughts on the matter haven’t changed much. I still find the outfits adorable, appreciating their vintage look, mary janes, peter pan collars, and white tights. However, many of the commentors in my “You and I” article found the outfits too pedophilic. Her outfits are very youthful and short, and combined with her pigtails, she looks like pedo-bait. I’d have to somewhat agree. I wouldn’t call IU’s outfits completely pedophilic, but they are very innocent and childlike and the pigtails are overkill. IU looks extremely adorable wearing them, however, and I still approve of the fashion in that music video.
“Good Day” is another music video where I loved the fashion. The outfits in “Good Day” are very similar to the ones in “You and I,” IU wearing a tiny mini-dress with tights and heels. The shape and cut of the mini-dress is also very similar to the one she wears in “Good Day,” being fitted and having long sleeves and a Peter Pan collar. I liked the yellow eye makeup on one eye and the false eyelashes. IU also wears an orange sweater, plaid skirt, and boots in the music video, an odd combination that I like. It’s quirky, the sort of outfit I’d see a hipster or art student wear.
Performances
IU’s performance outfits typically match the black dress she wore in her “You and I” music video. As usual of K-pop, she gets a new outfit every few performances, which has a new color and detail but still the same look. In her performances, IU still wears mary janes (in different colors – where does she get them all?) but with white fishnets instead of solid white tights. Occasionally, she wears ankle boots. I like these outfits for the same reason why I liked the outfits in the music video: they’re vintage-looking and cute.
IU doesn’t always wear velvet mini-dresses with Peter Pan collars, as there are other times when she wears A-line dresses with Peter Pan collars. These two stage outfits are my favorites, partly because I love lace. They’re a little different from her usual “You and I” stage outfits, having fuller and longer skirts and more details. Both dresses have pearl collars, adding an extra pretty flair to the look. Per usual, IU wears mary janes with these dresses. She looks like an antique doll.
Red Carpet & Other Events
It’s guaranteed that a stylist picks out IU’s performance clothes but maybe not her event outfits. I like to think that IU puts these outfits together herself. Red carpet fashion-wise, IU reminds me of Taylor Swift. A lot of things about IU remind me of Taylor Swift (her wholesome image, cuteness, songs), and fashion happens to be one of them. I personally love Taylor Swift’s red carpet looks. She always arrives wearing something beautiful and fairy tale-like, looking like a princess. Likewise for IU. IU’s red carpet looks are very ladylike, emphasizing her endearing nature. Her red and black dresses are both lovely but IU’s peach outfit is amazing. I will forever love that outfit. I love the dress, the sheer black tights, the sparkling shoes, and the sparkling skull clutch she carries. Although her stage outfits are cute, its her red carpet looks that make IU a standout as a style icon.
Other event looks include the outfit she wore to the Doll Fair, which is either a sweater and skirt or a sweater worn over a dress. Either way, IU’s look is precious, still girly but more relaxed than what she’s often seen wearing. At her recent Japanese showcase, IU wore a fluttery pale blue dress with a torn hem and nude slip. Once again, IU looked stunning in another dress I would love to have.
I want to raid IU’s closet. Do you?
