I’m going to admit — no, wait; admit sounds as if I’m guilty — I’m going to declare my belief that miss A is just one of the best-looking girl groups out there. Apart from a questionable “Breathe” phase ,they have always looked confident and sexy without seeming promiscuous, and while Suzy is praised to the high heavens for her classically perfect looks, Min, Fei and Jia are equally stunning to me. If it wasn’t for Brown Eyed Girls they would win, hands down.
So, seeing them in any photoshoot, particularly one which highlights their elegance, is exciting. Marie Claire have turned the decadence dial up pretty high here, the girls seem to be photographed just before or after a high-end party. There is an emphasis on statement pieces, jewellery that tiptoes the line between statement and gaudy, beautiful tailoring and timeless makeup and hair. In their group photo, the strong backlight almost obliterates Min’s face, a pity considering how good her hair is looking. It’s the shot I like least, as I’m not a fan of Jia’s purple necklace and bracelet, or her blazer hanging off one shoulder. Min’s dress looks fun but very much grown up, complete with vampish nails. Fei’s dress was hard to see, but her dangling pearl earring and sweeping updo are enough. Suzy wears the same outfit as one of her solo pictures, so all I’ll say is that her slight smirk seems at odds with the other girls’ more playful expressions, what does she know that we don’t?!
In her solo shots, S
uzy proves she is perfectly capable of being the face of the group, and stuns in a tight, gold-scale dress from Moschino and chunky black cuffs. She does remind me a little of Taeyeon in the “Twinkle” MV but only in this photo, I think it’s the hair. Her other picture is far more interesting; shot in black and white it feels like an old Hollywood glamour photo, surely Marlon Brando is just out of shot ready to whisk her away. The white shirt and trousers are from the Calvin Klein Collection and Johnny Hates Jazz, while the earrings and bunny ears headband are Black Muse. The bunny ears feel a little cheap, most of us will think of Playboy and the picture didn’t need extra accessories.
Her final photo with Min screams “formal dance after-party” in which both girls rock the good-girl clothing with bad(ish) girl attitude. While Suzy looks flawless in a pale cream dress with beautiful bust detailing, Min steals the show with her Roberto Cavalli tube top mini dress and matching toenails. Personally I would have given her lips a touch more colour but I love the tiaras and balloons, adding a sparkle to the picture.
Although I love Min, and will love her until the world ends, her facial technique in photoshoots could use a little work. While it doesn’t spoil the shoot at all, next to the likes of Jia her “gazing from under the fringe” method needs an update. Never the less, her Jamie & Bell dress is unusual and very pretty. Jia looks, well, smokin’ hot in a navy knitted top and Black Muse necklace. Her hair hasn’t looked this good since she went ginger and I adore her eye make-up, a little stronger than the rest of the photoshoot. Also, the food; I wasn’t hungry two minutes ago but now I have a sudden urge for cake…my only wish is that this could have been in colour.
Unfortunately for Jia, her other photo doesn’t do her justice; the white sleeveless T-shirt does her no favours. Nor do the ripped gold leggings from G-Cut. Fei is channelling her inner Noomi Rapace a la Sherlock Holms in her Jain Song skirt and top hat. She looks striking, especially with the Jamie & Bell gold jewellery, but neither outfits really fit the rest of the shoot
By contrast, Fei is the picture of carefree high-society in a simple but beautifully cut beige dress by Calvin Klein Collection and a necklace that’s nearly a top of its own from Jamie & Bell. The shoes – from The Shoe – add attitude while staying classic. Perhaps seeing her hair delightfully ruffled will let the scales fall from her stylists eys and lets them see clearly that her straighted mushroom plus extensions hair is go way to go. This could be a backstage photo of a West End star celebrating a successful closing night. Out of all of them it works best in monochrome and is definitely my favourite.
Overall, the girls fitted the theme of the photoshoot with all the grace and poise that comes with being K-pop’s best female dancers. I hope this means they have put away any childish gimmicks for good, these girls were made for opulence.
