K-Bops in K-Pop

It is a slow, slow season for Kpop fans. While there’s much buzz about what’s to come there is really little to talk about in the present. That said, I’ve been wanting to talk about Kpop and Fan Fashion for a while now so I figured there was no better time than now before the wave of comebacks hits us.

Let’s Talk About Fashion

Whether or not we agree with what our idols wear–I’m thinking about Namjoon’s clown shoes–what they put on their bodies is fashion. It is. Because a million eyes are on them at any given moment and that one t-shirt or those earrings or that scarf is going to be identified by a hardworking and eagle-eyed fan who is then going to spread that information online. Then media outlets will catch wind of it and if it’s interesting enough or different enough or beautiful enough, it’ll make an impact and your idol will end up receiving awards for their fashion sense.

I’m thinking, of course, of BTS. BTS is constantly being noted for their fashion sense and there a number of accounts on Twitter and Tumblr that exist for the sole purpose of finding out what brand/website/retailer sells the clothes they put on their body.

I still remember when Hoseok first wore his Kaws Uniqlo t-shirt and people went crazy for it. I went straight to the Uniqlo website to buy it and I found that it had already sold out. I’m not saying Hoseok had anything to do with it but let’s be honest–he probably did.

Because in the same way that I had rushed to get a t-shirt to match with my fave, so had everyone else.

So Why Do We Do It?

I think it’s a way to feel close to them. When we go into a store and see something that reminds of something one of our faves wore or, if we’re lucky enough and rolling in money, buy something our faves wore, we feel that instant connection that we feel when we look at them. It’s similar to why we keep pictures of them, whether on your phone or in your room–because since we don’t have access to the real thing, we can at least have a reminder close by to keep us satisfied.

Personally, I think it also has to do with the way that our faves impact our taste. More often than not we’ll see a particular outfit on a model or someone on the street and we probably won’t have a visceral reaction. Maybe we think it’s cute and we note that, but typically we just comment it’s interesting and then move on.

It’s different when your faves are involved. They tie the outfit to a moment or a feeling and you feel more compelled to remember it and to think that it’s beautiful. That’s just how our brains work. Think of the difference between seeing your best friend smile and seeing a stranger smile–you’re more likely to think your friend’s smile is beautiful than the complete stranger’s.

Final Thoughts

Fan mentality impacts a lot of things we probably don’t take much notice of. Fashion is just one of these things. I can’t count the number of things in my closet that I’ve bought because I saw something similar in an MV or in an airport pic or in a selfie on Twitter. It’s just one more way that I express myself as a fan–and one more way Kpop is slowly draining my bank account.

What do you think about Kpop idols and fashion? Have you ever bought anything because you saw your fave wearing it? Leave me a comment and let me know!