Mastering Korean Style: The Pastel Sweater

Effortless Elegance in a Cozy Way

We know all sweaters are not made equal.

There are many, many styles, designs, fits and flairs, and there’s absolutely a time and place for the chunky, warm look (wooly UK jumpers are just so cozy), but Korea is king when it comes to the slim fit, thin sweater that is perfect for layering.

I recently bought these 3 sweaters off my stylist from a Samsung shoot I did back in December. I wish I could give you a more detailed answer in where to buy these ones, but they were from an unnamed wholesale shop in 동대문, bought at 3 am by an expert shopper. Korea has fantastic wholesale markets with countless unnamed shops with high quality clothes that the average consumer doesn’t see until they’ve been marked by a brand and marked up in price.

Here’s some tips when shopping for knitwear in Korea:

1. Always check for the ‘made in Korea’ tag! Unfortunately, there’s been a rise of clothing designed in Korea but manufactured in China. I always avoid these. I’ll make exceptions for made in Vietnam or Turkey.

2. Check the one size. There’s a general ‘one size’ that most of the Korean population can fit into, but if you’re not inside that size range, you’ll have better luck shopping where there are bigger sizes. Korean brands have been slowly expanding, but it’s still difficult for plus size.

3. Get lots of colors. I love how Korean knitwear is so feminine and muted. Of course, there are bold colors out there, but the overwhelming trend remains soft pastels and earthy tones. I like to get multiple staples with a range of colors to mix and match.

4. Stick with thinner fabrics. I prefer having lightweight knitwear and then layering for fresh looks with the same piece.

So here are my 3 sweaters for today.

A soft mustard yellow. A blushing pink. A creamy white. This is what we’re working with.

The easiest way to style these sweaters is with a white undershirt. It can be casual over jeans, or dressed up over slacks or a skirt.

A stretchy, super-thin, fitted white undershirt with long sleeves will do the trick. I bought mine from Uniqlo Korea. They’re heat tech, so while my knitwear is thin the undershirts keep me warm. These are the best. Because my sweaters are pastel, I wear a white undershirt. It maintains a fresh look that’s perfect for early spring and fall.

So how about my white sweater?

A white undershirt will do just fine, but if you want a little extra pop, I suggest a sky-blue color for your layer.

I like wearing my white sweater with this sky-blue button up. The collar and extra long sleeves offer a snappier, intellectual look, if I dare say so myself. The trick is to wear a button up that is thin fabric, has good stretch and movement, and has extra long sleeves.

Complete your look with accessories. I’m wearing these gold half-hoops, but the beautiful simplicity of these sweater+white undershirt looks is that you can pair them with lots of different accessories.

Bold earrings, blocky bracelets, glitzy rings, minimal designs, whatever - these sweater looks are very forgiving when it comes to accessorizing. So have fun :)