Retro Fashion Application of the Movie "When Life Gives You Tangerines"

Among a series of Korean dramas that exploit the theme of wealthy families, When Life Gives You Tangerines emerges as a breath of fresh air. The film touches the audience's emotions with a profound and humane story.

When Life Gives You Tangerines is a film about the life of Oh Ae Sun (played by actress IU), spanning from the 1950s to the present.

As soon as it aired, the film quickly became a phenomenon in the entertainment industry thanks to the perfect combination of profound plot, impressive acting and picturesque setting.

Not only that, the film also recreates history through fashion.

Designer Pham Tam Anh commented that the costume of the female lead character Oh Ae Sun (played by IU) has neutral colors and a discreet style, reflecting the context and personality of the character.

IU plays two roles in this film. Through it, the audience not only witnesses the life stories of two roles with a mother-daughter relationship, but also sees the transformation of Korean fashion over 40 years, from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Set in 1950s Korea, when the country was still struggling after the war, Oh Ae Sun's character's outfit clearly reflects the hardships of that period.

She often appears in simple, rustic clothes.

Not just an outer shell, the costume also deeply depicts the living conditions and personality of Ae Sun, a strong, simple but equally delicate woman.

Ae Sun's appearance as a high school student was around 1967, the character appeared in a dark blue cotton uniform with a large white wing-shaped collar similar to a sailor's shirt, with a cloth name tag.

This uniform style was popular until the early 80s, accompanied by short hair that just fell past the ears.

This style of uniform was replaced in the 80s, which was also the period when Geum Myeong, Ae Sun's daughter (also played by IU) was in high school.

The new uniform consists of a blazer with a collar that matches the outfit, usually dark colors like navy or brown, and a tie or small bow tie at the neck. Geum Myeong's hair is also styled more stylishly than in the previous era.

Ae Sun’s wedding dress also had a strong 1970s feel. Women at that time favored Western-style dresses with A-line silhouettes, high necklines, and long sleeves. This trend continued into the 1990s and early 2000s.

Along with Geum Myeong’s appearance on screen are denim pants. This style of pants appeared and exploded in Korea since the 1970s, but in movies, it was not until the late 80s and early 90s that it appeared.

Combined with denim are khaki jackets, knitted sweaters, turtlenecks..., often coordinated using layering techniques to keep warm and be fashionable.

For fans who want to follow Oh Ae Sun's style but still maintain a modern look, designer Pham Tam Anh suggests applying classic shapes such as A-line skirts combined with classic shirts or long-sleeved flared dresses that IU wore in the film.

The designer also noted that to avoid being outdated, you can choose youthful colors according to current trends such as yellow, pink, purple or safe neutral tones such as cream, white, nude, black.

In addition, combining accessories such as high heels, handbags or glasses will help the overall outfit become more modern and trendy.

Photo : Netflix, Instagram IU

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/ung-dung-thoi-trang-hoai-co-cua-phim-khi-cuoc-doi-cho-ban-qua-quyt-20250328121611021.htm