4minute put their own stamp on a typical military look, experimenting with patterns, shapes, colours and materials, not forgetting spiky hair and punky jewellery. Let’s break down the components to see how this look was achieved…
Interestingly, there isn’t a cameo print in sight! (Well… maybe a small belt…) 4minute have steered away from predictable patterns and instead have created an army-type look through other things. One major factor is the arrow pin badges that resemble military medals and patches on uniforms. We might not expect to see green tie-dye shorts or zipped shirts in an army uniform but here, they create a boyish edge to the sexy concept. Embellished shirt pockets add a spot of glamour in order for the outfits to retain a certain sense of femininity.
When we look at these clothes, we can see the typical greens and khakis but with the addition of purple and coffee-toned browns and creams. These colours add more interest and appeal to the look because of their experimental nature; the step away from more obvious colour choices is brave but it works very well here. Because the military concept is used so often and is so widely recognised, this means the colour choices here make this particular military concept stand out but it is still easily recognised as being ‘military’.
The materials are fairly ‘girly’, but rather than frills this look uses lots of silky material which denotes a sophisticated, grown-up tone. With silk comes a certain elegance and luxurious feeling, which contrasts to the shredded and crumpled materials and adds many layers (literal and figurative) to the outfits. The way the contrasting materials are layered up over each other helps to add depth to the outfits and give them more dimensions.
The aviator sunglasses give a definite militaristic feel to the look, resembling pilots and used widely in military films to symbolise this. They determine a cool chic about the outfit, hand in hand with the silk. The hair styles offer another contrast, with their feathery chopped shapes. The two short cuts follow similar suit in that they make use of sweeping fringes that are neither soft nor lack-luster; they’re strong and have dramatic impact. The choppy layers are ruffled and separated to show strong, block shapes. More inventive styles are the messy bun on top of the head and the army-striped long lengths that allude to punky styles. Along with the embellishment on the clothes, the members wear chunky rings, bangles and bracelets in black and silver that also serve to add some sparkle next to the dark fabrics. There is a delicate balance between masculine, military uniformity and chic, feminine K-pop style!
What do you think of 4minute’s military style? Have you seen this style on any other groups, and which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.
