Shopping Guide at Shinsegae Department Store in Korea: Recommended Trendy Items for Urban Women's Office Wear

Everyone must have been following the very popular TV drama 'Nothing But Thirty' recently. The editor's favorite character is Wang Manni, admiring her independence and confidence. While watching the drama, aside from the exciting plot, the editor also paid close attention to their dressing styles. After finishing the show, I really wanted to try a different office style. Since I often go shopping at Shinsegae Department Store in Korea, today I'm recommending some more formal clothing and fashion items suitable for office ladies available at Shinsegae.

The floors I visit most often are the 4th and 5th floors of Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch. These two floors mainly sell slightly high-end luxury brands, perfect for white-collar ladies. Let's start with the 4th floor, which specializes in clothing and bags. Many brands are quite familiar, such as Coach, A.P.C., COS, MAJE, and other affordable luxury brands that friends from home often buy—great value for money. There are also first-line international luxury brands like PRADA, CHANEL, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, and other well-known big names both domestically and internationally. Additionally, there is the MyBoon edit shop here, which is very distinctive, specializing in hard-to-find trendy brands.

This time, my main mission was to buy bags and clothes. Lately, many of my girlfriends have been saying that Coach has really stepped up its game in the past two years! That's right—Coach's bags are getting more and more beautiful! Since the change of executive creative director in 2017, Coach has felt brand new in my eyes, breaking free from the old-fashioned stereotype and perfectly blending retro classic with modern chic. The fashion finish and workmanship texture are no less impressive compared to top international luxury brands.

I've always wanted to get a cream-colored bag, and I happened to fancy a few. The first one is this polished pebble leather Tabby shoulder bag. The T-shaped flap features the iconic metal 'C' emblem—neat, stylish, simple, and elegant. The details are also outstanding, representing a modern reinterpretation of Coach's 1970s designs. It comes with two removable straps, allowing it to be carried by hand, over the shoulder, or crossbody—really practical. The white color is also very easy to match, suitable for commuting to and from work or holiday shopping.

The following ALIE crossbody shoulder bag is also on my shortlist. It's made of soft pebble leather—very soft—with a color leaning towards off-white. It's a solid-color versatile piece that goes with any outfit, and the classic carriage logo on the flap is quite exquisite.

The overall square retro small bag is perfect for carrying to work.

I originally wanted to buy a light-colored one, but then I saw this new fall season item—the classic jacquard fabric with snakeskin details ALIE shoulder bag—and my heart raced again. This deep burgundy red is truly my favorite. Paired with the classic iconic print and delicate snakeskin details, it's both practical and beautiful, great for work or a date—very chic.

However, the price is a bit higher than the previous one. I'll think about it and first head to the 5th floor.

The 5th floor mostly sells classic women's items, casual wear, and handbags backpacks. Brands include TIME, JIGOTTE, TOMBOY, ON&ON, and many other high-quality clothing brands.

I often go to JIGOTTE. Since I started working, my usual dressing style has become more mature. While selecting some professional suits, I also look at very feminine dresses. Because the brand JIGOTTE suits the figures and body types of Asian women very well, with elegant and understated designs yet not lacking in fashion elements, it has become a favorite of mine and my friends. As soon as I entered the store, I spotted these two outfits. The left one with floral pattern dress is very sweet, suitable for holiday shopping; the right one with a small suit is perfect for office white-collar workers—simple and generous, giving an urban professional elite vibe.

These two bamboo-weave structured handbags caught my eye. They are small and exquisite, suitable for occasions like banquets or weddings. Small and elegant, available in two colors—hard to choose which one with decision paralysis.

One advantage of shopping at Shinsegae Department Store in Korea is that the display models' outfit combinations are especially nice. Sometimes worrying about not matching well, you can just buy the entire set as shown. For example, the right dress in the picture below pairs perfectly with the handbag—solid color, elegant, and sensible. Suitable for parties and the like, it won't look too exaggerated for work. The left one is slightly more formal, appropriate not only in the office but also for formal large meetings.

Coming out of JIGOTTE, let me take you to another brand I really love, which is TIME~ TIME is a high-end Korean women's fashion brand, very popular among office white-collar workers and literati youth in Korea.

Although not many people show off this brand online, their clothes are truly beautiful. For instance, wearing a plain white T-shirt and a black skirt would be too plain, but pairing it with a street-style sleeveless vest jacket instantly adds fashion without worrying about clashing with others.

The top is a simple white-based black suit, matched with a looser-fit cargo casual pants—neat, chic, with a bit of a strong woman vibe.

This classic white top with a black long skirt, casually paired with a light-colored bag—wear it mature and steady, even for formal occasions it can perfectly hold up. TIME's white small jacket feels soft to the touch, elegant and graceful without looking old-fashioned, and it's especially versatile—even if not paired with a skirt, matched with casual jeans, it can bring out the girl-next-door's petite cuteness.

Alright, above are the editor's recommendations for trendy brands for urban women's office wear at Shinsegae Department Store in Korea. Modern women should be independent and self-reliant, learning to arm themselves in all aspects to become stronger. Therefore, for working women, daily dressing cannot be taken lightly. Give yourself a brand new look like the editor, and face the future with confidence. After all, we are only thirty, nothing but.