Winter Coat Shopping at ALAND in Myeongdong

Written by Jon Waye

December 5, 2022

Today, I have a mission. A grand mission that will take me to the edge of my fashion sense as well as my wallet’s disposable income for the month. A mission that, should I succeed, will come with the reward of being stylishly warm this winter. The mission? Try on every coat in the men’s section at ALAND, Myeongdong.

ALAND is one of my favorite places to shop. They always carry Korean designers and brands, the merchandise is usually good quality, and they sell a wide variety of styles. Even when I’m not looking to purchase something, I still love walking through the store to see all their hilarious graphic tees and hoodies. The store also sells unisex clothing, and generally, the clothing here feels flexible and will fit into most wardrobes nicely. There’s a ton of shopping available in Myeongdong with stores and boutiques lining the streets, but ALAND is hard to miss.

One last thing before we get started: I’m wearing a thin royal blue turtleneck and a fluffy black fleece zip-up jacket with black denim jeans. Another thing before we get started: I’m 193cm tall. I usually have difficulty finding clothing that fits well both in the torso and has the right sleeve length. Also, some garments may look better for people that are shorter than me. I feel this is especially true for puffy jackets. That being said, I’ll still try on multiple styles in the sizing available to give you an idea of what ALAND has to offer.

Complete your winter lookbook at ALAND

Coquet Studio – Vegan Leather Fur Mustang Jacket (Brown)

Korean winter fashion is on the puffy and fluffy side, but leather and wool also frequently come into play. The very first coat I find is on the first floor – a brown leather jacket with wool lining and decoration around the cuff, collar, and hem. While the coat definitely looks stylish, it feels stiff as a board. I could barely bend my arm to take this photo. If you ever need to take it off, I feel carrying around this coat might feel like carrying around a mannequin. The thick leather might be great at blocking wind, although the lining doesn’t go down the inside of the sleeves. The zipped pockets feel a little too high to be used comfortably for me.

I head up to the second floor where they have men’s and unisex clothing, where I spend the rest of my time. Up here, stacks and stacks of hoodies, padded coats, and sweaters are hung on racks and folded on tables. Most of the items feel striking in some way because their design is intriguing, they have text to read, or their materials seem unique. Sales are marked for individual racks, so look closely as you move from each product.

QT8 – Vegan Leather Duck Down Short Padded Jacket

This leather padded jacket immediately caught my eye. I think it was the bright and warm caramel color that did it for me. The jacket fits nicely and feels warm. It may be because of the duck down, but the garment is extremely light when you put it on. The interior thermal lining felt breathable, which is made from a flashy silver and black mesh. For me, I feel the combination of padded and puffy leather is unique and something I don’t see often. Despite the inviting color and easy fit, I struggle a lot with the dual zipper, which seemed impossible to get just right. I never successfully zipped the jacket.

URBANDTYPE – Balmacaan Wool Coat (Black)

Along with the VTWO Vegan Leather Mustang Jacket at the end of this article, this long wool coat from URBANDTYPE is near the top of my favorites list. This long coat will certainly pair with more formal outfits like a suit, but it could also fit an edgier street style with some sharp sneakers, a hoodie, and a sporty backpack or duffle. Indeed, the coat is commonly styled with baggy pants and chunky footwear on their website. The coat itself is thick and warm, but it weighs a ton! I think this coat would block wind nicely and serve as an awesome outer for any layered outfit.

QT8 – MH Rough Bear Varsity Jacket (Red)

Next to the duck down jacket from earlier, I find this punchy varsity jacket. A tough teddy bear strategically blocks out text on the back of the coat, which reads, “who cares about mistakes.” Some may say that this would be a great coat to wear for people with that attitude. While ultimately the bear will probably make or break this jacket for you, I think the garment still has hustle. Large patches and stitched text adorn the surface of the jacket, including the front on either side of the chest, on the back, and on the elbows. The collar, jacket hem, and cuffs fit snuggly and are decorated with black and red stripes. The red leather sleeves bend easily yet feel substantial. I can easily see this being worn with blue or black denim and a pair of high-top sneakers. While the jacket’s sleeves fit okay for me, the jacket’s torso length is very short and sits high on the waist. In the photo, you can see how far down my fleece outer hangs in comparison to the varsity jacket.

URBANDTYPE – Long Fish Tail Hood Coat

I find this tan long coat next, which has an outdoor and utilitarian feel. It was marked down to ₩139,000 from ₩159,000 in store. While the long coat itself is pretty thin, there’s a detachable jacket which is buttoned inside the coat. You can remove it to wear as a short, padded jacket by itself, or keep it attached inside the coat as a single garment. I did like the addition of the hood, and overall, the garment has something of a rugged appearance. Would pair well with a pair of chunky boots or Dr. Martens, but I think it doesn’t look half bad with my Merrell Trail Glove 5’s. The long coat feels like it’s made from a durable cotton or blend, but again, it’s thin and probably better suited for fall than winter. When taking the coat off, I got stuck inside the detachable jacket and ended up pulling the sleeves inside out as I tried to remove it.

SAINTPAIN – Corduroy Varsity Jacket (Brown)

Next is a light corduroy jacket from SAINTPAIN, a Korean fashion brand that is well-known even in the states. While the listing on their website says brown, I feel like the color leans more toward army green. The jacket buttons easily and feels comfortable. The jacket seems like a nice option for slightly warmer days, and I wouldn’t rely on it in deep winter. I enjoy the texture of the corduroy, the nice fit, and the option of having a lay-flat or popped collar. 

UNALLOYED – Reversible Fleece Jacket (Ivory)

I spotted this jacket on a sale rack near the front of the salesfloor. The rack was packed full of funky patterned garments that I thought were pretty adventurous. This fleece jacket in particular was neat, and I didn’t realize it was reversible until I checked the interior and found zippered pockets on both sides. The jacket would be more comfortable to wear with the wooly bit as a liner instead of an exterior, since the other fabric feels more like a nylon windbreaker. This jacket felt a bit tight on me, so if you usually wear larger sizes you may be limited here. Overall, I think the vanilla-colored look would be nice with a pair of white or cream-colored pants and sneakers, as well as a fluffy bucket hat. You can keep it even more casual by pairing with some colorful joggers or sweats as modeled on the website.

VTWO – Vegan Leather Mustang Jacket

The last jacket I’ll include is this vegan leather jacket by VTWO, which was probably my favorite of the day. The interior is lined with a short, plush-like polyester material that mimics fur, and it feels amazing around the collar. This material lines the entire interior of the jacket, including the sleeves. It feels like you’re wearing a mink blanket. For the exterior, the leather’s color appears between dark and milk chocolate and would go great with dark denim.  It zips easily and feels comfortable around the waist. The sleeve length was suitable for me, and the pockets were easy to reach. With some good layering including a thermal base layer, I think you’ll be okay with temperatures around freezing. While I couldn’t find this specific jacket online, you can look at other options available on their website.

Cash Wrap

I had an awesome time looking at these different coats at ALAND. Every time I tried to put the camera away and leave the store, another coat inevitably caught my eye. Please check out the links throughout the article to learn more about specific garments or brands. While I did try a few garments that aren’t shown in the article, I hope this gives you a great snapshot of the varied styles that ALAND carries and the kind of retail shopping available in Seoul.

Complete your winter lookbook and stop by ALAND in Myeongdong, Seoul.

Where is ALAND?

Take exit 6 out of Myeongdong Station. Once at street level, just turn left and walk straight down the street past the food vendors. The store occupies a corner building, and it should be on your left. There’s also a location in Hongdae.