The sky blue blazer is the single piece that places this costume. Without it, the rest of the outfit reads as a general formal look — white shirt, black pants, bow tie — that could be any number of characters or simply a well-dressed person. The blazer’s shade matters: PSY’s blazer in the video is a clear, medium sky blue that reads as immediately, confidently blue from any distance. Too dark and it reads as a formal navy suit; too light and it approaches powder blue. The blazer is worn open throughout the video, which means the white shirt and bow tie are always visible at the front — don’t button it.
The bow tie is the next most specific detail. It sits at the collar of the white shirt, visible in the open V of the blazer, and should be a proper black bow tie rather than a long tie. The two-tone black-and-white wingtip shoes are the detail that completes the character’s specific brand of dapper absurdism — the shoes should clearly show both the black and white panels, which together with the blazer give the costume its particular visual energy. Black plain-toe shoes would be accurate enough, but the wingtip detail is what makes the look read as a deliberate aesthetic choice rather than just a suit.
The sunglasses are always on. PSY wears his black rectangular frames consistently throughout the Gangnam Style video regardless of the scene, and they function as the final character-recognition trigger alongside the blazer. Rectangular frames are the specific shape — round or aviator frames read as a different look. Wear them from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, and deploy the horse-riding dance at least once per hour. A brief tutorial on YouTube takes about five minutes to learn to a recognizable level.
Blazer Shade
Sky blue, not navy and not powder blue. The blazer reads at a distance, so the shade needs to be confident and clear. If ordering online, look for descriptions like “sky blue,” “cornflower blue,” or “light blue” — and check the product photos in daylight rather than studio lighting.
Blazer Open, Always
PSY wears the blazer open throughout the video. Buttoning it changes the silhouette and hides the white shirt and bow tie combination that is part of the character’s look. Keep it open and let the blazer fall naturally at the sides.
Bow Tie vs. Long Tie
Bow tie, not a long necktie. The bow tie is visible in the open blazer and is a specific character detail. A long tie reads as a completely different aesthetic and loses the precise visual reference to the video’s look.
Sunglasses On
PSY’s sunglasses are on in every scene of the music video. Wearing them only for photos rather than throughout the event is a reasonable concession for indoor lighting, but for any group shots or photos where you want the costume to read clearly, the glasses need to be on.
The Shoes
The two-tone wingtip shoes are more accurate than plain black shoes, and the visual contrast between the black and white panels adds to the dapper quality of the look. If the size or fit of the specific shoes is an issue, plain black dress shoes are an acceptable substitute — the blazer and bow tie do the identification work.
The Dance
The horse-riding dance is the costume’s most important non-physical element. A basic version — left hand twirling a lasso above the head, right hand on an imaginary reins, knees bouncing in a gallop rhythm — takes about five minutes to learn from a YouTube tutorial and generates immediate recognition from anyone who experienced 2012 online culture.
