Gangnam Style PSY Costume Guide

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What You’ll Need

PSY’s outfit from the Gangnam Style music video relies on a sharp visual contrast: traditional black-tie formalwear executed in an unapologetically bright pastel palette. The entire look is built around an upscale tuxedo silhouette rendered in sky blue, balanced by crisp monochrome accents from head to toe.

Recreating this costume is straightforward because every piece comes from real-world formalwear rather than fantasy armor or custom garments. The success of the build hinges on getting the clean lines, the black-on-blue lapel contrast, and the specific two-tone footwear right.

The Sky Blue Tuxedo Blazer

The centerpiece of the costume is the single-button blazer in a vivid sky blue. What sets PSY’s jacket apart from an ordinary pastel suit coat is the black satin contrast detailing along the shawl lapels and the pocket flaps. This black trim frames the chest and ties the colorful jacket directly to the black bow tie and trousers.

When working with a plain light blue suit jacket, you can add this contrast yourself using black satin ribbon, bias tape, or strips of black polyester satin. Temporary fabric tape or light hand-stitching along the lapel perimeter lets you secure the black border without permanently ruining the base jacket. Keep the button fastened during wear to hold the structured torso shape seen throughout the video.

Tuxedo Shirt, Bow Tie, and Trousers

Under the jacket, PSY wears a formal white tuxedo shirt featuring vertical bib pleats down the front. The pleated texture adds visual depth between the open lapels. While a wing-tip collar is traditional for white-tie events, a standard turn-down tuxedo collar tends to stay flatter beneath the jacket and prevents the bow tie strap from riding up.

Fasten a black satin bow tie tightly against the collar. A classic width of around two and a half inches balances the shirt front without overwhelming the neck. A pre-tied bow tie with an adjustable band works well here, as it stays level and taut through hours of movement without requiring adjustment.

For the bottom half, standard flat-front black dress trousers or tuxedo pants provide the necessary neutral base. Choose a cut that matches the taper of your blazer. Hem the pant cuffs so they break cleanly right at the top of your shoes rather than pooling around your ankles, which keeps the two-tone footwear completely visible.

Two-Tone Spectator Shoes and Sunglasses

Black and white wingtip oxford shoes—classic 1920s-style spectator shoes—are an essential component of this costume. The white vamp framed by black perforated broguing echoes the black-and-white theme established by the shirt and trousers. If spectator oxfords are unavailable, you can tape off and paint the center quarters of plain black dress shoes with white leather paint, though factory spectators will always give cleaner seam lines.

Dark retro wayfarer sunglasses give the outfit its trademark deadpan character. PSY wears thick black frames with opaque dark lenses throughout the video, which contrasts with the chaotic energy of the song. Choose standard glossy black frames without visible logos on the temples.

Hair Styling and Mobility

PSY sports a very neat, clean-cut hairstyle with high shine. Work a strong-hold pomade or water-based hair gel through damp hair, parting it crisply to one side and combing the top flat and backward. Keeping the sides smoothed down tightly against your head completes the formal look.

Because almost everyone will expect you to attempt the signature horse-trot dance at some point, test your clothing’s flexibility ahead of time. Dress trousers with a small amount of elastane or a slightly looser thigh cut will prevent seam failure during sudden jumps, and a blazer with higher armholes will let you cross your wrists without pulling the entire jacket off your shoulders.