Written by Mel (Mel-Bell (@Th3MelThatFell) / X)

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We’ve officially reached ATEEZ comeback season with the release of the newest album, Golden Hour: Part.2, and the official “Ice On My Teeth” music video dropping yesterday. ATINY are excitedly gushing about the visuals of the video, marked by a cold, foggy mansion setting and a generally ominous aesthetic across filming sets as well as the outfits chosen for the promotional material and video. 

Now that the video has officially dropped, there’s been so much praise over the overall theming for the new comeback, likening the vibes to the British, gang-drama series Peaky Blinders. And it’s hard to deny the resemblance with the costumes stylists chose for the outdoor shots, showcasing polished suits across each of the members not unlike that of high-ranking mafiosos, complete with a battalion of masked men behind them as if awaiting orders. 

Now each member was outfitted with two looks: one that fits the organized crime aesthetic aimed for with the first teaser along with a more luxurious, yet more individualized outfit. Considering “Ice On My Teeth” feels like the perfect tonal antithetical response to “Work”, it makes sense that the looks pieced together would provide a 180 stylistically compared to the prior video. 

The opening shot showed a white, monogrammed towel being slowly saturated until it’s completely black, marking what feels like a transformative symbol of style, both in a literal manner with the change to a monochromatic color palette across all the members as well as lore developments made real with this MV. Each member had two outfits for the video that fit within this color scheme plus allowed for tailored, opulent stylings. All of them were dressed with black suits for the dance portions of the chorus, of which the differences came down mostly to whether they were wearing a black or white button-up and accessories.

These suits allowed uniformity while allowing each member to own their own visual weight amid group shots. Among the looks, I found myself drawn to the anchor chain-brooch Hongjoong sported, which allowed the eye to be drawn away from the centerline with fluid metallics that created intrigue amid the black-and-white. Additionally, I found the lack of topcoat and rolled-up sleeves for Wooyoung specifically to be a great way that stylists helped make him the main focal point in the dance, even during times where he wasn’t the center of the shot.

Where I feel that the stylists really got the opportunity to showcase their keen eyes was for the secondary outfits for the member’s solo shots in the video. Even with the color conformity still being a key feature between each look, there are enough exceptions in each costume that it creates truly incredible visuals made even more impressive amid the grandiose mansion set. Perhaps the most eye-catching of these designs belong to Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and San for the immaculate mixture of material textures, fabric draping, and use of skin as negative space respectively.

Hongjoong’s oversized bow tie adds a softer touch to the regal fur coat and gelled hair to balance the look without compromising the splendorous elements. With such bold components like the aforementioned stylings plus suspenders, lots of ice, and the oversized buttons on his shirt, he really managed to blend these items into one cohesive look that few others could ever hope to replicate.

Seonghwa hasn’t shied away from creating androgynous shapes with the clothes he wears and his second look continued to add to his portfolio of genderless stylings. The glamourous black trench coat paired with both the elegant hat and gloves give a combination of Morticia Addams and Cruella de Vil (and Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil Village, in my personal opinion).

And how could I write about the music video without bringing up San? He’s taken phenomenal care of his physique for years and he’s been confident about showing his hard work off to ATINY, yet I think we were still left speechless at the rather GQ-inspired combination. The fur coat, black slacks, and cheeky peak of the Dolce & Gabbana logo on the boxer band feels as though it could belong on the runway in addition to the music video and is a loving show of the collaborative relationship between San and the Italian brand.

While these three were the ones that my eye gravitated to first, that doesn’t mean by any means that the other stylings aren’t just as jaw-dropping in how wonderfully they suit the man wearing them. Yunho managed to turn heads as the teaser trailers were released to the public, in particular the simple white button-up and dress vest combination. While this look itself isn’t a new venture for Yunho, the glower almost adds a dark radiance to his presence in the MV that can’t be ignored.

Yunho isn’t the only member of ATEEZ who frequently sports suits and ATINY definitely know that Jongho can always rock one. The detail that caught my eye was the collar of the button-up, which rather than completely covering the tie only folded over partially. This allowed a unique series of lines on what could have otherwise been a pretty standard suit to become elevated, especially given the number of cuts in the video that focused on a ¾ or side profile view, which put this small detail on display.

Another stunner in the more traditional suits was Mingi, who sported an all-black ensemble for both outfits he donned. The more casual, open-button look fits Mingi’s personal flair and the sparkling jacket paired with the simple, yet opulent silver jewelry gives him an almost astral magnificence in each shot.

Yeosang’s styling reminds me a lot of previous Seonghwa looks as he begins to toe the line between masculinity and femininity within the medium of textures and fabrics. The draping of the makeshift silk necklace feels delicate in contrast to the strength that his own features carry and complements the more loose-knit construction of the sweater, which is why it feels so effortlessly fluid when on him. Additionally, the bedazzled silver flower over his heart allows for a boutonnière look associated with men’s formalwear, however the openness of the bloom creates juxtaposition with the placement of the flower within traditional decorative fashion.

Last but certainly not least, Wooyoung’s secondary costume was something that caught my attention specifically at the overhead view within the video. While the fit, again, conforms to the black-and-white concept, it still feels very true to Wooyoung’s preferred blend of luxury and streetwear with the scoop neckline and almost dog tag-inspired necklace. These elements are then elevated with the jeweled embroidery on the ends of the sleeves, which were wonderfully framed in the overhead shots of him throughout the video.

With the comeback officially here, it’s going to be an exciting time as we get to see ATEEZ continue to bloom amid the borderline stormy soundscapes present on the album. So far, we’ve seen this departure from the colorful, extravagant stylings of the Golden Hour: Part.1 era between both the “Ice On My Teeth” MV as well as its first live performance for Music Bank. Though we will have to wait to see if this darker theme will be a mainstay for the following performances within this era as an overarching theme towards ATEEZ’s narrative or if it’s just for the initial promotion of the more dramatic sounds of the new album.