A study on the transitional process of clothes in modern Korean women

한국현대여성복식제도(韓國現代女性服飾制度)의 변천과정연구(變遷過程硏究)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change of clothes in modem Korean women in terms of a socioeconomical background, the introduction to western clothes, and the improvement of clothes between the opening period of ports in the early 1900's and 1960's. In addition, the study investigated how western clothes became popular in a Korean society along with the traditional' Korean clothes, Hanbok. The radical social change since the opening of ports motivated the change in the way of Korean women's thinking, and consequenty the improvement of Hanbok which developed into the clothes-improvement-movement. It was not until 1905 that the improvement of clothes was hotly debated particularly in the matter of abolishing Jangeui and the extreme length of Jeogori and Chima. The Tongchima-Jeogori style which lengthened Jeogori and shortened Chima was widely accepted as everyday wear until the western clothes substituted them after the Independence from Japanese Conquest. As the length of Chima shortened, there occurred a change in Boson and Jipsin as well. There appeared shoes and Gomoosin in place of Jipsin, socks in stead of Boson and were popularized until after the Liberation in 1945. The popularity of Gomoosin diminished markedly with the diversification of shoes styles, due to the improvement of the standard of living with economic development in the 1960's. The traditional Hanbok was gradually differentiated according to the social status, for instance student, teachers, ordinary women, girls and Kisaeng. Especially since the white clothes caused much trouble in washing and sewing, there came into being the movement of wearing colorful clothes. The Movement of abolishing white clothes and promoting of wearing colorful clothes was enforced during the period of Japaness conquest from the 1920's to the Liberation, which consequently stimulated an interest for colors of clothes. The period under the war between 1937 and 1945 was especially noted for the extreme regulation over the clothes. The Japanese government forced each group of women, e.g., girl students, a young women's association, school teachers, and ordinary women and girls, to wear their own uniforms. Also, It recommended the use of Tongchima in stead of long skirts, and buttons in place of Coreum so as to conserve textile encouraging the use of other substitutes to save resources. The western clothes, a model of clothe's improvement was deemed as a symbol of modernization and enjoyed general popularity. The supply of relief clothes after the Korean war accelerated the expansion of western clothes even further and the trend of westernization along with economic progress in the 1960's resulted in wearing of western clothes as everyday dress. The expansion of western clothes as casual wear rapidly diminished wearing of Hanbok which in turn took the position of ceremonial dress worn in special cases only. Hence the Korean women's clothes were dualized into traditional Hanbok and western clothes and the western clothes that stems on its convenience was settled as everyday wear where as the Hanbok appeared as ceremonial dress stressing on ornamental features. As mentioned aboved, we are able to discovered an orientation in the course of transitional process of modern Korean women's clothes admist diversified changes, which is a consistent pursuit of convenience and practicality based upon progmatism. The trend such as this carne into a finale' as women's dress became dualistic in forms of Hanbok and western clothes, and the change since then is supposed to proceed in two forms of dress featuring its own style.