• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.121-135
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• 2003

This paper is about the dress styles during the 16th century of the Chosun dynasty, just before the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, through painting-Kiyeonghoido. In the Chosun period, dress styles played an important role in representing the differences in social status. The most remarkable signs of social standing are the hair ornaments. Officials in ranks, noksas, and seoris are wearing a same, a yugakpyeongjeongeon and a mugakpyeongjeongeon respectively. The head ornament for musicians in high ranks is a samo, and, for those in low ranks a hood or a heuklip. Accordingly, head ornaments were important articles among apparels, and especially ripja was an article that sensitively reflected the contemporary fashion. Such a trend also influenced the common people's styles of dress. Thus, the style of the heuklip worn by the chamberlain in Kiyeonghoido resembled of yangban's. Actual official uniforms also diverged from the specifications for them. Sangboks were red for both dangsanggwans and danghagwans, but their ranks were marked by the material of their dress rather than by the breast plates. Dress styles change over time as the society members influence and are influenced by each other. Therefore, owing to the social characteristics of a hierarchical society, dress styles are distinctive according to the wearers' social standings and roles, and various dress styles emerge that deviate from regulations. The significance of the present paper is to review the diversity of the dress styles during the 16th century of the Chosun dynasty.