Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Hanbok -- One

I have decided to periodically post some photos that could inspire people to consider new ways to incorporate hanbok into their fashion ensembles.

Hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) is generally worn as an entire outfit, not as a piece mixed with non-Korean clothes. Hanbok comes in three basic varieties: "traditional hanbok" (somewhat similar to the court hanbok of the past) and "gaeryang hanbok" (개량한복) (an updated and more colorful version of the peasant hanbok of the past), and "minbok," (민복) or peasant clothes, that are generally made from white cotton or unbleached hemp.

I own all three types of hanbok and have been wearing hanbok for years. But there are very few people who wear hanbok casually with non-Korean clothes (and it only really works with gaeryang hanbok). I'll go into more detail some day when I'm not preparing to leave for an international conference. Here is my example of the day, a gyaeran hanbok top instead of a suit jacket.

This next photo is a detail of how the hanbok top (meant to be worn over a dress) looks over a sweater with pants.

No comments: