2009.9.13
Elegant full skirts with delicate cropped tops. One of the best things about traditional Korean holidays is the chance to put on hanbok. Vivid colors of the traditional dress here and there definitely add to the holiday spirit.
While Koreans may not wear hanbok as often as before - it is not the most comfortable attire in the world - the beauty of hanbok continues to stir women. Hanbok designers also continue to roll out new designs in keeping with overall fashion trends, so there`s no need to get bored with the same old styles.
Try putting on a hanbok this Chuseok. The Korea Herald interviewed three major hanbok makers to give readers tips on wearing hanbok.
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| (From left) Park Sul-nyeo hanbok, Maison de Lee Young Hee, Keumdanje hanbok |
Colors
Autumn colors are now in fashion for hanbok.
"Orange, olive green and gamboge are the hot colors now," said Lee Il-sun, top designer at Keumdanje, a leading hanbok maker.
But no need to worry, hanbok is not as season-sensitive as Western clothes.
"One of the best things about hanbok is that you do not have to worry about trendy colors so much," said Park Sul-nyeo, top designer of Park Sul-nyeo hanbok, another top brand. Park`s only advice is to avoid pale colors if you are not wearing make-up or dark colors if your skin is very tanned.
The important thing is to see if the color matches a person`s features and complexion.
"Pale skin and soft countenance matches with pastel tints, while people with strong features do well with darker colors," said Lee.
Style
The basic rule in choosing a style of hanbok is to wear a traditional hanbok if it is only for the Chuseok ceremony, and a modern hanbok if one has a party to attend later in the evening.
"Elderly customers are still fond of the original style but younger customers look for more unique ones," said Lee.
Lee said that "Eo U-dong style" - characterized by a short top and layered skirt - became very popular as party wear after 2006 Miss Korea Honey Lee wore it at the Miss Universe competition the following year.
"You can wear the `jeogori,` the hanbok jacket, at the beginning of an event and take it off for the party afterwards. With a shawl, it is a perfect party dress," Lee said.
Lee Young-hee, lead designer of Maison de Lee Young-hee, said the key point in modernizing hanbok is to make it light and modern but keep it hanbok-like.
"Little changes give it a modern look," Lee said. "For example, single-layered sleeves that are a little see-through or breast-ties that are on the side instead of on the middle look more modern and are very practical."
But one should avoid trying too hard to fit into modern trends when the style does not suit. Lee said that the best way to pick your hanbok is to think of your character and aura.
"Every single person has a different aura," she said. "For hanbok, it is not always the best thing to try to follow a certain trend. If it clashes with your aura, you will look hideous even though the costume is hot."
Accessories
Minimize accessories for original hanbok. A traditional pair of twin gold rings or "norigae" - traditional ornaments for hanbok - is often enough. "Even the hanbok itself shouldn`t have too much in the way of patterns or embroidery," said Park.
For more modern hanbok, wilder accessories are allowed. "With modern hanbok, you can even wear earrings or a necklace," said Lee Young-hee. Flamboyant hairpins or shawls are also a nice match with modernized hanbok, she added.
Additional tips
This year`s Chuseok is likely to be warmer than usual, so designers recommend hanbok made of lighter material. Lighter colors also help one feel cooler.
A person must be extra tidy when wearing hanbok.
"No matter how pretty you are and how pretty the hanbok is, it appears ugly if it is wrinkled or not worn properly," said Park. Proper shoes for hanbok are also required, not regular shoes worn with western outfits.
Park said that women should make their jeogori and skirt tilt about 4cm to the front. The shoulder line also looks better when leaned forward - about 2.5cm.
"Make sure the breast-tie is not too loose or too tight," she added.
Another important tip to remember: keep your shoulders straight.
"People usually crouch their shoulders when wearing hanbok because they are not used to it, but it does not look good," Lee Il-sun says. She advised that foreigners would be more comfortable in a longer and slimmer jeogori.
Hanbok, the fashion world`s new hot item
It is not a bad idea to take this Chuseok as an opportunity to start wearing hanbok more occasionally. Designers say that hanbok is definitely becoming a big fashion trend.
Korean hanbok designers have done many fashion shows in and out of the country and have all received a big applause. Hanbok designed by Lee Young-hee was even named "the clothes of the wind" in New York, signifying how the costume softly wavers as the wind blows.
Hanbok attracts foreigners in many ways, according to Lee Il-sun. First, they are dazzled by the various and vivid colors of hanbok.
"Hanbok is the most colorful traditional costume in the world," Lee said.
Then they are shocked learning how each pattern has different meanings. Each character of "sibjangsang," or Korea`s 10 immortal animal characters, commonly used in hanbok, signifies wealth, longevity, love, and more.
"Foreigners are amazed when they hear that most of the hanbok is made by hand," Lee said. Many designers still insist that hanbok should be made by hand, from dyeing the materials to embroidering patterns.
Designers expect that hanbok styles to vary even more in the future.
"We are going to continue developing various kinds of hanbok while maintaining the traditional taste," Lee said.
If you are a fashionista, consider including hanbok on your next shopping list.
By Park Min-young
(claire@heraldm.com)
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