Hanbok: The Traditional Korean Dress

What is a Hanbok?

Hanbok is a Korean word that refers to traditional Korean clothing. The hanbok is one of the most beautiful fashion styles in the world and has been appreciated for over 2,000 years. You may have seen the hanbok in your favorite Korean drama, or your favorite K-Pop star wearing a hanbok and wondered: what are they wearing? What is the fashion style of the hanbok? Where can I buy a hanbok?

The hanbok is generally worn by Koreans during major holidays, birthday celebrations, and weddings, but few Koreans know the history and deep meaning of the traditional hanbok. Let's explore what a hanbok is in this ultimate guide to Korean fashion.

The Origins of the Hanbok

The hanbok is believed to have been designed during the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 BC to 668 AD) and was worn in different ways and materials by everyone. It was originally designed to allow its wearers freedom of movement.

Although there have been changes throughout its history, the hanbok is still worn today in Korea for celebrations, weddings, birthdays, and significant events, and represents the aesthetic of the Korean people. People worldwide have fallen in love with the hanbok and incorporated it into their fashion to make high fashion.

What Does a Hanbok Look Like?

Embroidered patterns and colors used on hanboks represented the ceremonial nature of the hanbok and social status. Peonies, for example, are often found on wedding dresses to represent honor and wealth, while dragons and phoenixes were Korean hanbok motifs reserved for royal garments.

Composition

The general structure of the hanbok consists of the jeogori and the chima (skirt) - for women, and the jeogori and baji (pants) - for men. When worn together, the fitted top and wide bottom form a bell shape - a unique and rather exceptional feature of the hanbok that sets it apart from other traditional costumes.

Design

The classic Korean style is represented on the hanbok by a gentle flow of lines and angles found on the baerae of the outfit as well as the sharp angles of the dongjeong.

The hanbok may seem flat, but when properly worn, it gains dimension and even adds beauty to the wearer, as the wide skirt and adaptable fabric envelop the movements of the lower body so much that the wearer may appear to float in the air.

Materials

The hanbok has been made with different materials throughout its more than 1,600-year history. Contemporary designers continuously experiment with different types of fabrics for their creations.

Traditionally, however, the material of the hanbok reflects the wearer's special place in the social hierarchy. People born naturally into royal families wore hanboks made from the finest materials, such as satin and silk, which testified to their power and authority. The same applied to nobility and high-ranking officials. On the other hand, common people wore hanboks made from hemp and cotton at best, reflecting their modest origins.

Colors

The colors of the hanbok play an essential role in characterizing the character and social position of the wearer.

Members of royalty or nobility wear hanboks in bright colors, while ordinary people wear hanboks in light and earthy tones, which can also be attributed to the materials used to make their modest hanbok.

Patterns

Iconic patterns were woven onto the hanbok mainly to express the wearer's wishes. For example, a wedding hanbok may feature peonies for honor and wealth or pomegranates for fertility. Revolutionary emblems, such as phoenixes, dragons, cranes, and tigers, are to be seen on the hanboks of royalty as well as high officials.

Shoes

There is always a wide choice of shoes that go with the hanbok. For women, the kkotshin (silk shoes with flower weaving), the unhye (low silk shoes decorated with cloud-shaped silk pieces), and the dinghy (low leather shoes with swirl patterns) were the most common shoes. On the other hand, men generally wore heukhye (wool and leather shoes) and taesahye (animal skin shoes fastened with silk). Despite this, commoners, regardless of gender, wore jipshin or straw shoes. To protect their feet, people also wore white socks called beoseon.

Accessories

The hanbok can be elegant on its own, but people, especially women, who wish to enhance their look and outfit have a large number of accessories at their disposal. These include the norigae, an ornamental tassel with a charm, which is attached to the goreum, the cords of the jacket, or the middle of the skirt; the daenggi, a thick ribbon tied to the end of a lady's twisted hair (daenggi-meori); the binyeo, a pin made from wood, jade, gold, or bone of creatures, among others, which holds the bun in place.

What Makes the Hanbok Unique?

1. The hanbok has great structural beauty.

The women's hanbok features a short jacket called "jeogori" and a wide skirt called "chima." The men's hanbok consists of a short jacket, pants called "baji," and usually a short coat called "baeja." The structure is the same for children's hanboks, with girls' hanboks identical to women's and boys' hanboks following men's styles.

The balance between the structured top and the full bottom gives the hanbok a simple structural beauty and a rhythmic flow that complements the wearer's body movement.

2. The hanbok is not restrictive and allows graceful movements.

The hanbok expresses natural physical beauty through its silhouette and attractive lines, which allow free and graceful body movements when worn.

3. The hanbok is a wearable work of art.

Western clothing is characterized by fabric with straight lines and sewing techniques, but the hanbok is completely different in its composition and design. The hanbok is made from flat fabric in a linear shape that only gains dimension when worn. In union with its wearer, the hanbok comes to life to be natural, elegant, and fluid. It is a work of art that you can wear, and the hanbok is completed by your radiant smile.

4. The hanbok carries a deep heritage and culture behind its design.

The hanbok features straight and curved lines, which are representative of a typically Korean aesthetic and design. The graceful and harmonious movement that the hanbok allows, its deep hues and patterns, and its resemblance to nature are the result of over 2,000 years of hanbok wearing by the Korean people.

5. The hanbok is meaningful in every stitch, pattern, and color.

The colors used in the hanbok come from the "theory of five colors" ("obangsaek" in Korean), which is based on the harmony between yin and yang and the five elements. The hanbok is traditionally dyed with natural and non-synthetic colors.

6. The hanbok shows the beauty of nature.

The curved lines of the hanbok, its wide and ample silhouette when worn, are designed to create a fluid effect. This is especially true for the dress or skirt of the hanbok. The hanbok design also highlights the textures of the handwoven natural fabric and decorations that mimic flowers, butterflies, and other elements of nature.

There is a hanbok for every person and every occasion. Come fall in love with the hanbok with us. Take a look at our collections to learn more.