Special Features

Though cut from flat cloth, when worn the hanbok takes on a voluminous three-dimensional quality. With its simple form and generous fit, it is flexible enough to accommodate any body shape and comfortable to wear while sitting on the floor, as is usual in a Korean house. Its ample folds impart an air of elegance and refinement to the wearer. For all its simplicity, the way it is worn determines its shape and produces creases that can also become an aesthetic element.

The generous cut of the hanbok gives it a flexible look that is enhanced by the flowing movement of the material. The gown, pants, and skirt are supple enough to flutter as the wearer moves or brushes against something. This pliability is achieved by the use of delicate materials such as silk, silk gauze, or glossed silk thread, and the jacket, skirt, and men's gown are often sewn in a single layer for a light and shapely appearance. Even ornaments, such as bridal headpieces, coronets, pendants, and fans, generally use delicate tassels and silver birds that quiver with the movement of the wearer.

The beauty of hanbok can also be felt in the harmony of straight and curved lines that shows a deep respect for nature.

The curved lines appear in the body of the wearer, the various parts of the jacket, and the mobile elements; but they appear in a different form in each epoch. In the early Joseon period, the lines flow naturally from the curves of the body; in mid Joseon, they follow the roundness of the body itself; and in late Joseon, they appear concretely in the lines of the hems, sleeves, collar, and pendants.

Many people think of hanbok as primarily white clothes. It is because of their fondness for white that Koreans have been known as the baegui minjok or “white-clad folk.” This white is known as sosaek or “cloth color,” meaning the natural coloring of the untreated material itself. Sosaek upholds the natural and excludes the artificial. As can be seen in a white gown of fine ramie, this color has both elegance and depth, which is perhaps why Koreans have been fond of using colors with a high optical value that remind them of white, such as light gray, pale jade, or yellow ochre.

On the other hand, striped cloth that represents the extreme in contrast of primary colors has been used for different reasons. A vibrant effect is created by using contrasting primary colors for the jacket and skirt, such as yellow and blue, yellow and red, or for a bridal costume, green and red. The vivid colors and designs that are worn for seasonal holidays and coming-of-age ceremonies similarly reflect the Korean liking for a bright and colorful image. An individual might express her personal taste by choosing, for everyday wear, a white gown and black hat over a blue skirt with dark purple breast-tie and a jade green jacket with blue cuffs, creating an orderly impression by using strong contrasts of both shade and hue.