The way that we dress is a form of communication about who we are and very importantly the society that we are apart of. Even if that society is a subculture such as 'punk' or surfing. Or it may be historical and national.

The pages that you have looked at have shown some of the greater implications/associations. How does dress style relate to or effect these things.

-- Anonymous, September 03, 1999

Answers

After going through the devi.net webpage, I can truly understand how the drapes and colours play such important roles in Indian fashion and social strata. Coming from a chinese family, the culture and society of my upbringing affects the way I dress more than I am aware of. Although, the constraints of 'traditional' fashion has lessen in my generation, there are still a few absolutely NO-No's which I have to respect and of course, follow.

To the chinese, the colour Black = Death = Bad Luck = Don't-Even- Think-of-Wearing-It in front of my Grandmother! And believe me, I am not kidding! I know of a few elderly people who get really offended if you present yourself black from head to toe. The same goes with a black and white outfit as that is what people would wear if they are mourning. The rule of the thumb is, avoid black for all happy occasions and when elderly people are present. For happy times, clad yourself in red or bright vibrant colours. Hence, come Chinese New Year (around Jan-Feb each year), don't be fooled in to thinking that red is the latest colour around!

'Feng Shui', meaning Wind and Water is catching on quickly nowadays with many books written about it and its followers growing larger in numbers. However, Feng Shui is not just about how you arrange your furniture or how you position your plants. A close friend of mine pointed out to me a couple of days ago that it does affect the way each individual dresses as well. Apparently, every person has an element attached to him or her, and with that element there are favourable and unfavourable colours. For example, for a Fire person, he or she should wear reddish hues and avoid bluish tones as blue is associated with water and hence, Water destroys Fire. Sounds a bit far fetched, but there are people who observe this on a daily basis!

For myself, I am still a regular guy with blacks and whites in my wardrobe. But, deeply ingrained in me are these little rules that will continue to affect my choice of clothing. Whether I like it or not, there is no denying that culture has had a big influence on me and others all over the world.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 1999

After writing yesterday's submission, I was a little more alert towards what people on the street wear on a daily basis. Of course, I cannot be too sure as to what influenced their colour coordination or whether they are Feng Shui 'friendly', but I do know that whatever cultural implications affecting them are not as intense as it affected the generations before us. This is of course the opposite for 'newer' cultures such as punk and surf as they are cathing on like wild-fire.

It may sound as though I am contradicting myself, but the effects of culture retained by the newer generation is diluted by the integration and communication of the different races and religions all round the world. Dressing was used as a means of communicating and identifying the origin and geographical background of a person as each area had a unique style and dress code. Looking at today's technological development in the transport and mass media, we can see how people live and dress on the other side of the planet just by a flipping a button on the TV remote control. Blame it on National Geographic or the Discovery Channel, if you must!

For example, 60 years ago, my grandfather probably had never seen a pair of jeans in his life! Today, all his grandchildren have at least 3 pairs each! It makes one wonder, that within the span of two generations, we can observe such vast changes in the way we dress, what are we to expect for our grandchildren? And who knows what new cultures will emerge within the next 60 years?

I agree that culture is important and that we preserve this heritage from our forefathers. However, we cannot escape from the fact that the world today is getting smaller and that it is almost impossible to prevent the fusion of cultures given the way we live today together in one community composing of different races, religion and traditions.

-- Anonymous, September 29, 1999

After writing yesterday's submission, I was a little more alert towards what people on the street wear on a daily basis. Of course, I cannot be too sure as to what influenced their colour coordination or whether they are Feng Shui 'friendly', but I do know that whatever cultural implications affecting them are not as intense as it affected the generations before us. This is of course the opposite for 'newer' cultures such as punk and surf as they are cathing on like wild-fire.

It may sound as though I am contradicting myself, but the effects of culture retained by the newer generation is diluted by the integration and communication of the different races and religions all round the world. Dressing was used as a means of communicating and identifying the origin and geographical background of a person as each area had a unique style and dress code. Looking at today's technological development in the transport and mass media, we can see how people live and dress on the other side of the planet just by a flipping a button on the TV remote control. Blame it on National Geographic or the Discovery Channel, if you must!

For example, 60 years ago, my grandfather probably had never seen a pair of jeans in his life! Today, all his grandchildren have at least 3 pairs each! It makes one wonder, that within the span of two generations, we can observe such vast changes in the way we dress, what are we to expect for our grandchildren? And who knows what new cultures will emerge within the next 60 years?

I agree that culture is important and that we must preserve this heritage from our forefathers. However, we cannot escape from the fact that the world today is getting smaller and that it is almost impossible to prevent the fusion of cultures given the way we live today together in one community composing of different races, religion and traditions.

-- Anonymous, September 29, 1999

Culture can be defined as a body of learned behaviours common to a given human society, acting rather like a template, shaping behaviour and consciousness within a human society from generation to generation. It can work both for the good or bad of society or the human generation. Similarly, it can have, and as a matter of fact has had and will continue to have an impact on the way we dress and the way fashion has been evolving over generations. Our thinking has evolved over a period of time and this has vastly influenced our dressing etiquette. We have basically moved from a conservative society or norms towards the free world. The youth of today want democracy and freedom in every aspect of their life. The older generation, want to infuse traditions and culture into them and preserve the morals of the society. It is clearly evident from the way our grandparents and we dress, as an example. The ladies dresses have changed from the traditional dress, frocks, and suits to skirts, minis and micros. The traditional mens suit styles have also changed. Bermuda short is one of the new styles of mens dressing. Some of the traditional conservative dresses are burkhas, saris, and sarongs. These have evolved in societies, based on the level of freedom granted by those respective cultures, towards modern dressing of T-shirts, jeans and short skirts.

-- Anonymous, September 30, 1999

I agree with Novika's statement of us entering into a "free-er" world. Society today is more acceptable to different cultures and hence, people are granted a greater freedom to choose what and how they want to dress. However, culture does not stand alone in determining how we dress. We must not forget the interplay between image, individualism and of course the power of the fashion industry itself.

-- Anonymous, September 30, 1999

I was asked to discuss the importance of the Korean traditional customs and compare with other Asian country.

Korean traditional costume has changed in many ways due to Western influence. Every women, men and children wearing Western style of clothes. Before, normally we wear Korean traditional costume everyday, but now some clothes are disappearing. For example, the traditional horse hat (Kat), straw sandals (Chipsin) and boots (Mokhwa). Other Asian country such as Japan, China also have same happening like Korea. Through time, their clothes are changing. The happening effect from Western style of living. Most of the changes, however, still retain the traditional customs as a basic and are manifested in a combined form which is found in salutauions, weeding ceremonies.etc.

The Korean traditional costume, hanbok, has been handed down in the same forms for men and women for hundreds of years, unchanged because they are well suited to climate and culture. The men's basic outfit consists of a chogori(jacket), paji (trousers) and trumagi (overcoat). The jaket has loose sleeves, and the trousers are roomy and tied with straps around the ankles. The women's hanbok includes a chogori (short jacket) with two long ribbons, which are tied to form the otkorum, and has long full sleeves and a full length, high waisted wrap around skirt called the chi'ma. White cotton socks and coat-shaped shoes, made of silk, straw or rubber, are worn with these costumes. The beauty of Korean dresses can be founded in the simple design and harmony of lines and colors of upper and lower pieces.

Compare with China costume and Korean costume Traditional costume Korean women always wear long skirt Which is hanbok Chinese women always wear pants

Now (Korean women)They can wear what ever they want. But in the society, some company has uniform

(Chinese women)Same as Korea but they have a restriction. For example, businesswomen shouldn't wear high heels or designer clothes and shouldn't use expensive purses or attache cases.

Traditional

Korean men wear pants and jacket(Korean men)

Chinese men wear pants with long skirt (Chinese men)

Now What ever they want but for the business men should wear a suit with a white shirt and tie. (Korean men)

Same as Korea.(Chinese)

Most of the changes, however, still retain the traditional customs as a basis and are manifested in a combined form which is found in salutations, wedding ceremonies, etc.

Through this work book two, I learn many things Korean costume. Even though I am Korean. And also I found out other Asian country have similar culture and the way of wearing the traditional clothes. It was interesting work.

-- Anonymous, September 30, 1999

Korean Dress Formal Dress at Present Formal dress in Korea has has changed in many ways due to western influence. In the cities Western clothes are common for men, women and children. Due to the change to the Western style, the traditional horse hat (kat), straw sandals ( chipsin) and boots ( mokhwa ) are gradually disappearing. In the countryside, the traditional clothes, hats and footwear are still worn everyday despite the influence from the cities. This is why one thinks of Korea as a man dressed in the traditional clothes with a horse hat and a long bamboo pipe. The style of women's clothes has not changed except for the fabric. For centuries women have made the dress in a uniform way, and literally no change in style has been made up to the present time. Nowadays, older women in the cities as well as in the countryside wear the traditional clothes without being affected by the Western influence. Traditional Dress of Men and Women The traditional dress of men consists of roughly four different parts: chokori ( jacket ), pachi ( trousers ), jokki ( sleeveless cover, similar to a vest ) and turumaki ( top coat ). In additioal to the parts mentioned above, some people wear a makuja ( jacket cover ), which is worn when one is not using a topcoat. The choice of fabric depends upon the season, but in general, white cotton cloth is used throughout all season except summer when ramie ( mosi ) or bleached hemp cloth is used in countryside. The winter clothes are usually lined with a light cotton padding for warmth. The men's pachi is wide on the upper part, which is folded over in front and fastened with a clothes belt when it is worn. Towards the bottom, which gradually narrows from the top down, the pants legs are usually tied on the ankle with cloth ribbons. The man's chokori is somewhat similar to that of the woman's, except it is longer and double breasted whith a similar bow tied in front with ribbons. Over the chokori, a jokki is worn, and a turumaki which has fuller sleeves, is double breasted, and is tied with a bow high on the chest to keep it in shape. This is worn by many people throughout the year. In selecting colours for a man's outfit Koreans usually wear a white, light gray or light blue chokori and pachi. A young person wears a blue vest, and a gray vest is worn by an older person. The colour of the turumaki is white in the summer and black in the winter. The woman's dress consists of a chokori ( blouse ), a ch'ima ( skirt ) and a turumaki ( top coat ). Before a woman dons her dress, she puts on a slip and voluminous trousers, which are just like the pachi of the man's dress, except it is shorter inside on the bottom. The woman's ch'ima is usually made by sewing together three widths of cloth, and it is wrapped tightly around her chest when she wears it. The ch'ima usually reaches her ankles. The chokori ( blouse ) is worn to cover the upper part of the skirt and is tied on the chest with a bow, from which two pieces of ribbon are hung. However, in cities a broach is used instead of the bow. The sleeveless coat ( baeja ), lined with feathers, is often worn by women in the winter. The woman's dress is usually multi-coloured nowadays, and various shades are available. In the countryside, white clothes are still predominant except for unmarried girls who wear a yellow chokri and red and blue ch'ima. For a newly-wed girl a yellow chokori and a pink chima is sometimes worn to let people notice that she has been married recently. The haengchu-ch'ima is like a apron, primarily used by the female when she is at work in the home or in the field. It is made of two pieces of cotton cloth sewn together so that it covers almost two-thirds of the skirt in front. It is constantly worn as if ti were a part of woman's clothes, in the countryside. It is blieved that the name haengchu-ch'ima was originated during the Haengchu castle fight near Kaesong against the Japanese invasion in 1592, when women helped a great deal by carrying stones and other supplies in their aprons in order to hold the castle. Compare with Japanese and Korean traditional costume Korean men wear pants and jacket but Japanese wear jacket (overcoats). Japanese women wear gimono and Korean women wear hanbok. Both has similar material that silk. However, the clothes forms are different. The Japanese gimono's skirt width is very narrow but Korean traditional skirt's width is wide. Long time ago, we had an alternating current each other. So we have a similar culture such as traditional house and acting.

As time goes on, some people keep our traditional costume. When we have annual events, children or adult wearing Korean traditional clothes. Also Korean fashion designer changed the style of costume, make more simple and usef

-- Anonymous, September 30, 1999

Culture is the basic root, which has held our society together since ages. Various cultures across the globe have similar and varying peculiarities. There are tensions between cultures, but they still coexist. For example, Red is considered an auspicious colour for the Chinese. They spread red all around them during festivities. They even wear red clothes to bring in good luck. Going back to colour, Black is inauspicious in Indonesia, as the Hindus use White while mourning the dead in India. All these colour aesthetics have come down the cultural generations to us. Similar is the style of certain dresses in certain cultures. For example, Muslim women have to wear a veil / burkha in public. This may be relaxed to covering the head only in Western Muslims, but is more rigid and implies to the whole body in the Gulf areas. Whereas, these type of cultural barriers dont exist in Western civilization.

Cultures are said to vary across regional boundaries. It is true only superficially, with the underlying concepts being very similar. For example, China and Hong Kong. Even though they are two separate countries, they have similar, if not same cultures, interms of way of dressing, talking, eating, living and so on. Consider India and Pakistan for this matter. Southeast Pakistanis and Northwest Indians share similar dressing styles across borders. Cultures do affect the way we dress, but not across close regional boundaries. It is more clearly evident over large geographical areas. Arabs dress differently to Americans.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

Fashion has also has had a big impact on the way our cultural dressing patterns have changed / evolved. What we see today, is partly what we desire for tomorrow. If we see some new fashion, we wish to acquire it, if it suits our likes. If we are bound by some cultural restrictions, and yet wish to be fashionable, we blend or try to mould the two together. This is the start or stepping stone towards change. A good example is the way film personalities dress. They are in a way considered leaders in fashion.

Modern fashion is trying to coexist with traditional cultures. The product is what we see today. It is an ever-evolving process, as tastes, likes and dislikes of humans are never constant over generations. What is in today, will be history tomorrow. But, it is correctly said, History reinvents itself and The wheel / tide turns back to the start, eventually. Some of the dress styles we see today are very similar to that of our great grandparents times, but with the fashionable blend of today or even tomorrow, as seen through the eyes of our fashion expert houses e.g. Elle, Gucci, Armani and so on.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

I read with interest to what Ki wrote on Korean cultural costumes. Examples given as to what and when the Koreans wore certain costumes emphasise that the Koreans chose very practical clothes. Clothing to suit their daily life and their chores as well as to communicate their social position. And I agree that this conventionality in clothing is shared by many cultures. Even modern cultures such as surf favour quick-drying materials and comfort to accommodate the lifestyle of the culture. As a result, practicality, geographical landscape and climate are all major contributing factors in moulding the evolution of culture and hence, the way people dress.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999