This study aims to analyze shapes, styling and changes by trends in female school uniforms at the time of enlightenment of Korea and the causes for the changes and inquire into the impacts of these outfits of the female students on the flows of women...
This study aims to analyze shapes, styling and changes by trends in female school uniforms at the time of enlightenment of Korea and the causes for the changes and inquire into the impacts of these outfits of the female students on the flows of women’s fashion and dressing culture in modern times. Accordingly, this study was conducted focusing on analyses of changes by the shapes, styling and trend of the then female school uniforms and the causes for them. The scope of research is from 1886 when Ewha Hakdang, the first school for girls in Korea, was established through Japanese rule to the National Liberation of Korea in 1945. As methods of study, literature review and empirical study were carried out in parallel.
First off, to look into the background, as Western civilization was introduced to Joseon(Korea) with the opening of ports since the Treaty of Ganghwa Island in 1876, there have been a lot of social changes, and advancement in dressing happened remarkably after the execution of a reform in 1884. As the post of Governor-General of Korea was installed in 1910, Korea entered Japanese rule in earnest, and this reform and the acceptance of Western culture developed more rapidly under the influence of Japan that had already been through many processes of Westernization with the Meiji Restoration. There are several factors that affected changes in women’s clothing during this period, among which the spread of modern education had the greatest impacts. In this process of the beginning of new education, the role of religion, the main axis of the idea of equality played an important role, and in particular, the introduction of Christianism had great impacts on women’s mind set. Later, Christian movement that became active since the 18th century gradually destroyed the system of Confucianism, and made women feel the need of new education and entry in public affairs. While this foundation was prepared, female school in Korea began as Mrs. Scranton founded Ewha Hakdang in 1886. To look into the types and trend of female school uniforms, in an early phase when female schools emerged, starting with Ewha Haktang, the students in each school, mostly, put on hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) uniforms, but as time passed, they gradually wore modernized hanbok uniforms for easier activities and sometimes, changed the uniforms by setting the fashion themselves. Sseugaechima and jang-ot (kind of veil), legacies of the old era were gradually replaced by an umbrella or parasol. Some girl students decorated their uniforms and heads with Western accessories such as a brooch and ribbon. During this period, hanbok was improved mainly for functionality and convenience, but accessories and miscellaneous goods for decoration, also, emerged by the characteristics of the age group of girl students and the distinct characteristics of the group. Since the 1930s, more and more schools adopted a one-piece and jumper skirt(Western influence) and sailor suit(Japan’s influence). In addition, loose work pants and pants uniforms worn due to Japanese coercion during World War II, though forced, became a chance for Korean women to put on pants not as underwear but as outer clothing for the first time. The results of the study are as follows: The expansion of modern education played the most important role of any other factors in bringing about modern changes in Korean dressing, and students in female schools took the lead of the trend of dressing. Also, hanbok improved: e.g. jeogori(Korean traditional jacket) got longer and skirt got shorter. In addition, many female schools adopted Western clothes such as one-piece, jumper skirt and sailor suit as their uniforms, and female school uniforms had a great impact on the improvement and Westernization of dressing. This played an important role for girl students at the time in encountering casual Western clothes for the first time. Ordinary women who did not attend school, too, imitated Western clothes in their styles. This period when the number of female schools increased, many young girls wore different school uniforms and the changes in the looks of those school uniforms were clear is an important point of time in the history of girls’ dressing in Korea in the acceptance of Western dressing by the public. Also, judging from the general looks of female school uniforms and girls’ outfits in vogue, girls’ acceptance of Western clothes and accessories and mixing, combination with hanbok or wearing them in Western style, it is found that the Westernization of female school uniforms became a chance for general women to encounter Western clothing. Thus, it came to be a starting point of positive impacts on modernization of fashion in South Korea since the 1960s.