Western Dress Styles Adopted by Korean Women

Abstract

The association between various forms of a product—13 styles of western dress for women introduced into Seoul, Korea, before 1972—and the quantity adopted by 495 Korean women, grouped by age, education, and occupation, was delineated in this study. Three garments—the blouse, overcoat, and separate gathered skirt—were owned by over 80 percent of all women.Of the Korean women over 60 years of age, born in the Yi era prior to 1910, over half owned three western styles: the gathered skirt, separate blouse, and overcoat; of women 30 to 60 years of age, born during the Japanese Colonialism period (1910 to 1945), over half in addition owned the one‐piece beltless dress and the spring coat; of women 18 to 30 years of age, educated in western‐type democracy, over half owned 10 styles of dress.Age and education were significantly associated with the quantity and variety of 12 western styles owned, while occupation was significantly associated with only three styles—suits, pants or shorts, and tight skirts.Quantity plus variety of western styles owned by Korean women can be called “levels of adoption” and may be used to identify three levels of acculturation with western ideas.