099/ What I'm Wearing no. 36
Connecting with my heritage + summer sandal edit + the legs are finally out.
What I’m Wearing is a series where I share all of the outfits I’ve worn over a given week (or two), along with styling notes, links and related thoughts. If you see an outfit you like on my Instagram, you’ll find it here.
I’m starting off this edition of What I’m Wearing with one of my favourite pieces — this silk-linen dress by British brand, Too Good:
Interestingly, I receive a disproportionate number of compliments when I wear this dress even though there’s no fancy styling, it’s not “on trend”, it’s not an It piece, nor is it asking to be noticed through colour or ornamentation.
I truly don’t believe I’m being complimented on my style or on me as a person; the recognition is clearly directed towards the dress itself — a distinction you may have heard Amy smilovic make before.
I think the dress’s appeal may have to do with the sheen of the crepe-y fabric, its billowy shape, and how gracefully it moves through space.
Yet, aside from all the things the dress already has going for it, I’d like to believe that it also gives off a dignified and proud aura; because when I wear it, I imagine myself wearing a traditional Korean hanbok:
Han-bok literally translates to “Korean clothes”1 and thus refers to a broad category of clothing. Colloquially, however, Koreans know you’re referring to the outfit pictured above — a top (jeogori) and skirt (chima) set for women, or its equivalent top (jeogori) and pant (baji) set for men.
Historians believe the hanbok’s basic structural features existed since at least the third century A.D. through the discovery of tomb murals dating back to that time.
Right up until the early 20th century, the (colloquial) hanbok was worn everyday. The upper classes wore colourful, often ornate, hanboks made from silk and ramie, while commoners wore cotton ones in muted shades.
Today, the hanbok is worn on special occasions such as Seollal (Lunar New Year), Chuseok (Korean “Thanksgiving”), weddings, funerals, birthdays and baekil (an infant’s 100-day celebration).2
Sadly, I haven’t worn a hanbok since my 20s, which is reflective of the fact that my ties to my homeland are getting weaker as time passes. I’m no longer living in a household where Korean is a primary language; nor are my days spent at church or with old family friends where language, traditions and culture stay alive through osmosis. Grandparents and elder family members are gradually passing away.
Last year, the New York Times published a piece about the evolution of the hanbok, and spoke to Soo Hugh, the showrunner for the TV series, Pachinko,3 based on the (amazing!) novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee:
Ms. Hugh, who was one of only a few Korean American children growing up in Towson, Md., in the 1980s, recalled how wearing hanbok to school for multicultural days could garner unwanted attention — a feeling of otherness. “Now, when you read and learn about the history of our clothes, putting on a hanbok feels empowering, and also something that needs to be protected a little bit,” she said. “Working on ‘Pachinko’ has put so much of my past in context.”
“For me, it symbolizes the lineage of that sadness that is in every Korean because of our very recent, traumatic history that isn’t spoken about much, especially in the diaspora, where it’s regarded as: ‘That was then, that was there.’”
What struck her about watching “Pachinko,” she added, is “how close that past really is, and how much change there has been in such a short period of time: technologically, culturally, geopolitically.” It is also a stark reminder, she said, of what her own grandmothers wore in their youth, just two generations ago.
“With the surge of global interest in Korean culture, hanbok may just be a trend for a lot of people, but for me, that validation is not necessary to who I am,” Ms. Choi said. “This is just who we are — and it’s beautiful to embrace.”
[Emphasis added.]
This is a long quote but I included it in full because I could have written every word of it myself; indeed, I’ve had many conversations with family and friends about all of the themes she touched upon.
I’m not suggesting in any way that the Too Good was ever inspired by the hanbok when designing the Spinner dress. Frankly, it’s highly unlikely. There are clear differences like the low vs. high waist, and the fact that the hanbok is two pieces, and my dress is, well, one. But there are enough similarities in shape and fabric that the dress connects me to my heritage and history whenever I put it on my body.
And now, onto the rest of what I’m wearing…!
It’s finally getting warmer! It’s not quite shorts season, but my legs are getting more bare by the day:
Aside from the Massimo Dutti woven flats, I was in full coverage shoes for the rest of the week. Since many of you are well into summer temperatures, here’s a bonus summer sandal edit for you. I hope to join you in wearing them soon!
Re the Hvoya flats, what are your thoughts on the crochet trend? There were some polarizing opinions on my Instagram about this Zara dress (there are few crochet options on the site now, e.g. this dress).
A brand (not the Row) that has being doing crochet well for a few seasons now is Jamaican-New York brand Diotima, whose Peplos dress I’ve been admiring for over a year (see also: their Talisman crocheted cotton midi dress).
Other crochet-focused brands include Anna Kosturova, Alex Pinho, Escvdo, and Miguelina.
And speaking of Carven, if you’ve been following along with What I’m Wearing, you’ll know I love a good sweetheart neckline, whether it’s my Magda Butrym swimsuit or my Nensi Dojaka bustier. On that note, check out this asymmetrical bustier from the brand’s SS24 collection!
Tomorrow I’m off to NYC for a mother-son weekend. See you next week!
Love & gratitude,
Irene
The term han-bok is used in South Korea after the Han dynasty, whereas North Korea uses the term chosun-ot after the Chosun dynasty. “Ot” means clothes in Korean.
Koreans celebrate a child’s 100th day because, back in the day, infant death rates were high and it was a milestone to make it that far!
Fun fact! Pachinko was filming in Toronto and they put out a casting call for supporting parts. For sh*ts and giggles, I submitted a video audition and I was called back! I can’t remember if I was truly busy or if I made up a reason to be busy because I was so nervous, but I didn’t end up going to my audition.
Re crochet: I think it depends on where you live and what other elements you have in your closet on whether it will work for someone. Me: no. I don’t have enough funky modern items. I would look “grandma-core”.
"...But there are enough similarities in shape and fabric that the dress connects me to my heritage and history whenever I put it on my body." I really loved this part - connecting with your heritage - beautiful, Irene.