With Korean fashion making waves across the world, it’s easy to wonder how Korean fashion differs from western fashion. Every country and its people tend to take style and create their own look. As it becomes popularized over time and through the sharing powers of social media or by observing at gatherings, fashion begins to take on cultural influences. Korean and Western fashion has many similarities, but with the differences in culture, it’s bound to have its own unique spin. Read on to learn more about the differences between Korean fashion and western fashion.
The Difference Between Korean Fashion and Western Fashion
Fashion from all parts of the world influences and inspires new styles and looks as fashion evolves. With both worlds seemingly influencing the other, it can be difficult to understand where a trend originated and who adopted the looks. Both cultures do their best to dress well and establish a sense of identity through their stylish clothing choices, but a great way to distinguish the difference is in how the two carry themselves.
When it comes to Korean fashion, it tends to be more on the conservative side, while western fashion is more carefree and liberal. Korean styles tend to lean towards more covered looks than clothing that exposes the skin. Revealing clothing has traditionally not been an acceptable part of fashion, but as trends evolve, a little revealing clothing has been more accepted over time.
Korean styles also tend to use patterns, bold colors, or designs as statement pieces in addition to the rest of the outfit being more modern and neutral color tones to keep it simple. Western styles are more centered around freedoms and defining their personal identity. People will wear outfits that create shockwaves in the fashion world. They wear bright, bold colors, mix and match patterns and fabrics, and are experimental in the styles they choose.
Time, Place, and Occasions
When looking over different fashion trends in Korea versus Western fashion, time, place, and occasion are often referred to as a starting point to look at what people were in particular moments in time. There are cultural fashion differences in many life events that can differentiate fashion for both western and Korean fashion.
The wedding ceremonies are a great example to examine in Korean versus western fashion. The Korean Hanbok is traditionally worn for weddings for both wedding parties, with the bride wearing red and the groom wearing blue. In western fashions, brides traditionally wear a white dress while a groom wears a black suit. Each style has its own cultural significance and likely will remain a custom in each culture.
Trends Over Time
When it comes to the fashion world, styles are consistently evolving and changing and even coming full circle as styles of every decade make their way back as fresh trends. The western fashion world will always be more experimental, with bold colors, patterns, and mixtures of pieces that create a more artistic expression of personality and identity.
Although Korean fashion leans more towards conservative, they still will mix fun elements pulled from western inspiration. They create their own spin, focusing and placing more importance on the look and how they present themselves.
Both cultures are dedicated to making a statement and executing their own ideas of individual styles. As influences make their way to Korea from the western world, more bold and adventurous styles are beginning to emerge. No matter your style preferences, you can get some great sources of inspiration from both western and Korean fashion.