Hanbok Boy has always been a huge part of Korean culture, although now it’s worn for special occasions. Even though it’s typically thought of as formal wear in recent times, the traditional attire has significant meaning and it’s gaining traction again as being more than just for celebratory events.
Hanbok Boy- A Traditional Korean Attire with Special Meaning
Koreans used to wear Hanbok daily until around 100 years ago and that’s when it moved from being everyday wear to formal attire. The clothing would reflect the lifestyle and culture of the Korean people and there are many colors and shapes to choose from. Traditional color schemes involve the five elements that are part of the yin and yang theory. White symbolizes metal, blue stands for wood, yellow stands for earth, red signifies fire, and black signifies water.
The designs and flow of the Hanbok Boy resemble that of traditional wear and still holds the same cultural significance. With Hanbok, formal wear is most attractive when the person is moving around in the clothing. It has a design that’s expressive and flows to create a beautiful aesthetic that stands out. Hanbok Boy clothing features natural dyes in the fabric as all Hanbok clothing uses. This means there are no artificial dyes used and it creates richness and depth to the outfit.
What Clothing is in a Hanbok Boy Set & What’s the Common Color?
For Hanbok Boy, you’ll find that the traditional color scheme is navy and consists of the hanbok, trousers, and a vest. The baby wears this special occasion attire on his first birthday. For the first birthday bash, the attire consists of other clothing items with important Korean cultural significance.
If the Hanbok Boy outfit is for the first birthday there will be the traditional hanbok top and trousers along with a belt called a doltti. The belt is special in Korean culture because it contains the wishes of the parents for the baby boy. Wishes included on the belt could be for happiness, health, luck, and wishes for long life.
A bokgun is also worn which is a hat and the baby will have hanbok socks on too, which are called beoseon. With the Hanbok Boy first birthday attire, you’ll find gotsin, which are the shoes, and a norigae accessory is worn. The norigae features strap art and embroidery from Korean culture. A pocket called the lucky pocket will be worn to hold the lucky item.
How Hanbok Has Changed in Recent Years
Hanbok clothing has been changing in recent years to reflect a more modern and westernized appearance, but it still maintains the same significance to the Korean people. The fabrics, features, and colors of Hanbok and Hanbok Boy have been altered so that it can become everyday wear. Most Koreans prefer to keep the attire for formal situations and celebrations even as the clothing becomes modernized.
The feel of the clothing items has modernized but the elements of the Hanbok remain traditional. Those traditional elements that signify Korean culture can be found at the bottom of the specific modernized garment being worn. You can now find Hanbok Boy and other Hanbok items in fabrics such as leather, lace, and even cotton. Making the Hanbok in more comfortable fabrics has allowed Koreans the opportunity to wear the items every day if they choose.