Hanbok : Worn in each season

Koreans made their clothes out of the seasonal cloth they weaved. The cloth and needlework used differ form season to season. No other people around the world appear to have paid such particular attention to the need of gaments suitable for each season.

Spring and fall
In February and March, the air is filled with expectations for the new season, but the cold winter still lingers. Thus, clothes were made using lighter cloth than that of winter, but in consideration of the need to fend off the lingering cold. Clothes for women were mostly made of silk such as jameuisa or jinjusa. (Refer to photos.)
With the onset of fall, garments were made out of cloth such as silk that is light but keeps the body warm. The cloth was starched and then beaten to make it feel smooth before it was used to make clothes. Very fine cotton fabrics were mixed with silk to make the cloth very soft and luxurious. In fall, men wore a durumagi (topcoat) called changeui, a long robe with both sides open, separating the front and back. Thus, it was a suitable garment for horse riders.
In fall, women dyed the cloth with obaeja (a knot hardened by bugs living on the leaves of a lacquer tree). The color of the hanbok thus dyed looks something similar to grey but displays a more refined taste and quality. They also made garments by sewing cut-out pieces of cloth together. 



Summer
During the hot summer days, hemp is the best cloth, as it is light and good for air circulation. Hemp was often used for summer clothes for its pure white color, satin-like luster, durability and for the fact that it does not getting wet easily.
Upper class men of the past regarded durumagi (an overcoat) made of Hansan mosi (hemp), dyed in very light indigo color, starched and smoothed by beating, to be the best quality. Hansan of Chungcheongnam-do, is well-known for its hemp. 

Winter
In winter, people looked for simplistic chic in clothes. They chose plain cloth without patterns. In contrast, they used diversified sewing techniques. They also put cotton inside their clothes to keep the heat in. Upper class women preferred to wear gorgeous colored cloths with patterns of bats, tigers, clouds, grapes or chipmunks.
Though difficult to see nowadays, upper class men of the past wore cheolik, a long robe with the jeogori (jacket) and chima (skirt) sewn together, pleats at the waist, and with a half-sleeved durumagi (overcoat) over it. Both men and women liked to wear teolbaeja (fur vests). Teolbaeja is a vest with fur sewn on the inside.




source: Netkoa magazine