Have you ever been to Korea? It's quite a bit different than North America, but there are some similarities. No matter how different your culture is, everyone has to wear clothes! Read on as our very own Ashkon Hobooti explores the world of Korean fashion, including popular styles, the difference between Korean casual dress and Canadian casual dress, the world of vegan fashion in Korea, and more!
1. Vegan Fashion in Korea
Written by: Ashkon Hobooti on April 1st
2014
Fashion is geographic, but style is universal!
In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy, “I look good. I mean
real good.”
Standards and taste for fashion varies around the world and what you find in
Korea is up there with France and Italy.
Fashion designers set trends, but not everywhere. I’ve seen people in Canada go
out in pajamas. I’m not sure when that became acceptable, but it shouldn’t be. I
believe you very much are what you wear. You’re making a statement about
yourself when you walk out the door no matter what you’re wearing.
In Korea, people seem to make an effort. Men and women alike put a great deal
of time into their physical appearance, perhaps obsessively. Formal dress shops
are everywhere, and so is the advertising for it. And the quality is supreme!
Walking into GALAXY, one of the aforementioned stores, the salesman was
dapper and eager to make me look as good as he did. I have noticed the service
is stellar, which really goes a long way in the whole experience. The staff is
always very knowledgeable. Once, despite the language barrier between a
storeowner and me, he made the effort to communicate by calling someone he
knew who speaks English and Korean so they could translate and I’d have my
questions answered!
2. At this store, prices varied, but hovered around the ₩350,000, which is roughly
$350. Not too shabby! In terms of sizing, there’s no need to fret. I had no
problems finding the right size. The salesman was taller than me!
The materials used for the suits are plentiful. It’s not just all wool. There’s cotton,
linen, flannel, polyester, etc.
Another difference I noticed was the way the suits are cut. A majority of them are
slim fitted and sometimes with tapered pants. The broad range of fabrics makes
these suits suitable for those who are after vegan fashion or vegetarian fashion. I
was happy to find vegan fashion in Korea! The belts for formal wear are leather
just like nearly anywhere, but the kid’s belts are no different than adults when it
comes to casual wear. Belts made of canvas and canvas-like material are
popular.
I did waltz into a ladies clothing stores briefly just to see what was in there, and I
found a whole lots of colour. Ladies clothing shops like The Day, Joinus, and
Crocodile are among the popular ones. I was intrigued to find a traditional Korean
women’s dress shop. The traditional dress is called Hanbok and the shape,
variety of colour, and old fashioned feel make them striking and beautiful.
Overall, I was quite pleased. It’s a breath of fresh air to find such abundance of
great looking clothes that are cheap and of high quality, not to mention the vegan
fashion options!
Thanks for reading! Yours in health, consciousness, and veganism,
this is Ashkon Hobooti for Truth! Live Your Truth, and Respect
Others’!
Ashkon Hobooti is a freelance journalist, a vegan and a human and animal rights
activist. He works to tell stories of those who don't have a voice. His primary goal is to
encourage discourse and healthy debates through his feature stories and
documentaries on issues that matter. He also plays a mean guitar, and writes for
Truth Belts, a vegan fashion company. To discover more about vegan fashion, check
out Truth online: Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter |