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Traditional Korean clothing is usually known as hanbok, and consists of a two-part ensemble of short for women, and a jacket with loose trousers tied at the ankles for men. As long ago as AD 500, clothing in this style was worn, as we know from wall paintings found in ancient tombs. Tailoring and proportions varied over time, with the Joseon period preferring a short jacket length for women along with very long, trailing skirts.

Since Koreans sat on the paper-covered floors of their houses, rather than on chairs, loose, flowing skirts and trousers were both comfortable and practical. When traveling or visiting outside the home, upper-class men would wear long coats, woven from silk or ramie and lined with fur in the hard winters. This was completed by a distinctive black hat, which hid long hair tied up into a topknot. Commoners had woven straw shoes, or wooden clogs for muddy paths. Indoors, woven shoes of silk, hemp and animal hides were the norm. Children were dressed in bright colors until they reached adulthood, whereas married women wore sober, restrained colors. Clothing marked the wearer's social standing.

Farmers and laborers wore undyed workclothes, although on special occasions they would don bright and festive attire.

Know more about Korea at: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/1001_About%20Korea.jsp

Photos credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artisticasianinfatuation/3827679505/in/photostream/