jeogori (Child's Jacket)

Such “Jo-go-ri”, made of luxurious fabrics and with rainbow “saek-dong” sleeves, were worn by girls and women from wealthy families on festivals and other special occasions. During the 1950s the underarm seams were longer than those worn both previously and later, and the garment as a whole was wider, making it more comfortable. Gold thread brocade was popular at that time. By this time the rainbow “saek-dong” sleeves were made of fabric woven in stripes, rather than being pieced as they had been previously. The Korean textile industry had developed to the point that it could produce such fabrics by this time. Graceful curves, like those at the lower edge of this garment, are important in Korean aesthetics and reflected in various forms, including architecture.

This “Jo-go-ri” was worn by Lona Elrod as a four-year-old, and she had outgrown it by the time her family left Korea in 1960. Most of the clothing in the J. McRee Elrod Collection was made for him and his family by friends while they were living in Korea, much of it by Kim, Sung Sook. She and her family lived cooperatively in the same house as the Elrod family. While they were there, the Elrods preferred to wear Korean clothing on very cold days and for social occasions. They found it to be more comfortable than western clothing in cold weather, as public buildings were unheated in the period immediately following the Korean War. It also was more comfortable for floor seating in Korean homes, and easier to store with limited furniture than western clothing.

The peony is a symbol of wealth, and its image is used by and associated with girls and women.

The garment is machine sewn except for the stitches attaching the white collar, which are done by hand.

Short green jacket with floral pattern and striped sleeves. The centre opening has front panels that overlap to the right when closed. Two long thick ties are attached to the lower left facing and to the right of the facing. The left outer facing is rounded at the lower edge, while that on the right is straight and projects beyond the front edge of the garment. The neck is finished with a narrow facing or collar of white fabric. The body has a large gold peony motif repeated on green ground. The long sleeves are inset with seams angled outwards towards the underarms and are made of brocade stripes in six different colours parallel to the body of the garment. The stripes are embellished with woven yellow floral motifs. The seam of the sleeves, under the arms, has a pronounced convex curve, narrowing to the wrist. The inner lining is unbleached cotton.