Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cedar]

Emma,

I wear tight t-shirts (like v-necks with cap sleeves) when I am just chilling out in the summer. I also do wear tank tops on occassion. I wear cut-off jeans or fishermen's pants. If i was going downtown, I'd dress up more. Wearing casual clothes is really only acceptable when you are near your house, like running to the store for some soy milk or going to work out. When I go downtown, I generally wear high heels just like the Korean girls. With everything.

[Ody]

[Aras]

thanks to Emma Clare for the oh-so-important packing question I had been meaning to post something similar, so the thread was lots of help!

[Corporal]

Um, Ody, you should have told those girls that since in not too many years they are going to be ajumas walking around in orange and red flowered parachute pants paired with a hideous green blouse, they really shouldn't be commenting on YOUR fashion sense.

Alternatively, you could tell them you don't take fashion advice from a country that clearly thinks it's acceptable for girls over the age of 10 to wear Hello Kitty and Disney clothing.

And don't get me started on the wicked witch of the west shoes.

[Emma Clare]

Hmmm.... Part of me is looking forward to being a classy laydee and dressing in a more 'elegant' way. (At 24 I'm a bit old for Disney too!) But high heels just to go into town??? Sheesh! I've been a student for 4 years now and I'm a jeans, sandals and tanktop kinda girl in the summer. I also rarely wear make-up, unless it's for the evening.

Apparently, by Korean standards, I'm a slob! As far as I'm concerned, dressing smartly is for work, and dressing sexily is for nightclubs & dinnerdates.

I don't even own any high heels anymore. Well, only ones with a 5" heel that are my 'killer' heels for clubbing and frivolity in the evening, and I'm not wearing those in the daytime. I'd look like a prostitute!

Would a 3" heel be OK for daywear? Hee! hee! I have this idea that all Korean girls are strapped into these gigantic 4" platforms!

Ody: No-one should ever be made to wear grey. Grey is for dirty old buildings.

[Trinny]

Will it be acceptable to wear western-style summer dresses in Korea?

Emma: make-up should be a part of your life in Korea. The only time you don't wear makeup is when you are in bed. Having said that, I went along a employee picnic/sleep-over thingy of my company, when I was in Korea. It was from Saturday to Sunday. There were 7 girls sharing the room with me (yes, it was crammed), and the first thing they did after getting up in the Sunday morning is to have a shower and put on a make-up. And mind you, we weren't going to church, we were planning to go hiking in that morning.

[Homer]

corporal...have you seen what women in there 20's, 30's and even 40's sometimes wear back home?
This "schoolgirl" look is not exclusive to asia even if it started there.
Also, what about the women that are a bit plump and insist on wearing body huging spandex and or cut off t-shirts?
Or the 40 year old women back home who dress like they were in high school to try and look.."young"...
Fashion has its disasters everywhere.
We could also talk about men's fashion but this is a what a girl wears thread....
I still say wear a tent or even a larger table cloth...cheap, efficient, all seasonal...

[merrilee]

No way! Do all of you females actually wear make-up every day? That's insanity, and I'm afraid I won't be taking part. Likewise, do you really all wear heels into town and at work? That really wasn't part of my plan...

[Emma Clare]

[crazylemongirl]

merrilee and emma clare

I don't wear that much makeup, only if I'm going out on the town really. My advice is to do what makes you comfortable. Your apperance will be judged by people here just like back home, however here they will comment on it.

You will probably feel very conscious about your apperance for the first few months (I've been here five months and I'm still getting used to it), mostly because a) you look different from other people here b) you get stared at a lot and c) fellow teachers/people on the street/and your students will comment on your apperance, both positive and negative aspects of it. I get heaps of compliments about having blue eyes but just as many insults as because I have a lot of freckles on my arms I have 'dirty skin'.

I think the trick is to remember the compliments and forget the insults ie. one of the first things my six year olds said to me was 'teacher beautiful' but last week they told me 'teacher pig' (although that may have had more to do with me dropping ice cream down my front during a snack party then any weight issues ). Just be yourself and don't get to upset by any insult on apperance that comes your way it just goes with the terrority here.

CLG

[The Man known as The Man]

[itchy]

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[chi-chi]

mods you may delete

[Squeezy]

Hi All!

I'm in the process for packing to come to South Korea and seeing as I'm female, I have been reading through these forums!

I've been told that jeans will be fine, however I'm still bringing my work slacks. You can never go wrong with slacks!

My question is; Is the sleaveless blouse ok for work attire?

Thanks for the thoughts!
Squeezy

[pauline]

Squeezy: I don't wear sleevless blouses when I'm teaching; I might do on a non-teaching day. Maybe for a hogwon it's acceptable, but not in a college or uni job. It's depends on your job.

Emma: you don't have to wear heels. I might wear low heels for work, but never anywhere else. Your sandles are fine if your top and pants are smart. Many Korean women have feet that are as ugly as their shoes.

I never wear full make-up, just liner, mascara and shadow. Rarely any lipstick, and certainly never foundation. Maybe some idiots will whisper and giggle. Many Korean women (and men) are unbelievably vain.

Good luck with your packing. Don't forget to bring lots of good deodreant, sheets, underwear and bras.