| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
skk1153
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
|
 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:10 pm Post subject: Women's wardrobe concerns - cleavage! |
 |
|
I understand that in Korea, women dress much more conservatively. I've been placed in Daegu, and the only thing everybody says when I tell them is, "OH! Daegu is VERY conservative!" - which makes me think that I need to be even MORE careful about how I dress than if I were placed in Seoul.
As a born and raised American, I have a lot of clothes that DO show cleavage. In the online research I've done (and the watching of many Korean dramas), it seems that Korean women tend not to expose even a HINT of cleavage. Unfortunately, a lot of my clothes do show a little cleavage (even a couple work dresses - which are still very professional by Western standards).
So my main question is - in a particularly conservative area like Daegu, can I get away (without dirty looks or disapproval) with wearing those potentially cleavage-baring items but using a camisole underneath to prevent ANY cleavage from showing? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| A camisole will be fine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
littletelly94
Joined: 02 Dec 2012
Location: Korea
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I say wear classy clothes that flatter you and your figure.
Yes, Korean women don't wear anything that exposes cleavage, but (and I mean this in the nicest way possible), you can't show what you don't have. They're not known for their curvaceous figures. They wear what is more flattering to their very slim frames like pretty flowy dresses, for example. And while they don't show cleavage, they wear short dresses and skirts to show their legs.
So, wear what looks nice on you. If you have, say, a chest and an ample bottom, you don't have to tape them down and hide them. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Perceptioncheck
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| littletelly94 wrote: |
So, wear what looks nice on you. If you have, say, a chest and an ample bottom, you don't have to tape them down and hide them. |
This is fabulous advice if you want to be talked about and judged.
Although I wouldn't advocate taping anything down  you should definitely try to not show any cleavage. I always wear a camisole under my work shirts. It's not a huge deal for me to do so, and my co-workers don't think I'm vulgar. Win-win! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
littletelly94
Joined: 02 Dec 2012
Location: Korea
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Perceptioncheck wrote: |
| littletelly94 wrote: |
So, wear what looks nice on you. If you have, say, a chest and an ample bottom, you don't have to tape them down and hide them. |
This is fabulous advice if you want to be talked about and judged.
|
OP, if you don't want to be talked about and judged, then don't move to Korea!  That's life as a foreigner in a homogenous society.
What makes a person look nice differs from person to person. Since people are all built differently, then what is flattering differs. You'd have to be delusional to deny that. A thin woman can wear something loose fitting and look good, while the same outfit would make a curvier woman look fat. So, just because they wear it doesn't mean that you should. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| littletelly94 wrote: |
| Perceptioncheck wrote: |
| littletelly94 wrote: |
So, wear what looks nice on you. If you have, say, a chest and an ample bottom, you don't have to tape them down and hide them. |
This is fabulous advice if you want to be talked about and judged.
|
OP, if you don't want to be talked about and judged, then don't move to Korea! That's life as a foreigner in a homogenous society.
What makes a person look nice differs from person to person. Since people are all built differently, then what is flattering differs. You'd have to be delusional to deny that. A thin woman can wear something loose fitting and look good, while the same outfit would make a curvier woman look fat. So, just because they wear it doesn't mean that you should. |
Exposing cleavage in Korea is akin to rocking a bare midriff in the West. It's really ill-advised in a professional setting, and outside of that you'd best only do so after careful consideration of the venue in question. OP seems to have the right idea and will do fine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
you DO NOT want to go to work showing cleavage or around town. I guarantee as much as the sun comes up tomorrow morning that you WILL be gossiped about at work and will ge dirty looks or called *beep* to or behind you back. Why do you want to dress like that anyway? Dress like a mature woman and don't show cleavage, it's as simple as that.
If Korea looks down on exposed shoulders and spaghetti strap shirts, they will go apeshi$ over cleavage. Wear it at you own risk. Do you respect yourself? Then cover it up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
EZE
Joined: 05 May 2012
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| littletelly94 wrote: |
| OP, if you don't want to be talked about and judged, then don't move to Korea! |
^^This.^^
Plunging necklines are actually quite common in Korean women's fashion. It's very common to see Korean women wearing things like the outfit in these links:
http://www.9channel.com/taobao/product-5015623921100-hitz-korean-women-powder-love-you-greatly-fur-collar-v-neck-low-cut-unique-sweater-jacket.html
http://www.youtube.com/user/DrMariee?v=W3S9FiqqVGE
South Korea is probably the only country in the world where men are expected to wear more clothing than women. I'm a foreign male and once last year, I had a shirt unbuttoned one or certainly no more than two buttons. A couple of Korean women made a big deal about it, and I replied, "You'd see more than this at the beach." They said, "But we're not at the beach." The thing is these women were wearing shirts very similar to the ones in the links. Their shirts exposed far more chest than mine did, but Korean men rarely expose their chests in public. Korean women commonly do.
Last year, an American co-worker would often wear clothing that showed some cleavage, but nothing was said to her. The female Korean teachers often wore bootey shorts. You get more leeway in Korea when you're a female. The rules for males are more rigid. I was required to wear a cap every day at my previous school when I shaved my head. I shaved my head a couple of weeks ago and my current school suggested that I wear a wig.
I doubt you'll be judged about morals if you show cleavage. You'll probably just be told to lose weight. "Why don't you lose weight? You should eat the Korean way." Because even though your shirt won't be any lower cut than the ones the Korean gals wear, your boobs are different in their size and different is considered wrong here. My former co-worker said she was often told she should lose weight because her breasts were large, along with other critiques about various aspects of her physical appearance. She said she received more unsolicited advice and criticism about her looks in Korea than the she had in the rest of her life combined, and she wasn't a bad-looking girl at all, so littletelly is telling you right. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Koharski
Mod Team
Joined: 20 Jul 2009
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Once again, a question for the women is answered by a bunch of male "experts." Please, if you have nothing constructive to add to the discussion, move along to the next thread.
Koharski |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pablo
Joined: 15 Dec 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 6:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Dodge7 wrote: |
| Do you respect yourself? Then cover it up. |
This quote is more about misogyny and manipulation than manners.
Whether *you* respect OP doesn't (and shouldn't) have anything to do with whether she respects herself.
It's her body, her gender, and her life. Remember?
Last edited by Pablo on Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Greyjoy
Joined: 12 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Great to see Dave's is still a thriving cesspit of misogyny. Actual woman here. Yes, things are different in Korea. If you have large breasts, you're going to be judged for having them - not only by Koreans but also by your troglodyte NET colleagues it seems.
That being said, camis are pretty popular. It's really all you need. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Koharski
Mod Team
Joined: 20 Jul 2009
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 4:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Accounts will disappear if this thread needs to cleaned again. Guys, this thread is not you, and off-color remarks will not be tolerated!! MOVE ALONG!!!!
Koharski |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
skk1153
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:14 pm Post subject: Thanks? |
|
|
Thanks for the input....everybody? Lol, I am ethnically East Asian (but am a second generation American), so don't have to worry about GIANT BOOBS and people staring regardless (hopefully).
I just have heard that Daegu is particularly conservative, so was wondering if I should simply leave behind any clothes which might expose cleavage (the small amount I do have) - or if a camisole underneath would be appropriate ENOUGH and solve the problem. I don't want to offend anybody or be talked about behind my back; when in Rome and all - just want to be respectful of Korean cultural norms in dressing myself.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
oppa637
Joined: 05 Dec 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
To be on safe side, just dont' show any till you get a feel or what's appropriate when you get there.
I wouldn't show any to class but on your days off, I think it'd be okay if you really want to show some. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:20 am Post subject: Re: Thanks? |
|
|
| skk1153 wrote: |
Thanks for the input....everybody? Lol, I am ethnically East Asian (but am a second generation American), so don't have to worry about GIANT BOOBS and people staring regardless (hopefully).
I just have heard that Daegu is particularly conservative, so was wondering if I should simply leave behind any clothes which might expose cleavage (the small amount I do have) - or if a camisole underneath would be appropriate ENOUGH and solve the problem. I don't want to offend anybody or be talked about behind my back; when in Rome and all - just want to be respectful of Korean cultural norms in dressing myself. |
A camisole underneath will be enough, even with bigger breasts. As long as no skin is showing, you'll be fine. Really. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
