Purple Korean Skirt (Chima)

Accession Number: A.8416.64-2b


Label: Woman’s Costume, Korea, c.1960’s, Gift of Miss Younghee Choy


This traditional Korean garment is usually worn with a cropped jacket (Jeogori). Together, the two items are known as a Hanbok.

This chima consists of a brocaded, floral silk skirt in purple, green, and blue. Numerous pleats at the top of the garment allow it to form a graceful bell shape. These pleats are attached to a white cotton yoke that fits over the shoulders and is normally covered by the jeogori. The skirt closes in the back with a pair of white cotton ties located just above the pleats.

When deconstructed, the skirt yielded a single large rectangle of silk, comprised of three panels of fabric joined at the selvages. All seams on this portion were hand sewn, all hems hand rolled, and the pleats had also been hand sewn. In contrast, the white cotton portion of the garment has been machine sewn.

A commercially produced dog bed was obtained. The damaged cover was removed and deconstructed, with these pieces being used for the sewing pattern. The brocaded silk was then cut and machine stitched together to form the top portion of the dog bed cover. This was stretched over the foam dog bed form. The bottom of the cover was then hand stitched to the top, securing them together. Note: for the sides and bottom of the dog bed cover, the reverse side of the fabric has been used.

The accession number was embroidered onto a dogbone-shaped piece of white cotton cut from the top portion of the skirt. This was then appliquéd to the center of the dog bed cover.