Short Hanbok Dress for Coco - A Project!

Hello! This is going to be a long post of me explaining the new sewing project I'm starting, the research I did, the things I tried and -most of all- the lovely people that helped and encouraged me to start it. Well, sometime ago, I was talking/thinking of making Coco a qipao, but couldn't decide to start one, because I don't have satins with stamps, and did not wanted to go buy *more* fabric. So I started thinking on making a hanbok for her, since due to her recently found story (thanks Lise for the push!) she is half Korean.

So I came to research for hanboks -a traditional Korean fashion- and found a lot of modern switches. I first found the desing of Kim Min Jeong, who makes wedding hanboks, mixing their traditional style with western style (hence the dresses are white). And specially, the one with tons of layered ruffles reminded me of Blade & Soul Nam So Yoo design.

Anyways, I kept researching and found Sonjjan Hanbok, a fashion brand of Korea that besides making traditional hanboks, the make some modernized style too, which they call "fusion" -a fusion between modern and traditional hanboks. I have been wanting to make something in purples/blues for Coco, and when I saw the Oriental Purpleblue design, I really regretted it not being in dolly size. I thought of sewing it, but it was made in chiffon, with a type of pleats I don't know how to make and so on... so I entered on the let's-put-this-on-my-sewing-wishlist, because I-don't-have-the-skills-yet.

And this was when twitting with Fantasywoods she told me to go on, to try anyways and to learn from this. I was half-decided, when late at night I was talking to the hubby about this insecurities, and he told me "how are you supposed to learn something, if you never try it?". And it was an OMG moment, and I decided to go with this project.

I will be first sewing a knee-lenght modern hanbok, in order to "waste" less fabric, and try out my hand at sewing chiffon by hand, and making the pleats I'm affraid of. So after the cut you will find my current state in the project and my ideas.

So first, what is a modern/fusion hanbok dress? This image shows the difference between them:

Image credits: Sonjjan Hanbok

Mostly the bodice is longer to waist line, and they have modern closure types. Also, the modern skirts are mostly made of sheer fabrics, so they need to use petticoats underneath. I did the petticoat a little over the knee, with two layers of white chiffon, shirred elastic, and french seams. Those were so many tutorials, hahaha, but I'm really happy how this turned out.

Coco offered to show how it fits, but she ended up making poses. The shirred waist goes a little over the waist line but under the bust:

Also, the color combination seems to be different from traditional hanboks. They use embroidered tops, but since I did not wanted to embroider after the Star Trek logo fiasco, I decided I will use some lace I have, to make a really nice and detailed top. This are the fabrics I'm planning to use:

The dress will have two red chiffon skirts in layer, in order to "play" a little with sheerness. The bodice will be done in the golden creme of the right, with that lace overlayed, as I told before. The black ribbon will be ironed and used as a decoration between bodice and skirt, and tied as the traditional jeogori (the vest) ties. I hope to be able to do this right.

I also, removed, then cleaned and repositioned Coco's eyes, since they were a little dirty already =S You can have a close-up here:

I still don't know which wig she will be wearing. I have some ideas but I'm yet not quite sure. I know she will use the black pumps, and I will try to make her a red purse and *maybe* a tiny headdress, depending on the wig I settle up with. Now I need to draft the patterns of the bodice and sew it, hoping not to screw up the lace fabric I chose.

Anyways, I really hope you have liked this, and I need to thanks to all the people that encouraged me to do this. Thanks!! :3 I hope to not lose the interest and be able to sew the long hanbok too.