• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.651-664
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to first examine the relationship between appearance-enhancing beauty practices and feminism, and secondly, to analyze public images of contemporary women using this paradigm. Through the lens of this relationship, we present a literature review and empirical research focusing on the evolution of public image trends among girl groups, with special attention to the Refund Sisters, a South Korean supergroup currently drawing mainstream attention as female icons. The scope of analysis includes girl groups dating from the 1990's to the year 2020 and photos of the Refund Sisters. Our results indicate that firstly, free sexual expression is evident based on active use of sexuality; images contain bold demonstrations of females desire, expressions previously considered taboo. Secondly, we note deviations from more standardized female images, unique adornment of outward appearance, and rejection of normative female images through freer forms of self-presentation. Lastly, there is greater cultural and racial diversity, rejection of modern race and gender binaries, and increased representation of queer identities. However, the relationship between appearance-enhancing beauty practices and feminism is sometimes considered paradoxical, with some arguing that beautifying one's outward appearance is a compulsory strategy and that it should be rejected in order to resist aesthetic pressure.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.275-292
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to recognize the aesthetic characteristics of the Maximalism depicted in contemporary costumes of new millennium. This is done by analyzing and examining the social and cultural background of fashion in the few years of 21st century. The fashion trend of the beginning of 21st century was coexisted conflicting factors with ultramodern factor and past recurrent factor. For that reason, new millennium is to be existence background of Maximalism style in contemporary costumes. The social and cultural background of Maximalism was regarded as characteristics of the Glocalism, fusion style, bobos. Glocalism means a compound word of Globalism and Localism, and used various fields of policy, economics, society etc. Consequently, the aesthetic formativeness of Maximalism of the contemporary costumes was investigated as the 'Romantic Hippie Look' and 'Romantic Sports Look' 1) Romantic Hippie Look New millennium fashion trend is affected by hippie style of 1970's. That is major reason that the antiwar consciousness of 9.11 terror, USA-Afganistan war and the economic depression is similar to 1970's situation. Accordingly, fashion trend is developed into bright, light, romantic style and fashion designers chose materials with flowers, butterflies, dragonflies pattern. Because the clothing of these material reflects well modern people's feeling to escape misgivings, unrest of political terror, war etc. The characteristics of hippie style expressed freedom as the greatest merit was raised new trend, so called 'Romantic Hippie Look' on new millennium. That is, the romantic hippie look of the contemporary costumes is depicted as the formative beauty of the multiculturalism and nationalism. 2) Romantic Sports Look : The beginning of new millennium, many fashion designers intend to graft the details of sports wear on order made or ready made clothing and try to show luxury and cheerful fashion design with combination of sporty and romantic factors. Accordingly, theses fashion trends expressed 'Romantic Sports Look' with a harmony or disharmony of unusual factors. The fashion trend of new millennium centering around special cities like New York, Paris, Milan moved to various regional culture. Accordingly, the features of fashion depicted not unique theme but multiplicity of the clothing of dissimilar style or material by the mixture of 2 or 3 factors like the fusion of femininity and masculinity and the combination of past and present of details. That is, the romantic sports look of the contemporary costumes is depicted as the formative beauty of the multi-functional and crossover.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.327-338
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• 2001

The purpose of this thesis is to study the aspects of sex identity in the contemporary mens fashion expressed through sexual image and taste in the half of twentieth century. The aspects of sex identity expression in the contemporary mens fashion can be classified by image, that is, homosexual, heroic, bisexual, and fetish. 1. The homosexual image has shown the tendency to emphasize the masculinity since 1950.60s. It can be found in \"Cowboys costume\" which is typical of American traditional fashion, and jeans and underwear fashion expressed by muscular men has homosexual characteristics which contain narcissism. 2. Based on mens traditional gender role, the heroic image emphasizes mens physical characteristics and expresses tough and offensive masculine beauty in mens suit which is free from the authority and formality. 3. The bisexual image denied the division of gender role by costume and destroyed the traditional sex model by resolutely applying womens costume such as skirts to mens fashion. 4. The fetish image is similar to bisexual image in that they wear womens costume, but different in that it expresses sexual desire or fantasy. It is expressed through brilliant color, leather and metal ornaments, and sensual element of women which emphasizes \"body\". This shows the sex identity of contemporary men who want more sensible and free life.sible and free life.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate the socio-cultural background of Poulaines, which influenced fashion and contemporary shoe design. Analyzing the characteristics of the Poulaines provided basic data for different shoes. The study method utilized previous studies to explore the concept and characteristics of Poulaines. In the empirical analysis, shoe design data mainly came from collections that illustrate formative elements of contemporary shoe design from the 2010 S/S season to the 2020 S/S season. A total of 709 photo materials were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the morphological characteristics of Poulaines were exaggerated to symbolize classes of the past and sexual expression. The expanding structure was divided into the fore nose, heel, and top-line and featured a design that expressed the formative beauty of Poulaines. Additionally, the decorative desire to represent wealth and class using various materials introduced new designs into contemporary shoe designs while showing extreme decorativeness through over-trimming and color contrast. Furthermore, the heterogeneous characteristics that come from the change and harmony of the shoes' body and heel that deviated from the existing shoe shapes were classified into the dissolution of shapes and mixing and matching. Thus, they broke the monotonous silhouette of shoes and gave variety delicately.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.11-23
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• 2007

This study has investigated the stream of consciousness and the actual conditions of tattoo. A survey of 466 people has found that female prefer tattoo, and a group of age between 21 and 41 and professionals are more interested in it. Both past and present of attitude consciousness about tattoo understand it dynamic and severe. However, it is considered as a feminine these days, whereas it had been understood as a masculine image in the past, which means a decrease of symbolism by gender. Also, in comparison with the past, the current thoughts on tattoo are getting hopeful and affirmative that we could know the attitude about tattoo changes. A survey of 106 tattooists shows that most people get a temporary tattoo, and permanent, semi-permanent tattoo came next. The most preferred area were eyebrows, are, shoulder, forearm, back of hand and waist, and a main reason of getting tattoo were for beauty and ostentation. For the level of satisfaction, 70.7% of the people polled said they were satisfied with it, and male preferred a pattern of animal, geometric and plant while female preferred a pattern of plant, animal, and geometric in order. So far, by the lack of basic information and data, efficiency value of tattoo is in negative view. Thus, it would be required to enhance a level of understanding tattoo focusing on the positive side like a new life style, sense of value, sensation and emotion of contemporary people, and generalize it by providing various technical information and knowledge of beauty image effect accompanied with tattoo.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.145-160
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to review the concept and thinking structure of deconstruction theoretically and thereupon, analyze the visual beauty and wearable comfort of the clothing and further, discuss the aesthetic characteristics and values of the decentering phenomenon in the 21st century fashion. Deconstruction provides for an cognitive framework whereby we could comprehensively review the difficult-to-understand and imprudent creativity unravelling in the name of the post-modernism as well as the ambiguous visual beauty and wearable comfort of our contemporary fashion. In particular, deconstruction refuses such concepts involving the relationship between the conventional clothing and its components as order, symmetry, balance, harmony, perfection and simplicity and instead, attaches some sense of value to such relatively inferior concepts as disorder, asymmetry, unbalance, disharmony, imperfection and complexity, and thus, reflects them in the modes of aesthetic representations to create new aesthetics and expand the expressive potential.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.686-693
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• 2022

The rapid development of the fashion industry in contemporary society has also caused various problems such as environmental pollution, material excess, and spiritual poverty. Accordingly, traditional Chinese Taoist aesthetics can solve the spiritual poverty that people are facing today, and the spiritual pursuit of returning to innocence. This study focuses on the works of first generation Chinese designer Ma Ke as an example to discuss the embodiment and application of Taoist aesthetics. The results are as follows: First, Ma Ke's works emphasize the value of handicraft through traditional handcrafting and natural fibers, which reflect the beauty of simplicity and the non-action of Taoist aesthetics. Second, the works acknowledge nature by using natural materials and retaining their original appearance, which embodies Taoist aesthetics of the beauty in non-action and living in harmony with nature. Third, the collections reflect a critical attitude toward the fashion industry and consumer culture by rethinking consumerism and advocating environmental protection, thus propagating the beauty in simplicity and the harmonious life with nature in Taoism aesthetics. In conclusion, Ma Ke's designs incorporating sustainability and handicraft exhibit the core features of Taoist aesthetics, including the beauty in simplicity, non-action, and living in harmony with nature while exploring the relationship between modernity and tradition, man and nature, and handicraft and fashion. This research can contribute to understanding Ma Ke's works in promoting critical thinking about the fashion industry through Taoist aesthetics.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.561-574
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• 2009

Black has been the most important color of all since the ancient times when the recognition of black roused, as well as during most of the eras; and can especially be said as the main color which controlled the chronicles of fashion. The purpose of the study was to broaden the application of black color image make-up by inquiring into make-up design elemental characteristics of lines and textures, after classifying magazine illustrations and advertisement make-up images using black. The photos which made effective use of black among fashion illustrations, magazine advertisements after 2001 were classified in to each type, and make-up expression method and characteristics according to design element of each image type was analyzed. The conclusion of such study was the following. 'Erotic image' showed contrast effect between eye make-up and lip color by using pale tone or red color. 'Mannish image' emphasized form and texture of eyebrow by restraining the colors of eyelids with natural brown tone eye make-up; 'Modern image' expressed vague eyebrow to bring the sensation of the direction of eye shadow on eyelids and eye line as well as slant line to relief. 'Kitsch image' showed free and light imagery by creating unique hair style with various colors; expressing lips mostly with colors similar to skin tone or by restraining colors on lips. 'Decadence image' showed messy and foul sensation with unstandardized eye make-up and matt skin of shimmer, glossy and pale tone, also with black colored lips; 'Retro image' expressed reinterpretation of images from 1920${\sim}$1960 to contemporary styles.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.3
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• pp.9-34
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• 2005

Contemporary Korean art in the 1960s and the 1970s reflects the social and political contexts in Korea from the 5 16 revolution through the Yoo Shin period. This paper investigates whether art has been free from power or not. It examines the power embedded in contemporary Korean art in the 1960s and the 1970s. This paper examines the historical moments of the Korean Art Exhibition, focusing on the complications between the abstract and figurative artworks of the 1960s. One of the significant art exhibitions since the 8 15 liberation of Korea, the Korean Art Exhibition witnessed conflict among Korean artists who wanted to have power in the art world of Korea. Institutional contradiction based on factionalism and conservatism prevailed in the Korean Art Exhibition was attacked by the avant-garde young artists in the 1960s. With the contact of Abstract Expressionism, young artists' generation participated in the The Wall Exhibition. This exhibition challenged and established moral principles and visualized individual expression and creation similar to the Informal movement in the West. In the world of the traditional painting of Korea, the Mook Lim Exhibition of 1960, organized by young artists of traditional painting, advocated the modernization of Soo Mook paintings. Additionally, abstract sculptures in metal engraving were the new trends in the Korean Art Exhibition. In the 1970s, the economic development and establishment of a dictatorial government made the society stiffen. Abstract expression died out and monochrome painting was the most influential in the 1970s. After the exhibition of Five Korean Artists, Five White Colors in the Tokyo Central Art Museum in 1976, monochrome paintings were formally discussed in Korea. 'Flatness' 'physicality of material' 'action' 'post-image' 'post-subjectivity' and 'oriental spirituality' were the critical terms in mentioning the monochrome paintings of the 1970s. 'Korean beauty' was discussed, focusing on the beauty of white which was addressed by not only Yanagi Muneyoshi but also the policy of national rehabilitation under the Yoo Shin government. At this time, the monochrome paintings of the 1970s in Korea, addressing art for art's sake, cutting of communication with the masses, and elitism, came to be authorized.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-80
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• 2008

The contemporary consumers have insatiable desires for material and outward appearance. In terms of the desire for outward appearance, people recognize that a beautiful outward appearance can be made by an artificial effort. Subsequently, the interest in a beauty and fashion has been increased. In addition, a cable TV shows a beauty and fashion program targeted for women in 20s to 30s. This study tried to examine the stories on experience of consumption by consumers watching a beauty and fashion program in a women specialized channel of a cable TV. The total number of narrators who participated in this study was 11. Among them, we formed 26 narrative plots on the basis of interviews for 7 persons who could use Labov's structural analysis. The result of analyzing narrators' narrative plots was as follows: First, although narrators received the information on beauty and fashion through a channel which became the target of this study, they applied such information into an ordinary life by transforming such information. Second, narrators thought that their confidence and superiority could be expressed through a beauty and fashion. Third, narrators' consuming life showed a showing off-type consumption and an objective consumption. Fourth, narrators have a gap between the behavior orientation and real actions. And they experiences various trobles on consumption life. Fifth, through the interview for narrators, a trend of reconsidering their consuming life was found out.