That is my Dad on the left.
That might be where these clothes came from. They are mine.
I believe they are silk.
It is interesting the things I am finding in our old trunk. I feel a connection to the things I have worn and to the things I can verify as mine through photos. These silky treasures came from a place far away and as far as I know I never wore them. They were most likely too large for me when my Dad brought them home. They were probably tucked away for a special day or time. I wonder if they are pajamas..or dress up clothes? What do you think? :)
Update: My Dad purchased these for me while he was on R and R in Japan. So they are Japanese.
Boy, your dad sure looked young in that picture. I think that the silk outfit was probably meant to be a dress-up pair of pajamas. And if you were just born, they would have been huge. They are beautiful and such a priceless gift to run across all these years later.
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome soldier your dad was and what a treasure chest that old trunk of yours is!
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to your post was how young your dad looks in the photo. But... I guess he probably was!
ReplyDeleteThe silk outfit is beautiful. I just read "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana" which tells the story of a young Afghan woman who begins a sewing business secretly under the Taliban regime. She talks about embroidering and beading the clothes she made, as well as making pants and shirts. Perhaps what she was making was similar to your outfit. The work is exquisite.
I think they are traditional dress for Korean children ! Awesome photo ! My dad was a sniper in the war in Singapore , a British soldier ! great post ! Have a good day !
DeleteYes, wasn't your dad young? And handsome. I love everything with family history. How fortunate someone saved for you. I'd say dress up.
ReplyDeleteVery cool, the clothes are deffinatly Korean, but may be from China by the design..:-))
ReplyDeleteThose soldiers are just boys! We forget how young they all were when they left their homes to fight far away. Bless them.
ReplyDeleteFascinating piece of history! Now we need someone to model them. Hard to tell how big they are from the photo, but would they fit one of the grands?
ReplyDeleteThey would fit a child that was on the thin side and 3 or 4 years old:)
DeleteWonderful photo of your Dad. Those are the prettiest clothes. I know he had a grand time choosing them for his little girl back home!
ReplyDeleteI'm the wrong one to make a guess as to what they are. Right now I think they're pieces of art. Hang them on the wall.
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely, and I suspect they are for dress-up but that's a guess. They are beautiful, in any case.
ReplyDeleteThese are not like the traditional clothing that I see in my books about Korea, not on
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/clothes/clothes.cfm Perhaps your father traveled through Japan on the way home and purchased them there, or some other Asian country. OTOH, it is possible that they were produced for foreigners.
I read a fascinating book about life in Korea, written in the early 1950's by an American woman who married a Korean man in about 1930 and lived in Korea in a semi-traditional way. One interesting thing about the clothing she mentions: The traditional clothing for the cold season is quilted, but of course, most people would have only one set of the good clothing, so it was heavily starched to repel dirt. But when it needed to be washed, only once or twice per year, I believe, it was completely unquilted before being washed, and then put back together, three layers, and requilted. This embroidered piece doesn't fit with that mode.
Connie Dad told me he bought outfits for you and mom while on R&R in Japan
ReplyDeleteThanks I added that info to the post:)
DeleteI had a Japanese neighbor lady for the last 40 years. She had silk pajamas similar to the child's version. I think they are PJ's.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad had brought an outfit much like this only the top was turquoise and the bottoms were black. 'Just beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI wore 'em when I was a teen as PJ's 'cept for the time I trick or treated in the things. Yes, they were silk and felt soooooo good that I believe I wore 'em out.
Aren't the just the prettiest things ever??? :o)
Have a beautiful week sweetie!!! :o)
They are neat to have. It is hard to know what or where they wore them as they have a little different climate than ours. I bet they could be a summer set of clothes.
ReplyDeleteThey are really special no matter what the intended purpose because of the history and that your dad bought them when he was in the service for his little girl at home. They really do look young, don't they? Just boys!
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful! It's good you didn't wear them as they probably wouldn't be here today...a special gift from your Father. I have lots of catching up to do with your blog...I've been Spring cleaning! And dodging storms down here!
ReplyDeleteWe have a little silk jacket that my husbands dad brought home from Korea.
ReplyDeleteYour dad sure was handsome in his uniform!