This study examines the changing trends in men’s suits during the 1980s in the context of a transitional period marked by political and social changes, aiming to analyze the influx and expansion of men’s suits by a design history perspective, conn...
This study examines the changing trends in men’s suits during the 1980s in the context of a transitional period marked by political and social changes, aiming to analyze the influx and expansion of men’s suits by a design history perspective, connected with the masculinity. The scope of the study involved selecting about 100 advertisements from the 1980s, which were aired on TV and a featured in magazines, focusing on ‘men’s suits’ and ‘tailored suits’. In addition, the 1980s was divided into three periods-early, mid and late to study the values of consumers that changed dramatically through economic growth, and during this period, men have been observed to have a desire for success, an influx of Western values, the formation of a liberated lifestyle, and the expression of individual tastes and sensibilities through fashion to shape their social identity, as analyzed through men’s suit advertisements. As a result, it can be understood that in the early 1980s, with the rapid industrialization of society, socially successful men were in the spotlight with an Western-style appearance based on traditional masculinity. In the mid 1980s, “openness” and “globalization” were set as national goals and goals through exports, and Western values were pursued through the influx of foreign cultures. After the Seoul Olympics in 1988, as the nation embraced a fully open and liberal society, it was confirmed that men’s image and masculinity was shifting from one of seriousness and authoritarianism to one that was more cheerful, soft and family-oriented. Consequently, through the men’s suit advertisements in 1980s, we can analyze the ‘change in perception of masculinity according to the political and cultural situation to see how Korean men have changed through consumption and mediating fashion, a symbolic expression culture that represents individual tastes and individuality.