Okay, so this is actually my second post about packing. My first post was back before I cam to Korea, so this one is one after experiencing a year in Korea.First things first: They recommend you bring 2 large suitcases. One for winter apparel and one for summer apparel. Honestly, that depends on you, but I will say it's okay to go ahead and bring 2, but don't pack them tight. Why? Because you WILL go shopping in Korea. Clothes can be cute, cheap, and durable here. I definitely will need to ship some stuff back when i finally decide to head back to the states.
Next, what to pack. Each school will be different, but in general it's safe to pack business casual clothes. My school is an elementary school and it's
pretty casual except for the office workers, but let's not use that as an example. I have friends whose schools demand that they dress up nice. So remember: Business casual. This doesn't mean you can't bring jeans and your favorite graphic tee, but I would suggest you focus on things you wear on casual Friday at an office job. You'll want some outfits for having fun and chilling on the weekends too.
Packing:
The essentials:
There are some things you jsut need to pack no matter what:
underwear, bathroom supplies (you can buy them here, bring enough for a month), etc
The first suitcase: winter clothes
Bring at least one pair of jeans and 2 pairs of nice pants. They don't have to be 100% business-like, but they should be passable for office-wear. You do NOT need more than that. If you think it's not enough, don't worry: you're definitely going to go shopping a lot here in Korea. You will need at least 5 shirts, long-sleeved. I would suggest packing at least one blouse or button-up for open classes and special occasions. You can have colorful clothes, but remember to keep them business-casual. It's also okay to pack a graphic shirt or two as well to keep you happy. I know I love my Dumbledore's Army tee. As for shoes, you should bring one pair of shoes that are good for the winter. it rains and snows here, so be sure to have weather-appropriate shoes. Furthermore, a pair of tennis-shoes won't hurt either.
Summary: 3 pairs of pants, 5 long-sleeved shirts, winter jacket, sweater (2-3), winter shoes. Socks.
Second suitcase: summer clothes
Korea is definitely more conservative than the west, but that doesn't mean you can't wear sleeveless tops. Koreans have different expectations of foreigners. Just don't go around looking like a hooker or anything like that. Modest. But at work, wear clothes that will cover your shoulders simply because it's more professional. You can wear tank tops so long as you wear a light cardigan. Ladies, this is for you. You can wear skirts so long as they aren't too short as well. And what is too short? If you can't bend over in that skirt, it's too short. Leave it in the states. Shorts okay so long as they are long as well, like to your knees. For shoes, bring a pair of sandals for the summer because it will get to hot to wear tennis shoes in the summer. At least it was to me.
So, 3 bottoms (slightly longer skirts and/or shorts). 5 tops. If those tops are tanks, bring 2-3 cardigans to cover you up. Sandals are nice too.
Carry-on:
I strongly suggest you bring a small carry-on with enough clothes for a week. You never know if there will be a luggage mix-up and this will save your life. You can bring small bottles of bathroom supplies onto a plane as well, so be sure to pack these. Put only your utmost essentials that you cannot live without in this carry-on.
Shopping:
Let me start by saying I'm 5'6" (approximately 166cm) and I'm a size 2 dress. My shoe size is 8 and I'm not particularly curvy. Shopping is, overall, paradise for me. But there are some precautions I need to let you all know. This is where I suggest you put your underwear and socks too.
They have a lot of cute stuff for girls and nice things for guys. I have friends who dress up so much better since they got here. As I said earlier, you WILL go shopping here. If you guys are worried about not finding things you like, if you are so inclined, there are chains found in America such as H&M, Forever21, and Zara. The prices are about the same too. But Korea has a lot of cute local shops that are inexpensive.
The biggest hurdle about shopping in Korea is sizing. Koreans tend to be thin. It's a product of their lifestyle. Although I have seen Koreans with more meat on their bones, it's definitely not as common as it is in the US. If you are anything above a medium, shopping will be hard for you. I'm sorry, but that's the way it works, You may be able to find things your size at international chains like H&M or Uniqlo, but the focus here is on smaller sizes because that's what they have. However, places like Itaewon in Seoul may have something for you. I will try to find other places you can shop, but that's pretty much it.
Shoes. Shoes. I love shoes, even if I don't buy them. but sizes are a problem here too. For women, if you wear a size 9 or higher, it will be extremely difficult for you to buy shoes here. Itaewon and maybe a well-known chain store will have your size, but if you want to shop at normal stores, you'll pretty much be sticking to the men's section (not that that's a problem, guys have some nice shoes too). But if you DO fit Korean shoes (8.5 and lower) you will be happy to find tons of shops with inexpensive and impossibly cute shoes. I'm not a guy, never been in the guy's section, so I don't know about guys. Let me know if you guys want a post for guys and I will consult my man-friends. Menfolk may need advice too.
The next thing is height. Korean people aren't super short, but they aren't particularly tall either. At They're around the same height as most American's really (even if they don't believe it). So if you're tall, I wouldn't worry too much, EXCEPT if you're a girl. Most clothes here are made here with short girls in mind. And even if they're made for taller girls, Koreans actually have shorter legs than most westerners, so it might be a problem. I can't find pants that fit for my height because leg length is just different. That and slightly shorter pants are the current fashion. When shopping, I stick to skirts and dresses for this kind of thing and go to chain stores for pants. If you're short though, fear not. Things will be all good for you.
That's all I can think of for now. I'm, sure after I post this I'll think of more things to say, but that's a problem for the future. For more advice from the noob-me, here are the links to my original posts:
http://blazianmochaland.blogspot.kr/2015/02/packing-part-1-winter-ensemble.html
http://blazianmochaland.blogspot.kr/2015/02/packing-part-2-this-spring-wardrobe.html
