Transforming Traditional Taiwanese Costumes into Modern Western Costumes (1985-1970)

• Main Authors: Pai-ting Chen, 陳佩婷
• Other Authors: none
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/57172853396568959011

碩士 === 逢甲大學 === 歷史與文物管理所 === 97 === Costume culture of residents in Taiwan had been long overlooked and is rarely found in historical records. Why did Taiwanese discard traditional costumes and put on western-style garments? This is the very concept and topic to discuss in this study. This study believes that, along with the fashion of western costumes in Taiwan and the introduction of western costumes design approaches, the need and production of western-style garments have not only changed Taiwanese’s daily costumes, but also altered the traditional costumes manufacturing approaches in Taiwan. However, due to the large number of variants and types of costumes, this study only discusses the changes of female costumes in Taiwan. In addition, based on reference documents of this study, it is found that most studies on female costumes focus on the design of daily garments for females and the changes in materials, or the relationship between components in garments and the costumes functionality. Nevertheless, during the switch of earlier female costumes styles in Taiwan from traditional garments to entire western styles, the introduction of western costumes design and the development of western costumes design educations had remarkably altered the appearance of female costumes in Taiwan, which was followed by impacts upon traditional tailoring along with the rise of female tailors and the changes in social values – such are the fields deserving thorough studies as well. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore into the history of Taiwanese western-style costumes development, to discuss the reasons behind the changes in female costumes in Taiwan in the view of historical records, and to find out the hidden social norms and values and their influence on females’ career and life. Documents collected for reference include: books, PhD and Master Degree dissertations, teaching materials for tailor education in Taiwan during Japanese occupation, and magazines, newspapers, novels, memoirs and online information from the period between Japanese occupation and Taiwan’s recovery from Japan, as well as historical materials dictated in the interview with 15 female tailors, with which this study is to: (1) In the view of times, investigate the social and cultural backgrounds for the changes in Taiwanese female costumes. In a comprehensive view of political, economical and social factors in various times, it becomes obvious that earlier traditional female costumes styles in Taiwan were inherited from Southeastern coasts in Mainland China. As for the hinge in costumes westernization, due to the introduction of western lifestyle by Japanese colonial government during Japanese occupation and the influence from rising western fashion in the east during late Qing Dynasty, as well as the push from revolutionary social surroundings led by the successful 1911 Civil Revolution, the movement of "foot-unbinding and long hair cut-offs" had been strongly promoted with coercive colonial policies and by private associations in Taiwan, and female costumes in Taiwan was thereby westernized, from lower to upper class and from cities to towns and villages. But according to observation on the westernization process of female costumes in Taiwan, in early years, western-style garments were overpriced and failed to be rapidly popularized, since these garments were imported from overseas due to the lack of western costumes manufacturing techniques in Taiwan, which indicates a close relationship between western-style costumes popularization and western costumes design introduction. Popularized western costumes design educations had resulted in large-volume manufacturing of western-style garments, which, at affordable prices for the public, led to a rapid westernization of Taiwan female costumes. (2) According to the times, this study has divided western costumes design education for female garments in Taiwan into three periods: before Imperial Civilization Movement, after Imperial Civilization Movement and at early years after Taiwan’s recovery from Japan. From a review of limited documents and historical information dictated from said interviews, it is obvious that western costumes design techniques in Taiwan first appeared during Japanese occupation, when they were introduced along with new schools in an education tenet of teaching "good wives and loving mothers". By that time females in Taiwan were provided with channels to learn western costumes designs, and in a traditional ethic that "men are superior to women", tailoring courses were available to females only. Females’ learning in western costumes design and techniques later influenced the development of Taiwan’s western-style tailoring, which, as a result, became different to traditional Chinese tailoring in labor division as per genders; by such, unlike other traditional professions requiring special techniques, the number of female tailors in Taiwan prevails. (3) With historical information dictated from interviews with 15 female tailors, this study is to reproduce the development, rises and falls and the operation conditions of western costumes designs in Taiwan. In addition, based on views from female tailors as well as changes and features in the lives and careers of female tailors, this study has found that: 1. During the switch of costumes styles, the changes presented in western-style tailoring system has also altered the social values in traditional labor division as per genders. 2. Growth in Taiwan’s western costumes tailoring had provided educational and occupational opportunities to females, and, under a social background with new opportunities after Taiwan’s recovery from Japan, the increase of female work opportunities also improved females’ power in families, hence improved females’ status in a family. 3. With the sense of achievement in their careers, female tailors were able to improve their self-affirmation and self-expectation. Finally, with its research and investigation, this study hopes to reproduce the developing history of western-style tailoring in Taiwan, which could be provided as a material for further discussions in regard to Taiwan’s female costumes and tailoring.