Hanbok accessories: norigae, daenggi, binyeo and how to wear them

A norigae hangs from the chest ties (goreum) of the jeogori jacket or from the waist of the skirt. The National Folk Museum of Korea describes norigae as knotted pendants with tassels, the most varied women's ornaments of the Joseon dynasty, worn in place of necklaces and earrings by women of every age and class. A norigae with one tassel is a danjak norigae, and one with three tassels is a samjak norigae. Some were practical too: a baneuljip norigae held a needle.

To wear one, hang it from the jacket ties or the skirt waistband and let the tassel fall over the skirt. Women picked different norigae to suit the season and the type and color of their clothes, so match yours to the hanbok.

Daenggi were first called danggi, from danggida, 'to pull', because they drew the hair back. The National Folk Museum notes that the daenggi is the only traditional hair ornament made entirely of fabric rather than metal or gems, and its length and width varied with its use and the wearer's gender and age.

The most common type, the jebiburidaenggi, has ends folded to a point like a swallow's bill. Unmarried men and women tied it around a single braid, and a woman's ribbon was about 120–130 cm long and 5–8 cm wide. Little girls whose hair was still short wore a baessidaenggi on their bangs, decorated with silver cloisonné shaped like pear seeds.

A binyeo is a long ornamental hairpin that holds a woman's chignon in place. There were two kinds: pins for the hair, and pins that fixed coronets such as the hwagwan and jokduri. The head of the pin, the jamdu, carried meaning: plum blossom and bamboo designs stood for a woman's fidelity, and others expressed wishes for wealth, long life and many sons.

In the Joseon era a binyeo marked a married woman, and most girls wore one for the first time at the gyerye coming-of-age rite. To wear one, gather the hair into a bun and push the pin through it to hold it tight. Online searches for binyeo mix in Chinese and Japanese hair sticks, so check that a listing says it's a Korean binyeo.

The jokduri is a small ceremonial coronet. In 1756 King Yeongjo banned the large gache wigs that had grown more and more lavish and told women to wear the jokduri instead, and brides still wear it at traditional weddings. A binyeo holds the jokduri in place out of sight, and the bride adds apdaenggi, ribbons hanging from each side of a large binyeo over the shoulders, plus a doturak daenggi that falls down the back of the head.

Children have their own headwear. The gulle, a colorful hat of five-color silk embroidered with characters for long life and good fortune, was so often worn on a first birthday that it was also called dolmo. The jobawi is a winter hat that wraps around the face, and girls sometimes wore one for their first birthday with a saekdong jeogori and a scarlet skirt.

Beoseon are the traditional socks worn to protect the feet and keep them warm, and they were mostly made of plain white cotton. Left and right are sewn differently, with the instep seam folded to opposite sides, and the ankle can be straight and roomy or lying flat and close-fitting. They were made single-layer, lined, cotton-padded or quilted. Over them, women wore unhye, shoes with cloud decorations on the toe and heel.

Children's taraebeoseon are padded, embroidered in five colors and finished with tassels on the toes, with dark blue ankle straps for boys and red for girls. Today they're often part of a first-birthday outfit. Some socks sold online as beoseon are fleece-lined house socks rather than the traditional shape, so check the photos.

If you rent a hanbok in Seoul, the shop dresses you and does basic hair. At Hanboknam, for example, a simple braid or bun is included, while special hairstyles and hairpieces cost extra unless your package covers them; our hanbok rental guide explains packages and the palace dress rules.

A norigae or a daenggi of your own packs flat, works with any rented outfit, and comes home with you as a souvenir afterwards.