Jang-ot

A jang-ot (Korean: 장옷; Hanja: 長衣; lit. long gown),^[1] also known as janot, jang-eui,^[2] or jang-ui (장의; 長衣), is a type of po^[3][4] worn by women of the Joseon Dynasty period as a headdress or veil to cover their faces^[5] by the mid-18th century.^[2] They were mostly worn by commoners but not exclusively.^[2] Jang-ot was originally a form of men's po called jang-ui, which was worn in 15th century.^[6][2] The jang-ui started to be worn by women as an overcoat in early Joseon, even becoming a popular fashion item for women of high status.^[2] It was previously one of the most representative women's overcoats; it was worn as a women's overcoat when they would leave their house until the 17th century.^[7][2]

According to the principles of the Joseon Dynasty's Confucianism, women were ordered not to show their face to foreign men, so they would cover their faces in many ways while going out.^[5] The jang-ot became a headdress by the mid of the 18th century to conceal face and upper bodies when walking in public under this influence.^[2] Besides the jang-ot, women also used two other forms of headdress to cover their faces depending on their social standing; sseugaechima (which was worn first worn by the upper class women in the mid-Joseon and later used by all classes until the very late Joseon period) and the neoul.^[2]