이 논문은 1980년대에서 2000년대에 이르는 한국현대소설에 나타난 ‘여성 의복’ 및 ‘장신구’의 의미 분석을 통해 여성적 시각과 의식의 발현을 독해한다. 특별히 소설 속 여주인공들이 의복 유행에 대처하는 방식, 의복이 재현하는 여성적 기호에 대한 해석, 집착하고 소유하는 장신구가 의미하는 바에 대해 주목하면서, 여성의 의복 행동이 가부장적 이데올로기 속에서 체제 순응적으로 혹은 반항적으로, 나아가 전략적으로 수행되는 양상을 분석한다. 소설 텍스트 속 의복 행동 속에 숨겨진 여성적 시각과 의식을 읽어내는 이러한 작업은, 소설 문학이 내포하는 다양한 함의를 추적할 수 있는 새로운 방법론이 될 뿐만 아니라, 한국 여성 문화와 관련한 다각적인 연구와 심층적 고찰이 필요한 현 시점에서 유용하고 의미 있는 작업이 될 것이다. 소설 속 여성 인물이 추구하는 의복 행동은 단순한 물질적 욕망이 아니라 자아 정체성을 확보하고 사회 진입을 견고케 하기 위한 열망이다. 차별과 모방의 충동이 이율배반적으로 작동하는 의복 유행의 현장에서 안정적으로 도달할 수 있는 정점은 없다. 1980～2000년대의 현대소설은 끊임없이 미끄러지고 배반당하는 유행의 구조를 담론화하면서, 유행을 통해 획득한 소속감과 자아 정체성이 분열적이고 단편적일 수밖에 없음을 고발한다. 이런 이유로 여성 인물은 유행을 거부하고 일탈적인 의복 행동을 보이기도 하는데, 이는 자신의 정체성에 대한 실험적 모색으로서, 세상을 향한 도전적 의미를 표방한다. 실생활에 무능력하고 불편한 하이힐과 원피스는 가부장적 이데올로기에 갇혀 있는 여성의 실상을 비판적으로 드러내는 대표적 아이콘이다. 그러나 이러한 억압의 기호인 여성적 의복을 거부하고 남성적 의복을 추구하는 것 역시 부자연스러운 일이다. 남성적인 의복으로 ‘남성’을 따라하는 것은 여성적인 의복으로 ‘여성’을 흉내내는 것과 마찬가지로 가부장적 이데올로기를 근간으로 기획된 의복행동이기 때문이다. 여성적인 옷도 남성적인 옷도 모두 자신에게 어울리는 의복이 아니라는 점에서 여성의 의복 행동이 갖는 딜레마는 더 깊어진다. 그러나 한편 이를 극복하기 위해 여성적 의복에는 창의적 변형이 가해지기도 한다. 예의 부드러움과 의외의 뻣뻣함이 조화되는 낯선 국면은 여성의복이 지향하는 무기력함과 순응의 메시지를 전복한다. 여성은 장신구가 행사하는 마술적 힘에 의지해 자아의 확장을 꿈꾸고 비밀스러운 근원적 힘을 소유하기도 한다. 육체가 지닌 기하학적 경계를 넘어 광채를 발하는 보석류, 특히 다이아몬드는 개체의 영역을 확대시키면서 몰아적(沒我的) 힘을 부여한다. 여성적 힘을 기표화하는 문신과 식물을 도안한 바디페인팅 등은 육식과 살해 욕망의 공포로부터 벗어나려는 주술적 시도로서, 자연과 조우하면서 원시적 생명에 이르고자 하는 메시지를 담고 있다.

This study analyses the meaning of female clothing and ornament in Korean modern novels from 1980s to 2000s so as to interpret how women’s viewpoint and understanding were revealed. Especially, this study focuses on novel female characters’ way of reacting to clothing fashion, the interpretation of women’s clothing favorites and the meaning of women’s ornament. Also, this study analyses women’s clothing reactions that are done acquiescently, rebelliously or strategically in patriarchal culture. Reading women’s viewpoint and understanding which women’s clothing reactions show in literature context is new method to find out various meanings in Korean modern novels, and is meaningful nowadays, when multi-sided and in-depth study of Korean female culture is needed. Female characters’ reactions in clothing are not just material desire but the aspiration for obtaining self-identity and social status. The reactions have no concrete prototype because in clothing fashion, instinct to imitate collides with instinct to be different. Korean modern novels from 1980s to 2000s describe incessantly changing vogue and disclose that sense of unity with society and self-identity acquired in changeable vogue are inevitably disintegrative and fragmental. Sometimes female characters reject vogue and show exotic clothing. Those rejection and exotic action express disapproval of and challenge to the world. Impractical and uncomfortable high heel and one-piece clothes are the icons that reflect critically women’s state in patriarchal culture. In this state, there can be two choices for women. One is wearing feminine look to make use of patriarchal culture strategically. The other is wearing “Annie Hall look” to rebel against patriarchal culture. Both of the two choices reveal women’s oppressed state because intentional womanly action and intentional manly action are alike as distorted reaction in patriarchal culture. Not only feminine look but also “Annie Hall look” are not the best fits for women, which is the women’s dilemma. Another choice is to change female clothes creatively. Strange style that combines woman-typical softness with unexpected hardness upsets female clothing’s connotation, that is, lethargy and acquiescence. Women utilize ornaments’ magical power to get over body limit and to have secret and original power. Jewels, especially diamonds that illuminate light over the body boundary give women the power to expand her body range and to transcend self-limit. Tattoo and body-painting which represent feminine power are the incantation to get rid of fear of meat-eating and murder-occurring society. Those tattoo and body-painting show the desire to meet the nature and to reach the primitive-being.

This study analyses the meaning of female clothing and ornament in Korean modern novels from 1980s to 2000s so as to interpret how women’s viewpoint and understanding were revealed. Especially, this study focuses on novel female characters’ way of reacting to clothing fashion, the interpretation of women’s clothing favorites and the meaning of women’s ornament. Also, this study analyses women’s clothing reactions that are done acquiescently, rebelliously or strategically in patriarchal culture. Reading women’s viewpoint and understanding which women’s clothing reactions show in literature context is new method to find out various meanings in Korean modern novels, and is meaningful nowadays, when multi-sided and in-depth study of Korean female culture is needed. Female characters’ reactions in clothing are not just material desire but the aspiration for obtaining self-identity and social status. The reactions have no concrete prototype because in clothing fashion, instinct to imitate collides with instinct to be different. Korean modern novels from 1980s to 2000s describe incessantly changing vogue and disclose that sense of unity with society and self-identity acquired in changeable vogue are inevitably disintegrative and fragmental. Sometimes female characters reject vogue and show exotic clothing. Those rejection and exotic action express disapproval of and challenge to the world. Impractical and uncomfortable high heel and one-piece clothes are the icons that reflect critically women’s state in patriarchal culture. In this state, there can be two choices for women. One is wearing feminine look to make use of patriarchal culture strategically. The other is wearing “Annie Hall look” to rebel against patriarchal culture. Both of the two choices reveal women’s oppressed state because intentional womanly action and intentional manly action are alike as distorted reaction in patriarchal culture. Not only feminine look but also “Annie Hall look” are not the best fits for women, which is the women’s dilemma. Another choice is to change female clothes creatively. Strange style that combines woman-typical softness with unexpected hardness upsets female clothing’s connotation, that is, lethargy and acquiescence. Women utilize ornaments’ magical power to get over body limit and to have secret and original power. Jewels, especially diamonds that illuminate light over the body boundary give women the power to expand her body range and to transcend self-limit. Tattoo and body-painting which represent feminine power are the incantation to get rid of fear of meat-eating and murder-occurring society. Those tattoo and body-painting show the desire to meet the nature and to reach the primitive-being.

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femininity, clothes, ornament, tattoo, fashion, patriarchal culture