Girl’s traditional Chinese dresses are called QiPaos or qi pao and is the traditional Chinese clothing. It was started to be worn during the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), which was established by the Manchu people who were from Northern China. It is now worn for formal occasions such as weddings, engagements, and on the Chinese New Year. The Ching Dynasty in also spelled Qing Dynasty. Traditionally elements include brocaded cloth, frog knots, and mandarin collars. Cheongsam is the Cantonese word, that is often used in English for QiPao. After the communist took over, wearing of the QiPao in China was seen as capitalistic during Mao’s era.
Over the years the qipao dress had evolved from a single long wide fitting dress to its body hugging fit today. In its original form, the qipao was more of a functional piece of clothing and did protect the modesty of the wearer. Depending on the social class of the individual, they were often decorated with beautiful embroidery. This type of chinese dress is typical of 17th Century and 18th Century China. Over the years, as the qipao evolved, it became more stylized and in the 1920s it was modernized to become more fitted to the wearer. With the more flattering and sexier look, the qipao was increasingly worn by high-class courtesans and celebrities, this popularized this style of oriental dress. As the style of the dress evolved, it started to become known more as cheongsam (or long dress).
Now China fashion has been the top of the world fashion handwagon. When we feel proud of the modern fashion, at the same time, we will take the classic style into heart especially for nostalgic person, like me. However, China fashion everytime creates a flair of simple and quiet charm, elegance and attraction. Traditional beautiful China costumes are known in the Mandarin tongue as the qipao dress. Nearly all good Chinese red dresses are custom made so that they can emphasize every good part and belittle any problematic part of woman’s figure.
Nowadays, more and more Chinese brides choose the Cheongsam Dresses as their wedding dress which not because Chinese culture influence but the beauty and elegant designs of Cheongsam show perfectly the brides figure on their wedding days. Usually, the brides will wear in the red colour of Cheongsam and embroidered with gold dragon and phoenix symbol which related with Chinese belief that will bring good luck for the couples. This similar Cheongsam also will choose for ladies as festival dress during Chinese New Year. Besides that, any social function party such as birthday party, wedding party, annual dinner party, full moon party, festival celebrities’ party, ladies can choose this Cheongsam dress to attend as formal or informal dress.
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