Elegance charm worship vogue

qipao Qipao - 陈晓丹 ( )

Fashion culture has become a point of intersection of social culture, reflecting economic developments, social progress and educational level. It represents people's spirit, living standards and aspirations towards beauty. Qipao is one of the most typical, traditional costumes for Chinese women. Also known as cheongsam, it is like a wonderful flower in the Chinese colorful fashion scene because of its particular charmQipao cheongsam

The name "cheongsam," meaning simply "long dress," entered the English vocabulary from the dialect of China's Guangdong Province.In other parts of the country including Beijing, however, it is known as "qipao” Its neck is high, collar closed, and its sleeves may be either short, medium or full length, depending on season and taste. The dress is buttoned on the right side, with a loose chest, a fitting waist, and slits up from the sides, all of which combine to set off the beauty of the female shape The cheongsam is not too complicated to make. Nor does it call for too much material, for there are no accessories like belts, scarves, sashes or frills to go with it It is made of different materials and to varying lengths, they can be worn either on casual or formal occasions. In either case, it creates an impression of simple and quiet charm, elegance and neatness.

Old Styles and Old Customs Qipao was originally the costume worn by the Manchu’s When the early Manchu rulers came to China proper, they organized certain people, mainly Manchus, into "banners" (qi) and called them "banner people" (qiren), which then became loosely the name of all Manchus. The Manchu women wore normally a one-piece dress which, likewise, came to be called "qipao" or "banner dress."

In 1644 when the Manchus united China, established the Qing Dynasty and moved its capital to Beijing, the qipao began to spread throughout Central China

With the introduction of Western ideas and culture into China, qipao also became influenced by Western fashion. Hence the waist became thinner and the sleeves narrower. It evolved to compliment women ’ s figure more.

The Revolution of 1911 toppled the rule of the Qing Dynasty and founded the Republic of China (ROC). Most Manchus gave up wearing qipao and began to wear Han style clothes instead. So during the first 10 years of the 20th century, few people wore qipao. It was slowly coming into fashion again by the 1920s. But by that time the qipao was already somewhat different from what Manchu women wore in the late Qing Dynasty.

New Style Qipao and New Fashion From the end of 1920s to the beginning of 1930s, when short skirts were in vogue among women in the West, the qipao also became shorter. After 1926, it became shorter and shorter by 1929, it was knee-length

The 1930s to 40s was a golden time for the qipao Cheongsam is fit to Chinese women’s slim figure, especially the Shanghai girls. The following four factors promote the fashion’s generation and popularity: 1) At that time, foreign stuff entered Chinese market continuously; 2) There were fashion column in all big newspapers and magazines; 3) Fashionable dressed girl with monthly calendar was very popular; 4) Some department stores also held many fashion shows.

In the 1940s, due to war, Shanghai's economy crashed and there was a shortage of goods and high inflation. People had to become more frugal, use and adapt old clothes

The Ups and Downs of Qipao in the New Society Around 1949, there were few people still wearing qipao. Women who had jobs all wore jackets; only some stage announcers and actresses in theater troupes wore qipaos occasionally. In the 1950s, dressing up had been replaced by the fanaticism of revolutionary work. The lazy, luxurious glamour of the qipao faded out of existence.

a leader of the former Soviet Union visited China in 1956, he suggested that Chinese people’s clothes should reflect the new prosperous look of socialism. The Chinese government then called on people to wear colorful dresses, and the qipao reappeared The death of the qipao occurred during the “ Cultural Revolution. ” The Red Guards said that the qipao represented feudalism and capitalism and they not only burned the qipao but also punished its owners.

Qipao reappeared in the 1980s, when the policy of reform and opening up to the outside world was implemented. At this time, the qipao was used as a uniform worn by female attendants and waitresses in hotels or restaurants or young ladies at ceremonies.

The qipao became the perfect evening dress for social functions. Brides also chose it for their wedding dresses

Everyone predicts that the qipao's day will come again, but that day has not come yet. Despite the qipao being perfectly suited for the 1990s ideal of a tall and slender figure, the qipao still remains marginalized. Despite its undisputed elegance, the qipao is just not practical for today's career women.

Today, with its variety of styles, the cheongsam shows its charm at many markets. More and more women in China appreciate its beauty. For instance, when wives of China’s diplomats attend important social gatherings, the cheongsam is their first choice among dresses. In fact, quite a number of influential people have suggested that cheongsams should become the national dress for women in China. This shows that the cheongsam remains a vibrant part of Chinese culture.

谢谢观赏！