| Shopping In Beijing: Can't Miss Beautiful Cheongsams |
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Incorporating elements of western fashion into traditional Chinese style, cheongsams stand out from other designs as a classic, unique dress for women. An invention from 1920s Shanghai, it soon became a popular item for the upper-class women in the city. Before the end of the 1930s, it was already a fashionable dress for all young women in China. Nowadays, cheongsams are popular all over the world, and even Hollywood movie stars wear them to show their fashion sense. When in Beijing, remember to go shopping for a beautiful, traditional cheongsam.
Incorporating elements of western fashion into traditional Chinese style, cheongsams stand out from other designs as a classic, unique dress for women. An invention from 1920s Shanghai, it soon became a popular item for the upper-class women in the city. Before the end of the 1930s, it was already a fashionable dress for all young women in China. Nowadays, cheongsams are popular all over the world, and even Hollywood movie stars wear them to show their fashion sense. When in Beijing, remember to go shopping for a beautiful, traditional cheongsam. There is controversy as to whether or not a cheongsam can represent authentic Chinese style, because this dress was developed based on the traditional clothing of the Manchu, an ethnic minority group that ruled China from 1644 to 1911. But nevertheless, cheongsams came to be admired as one of the rare Chinese dresses that "liberates" rather than "oppresses" Chinese women. Unlike its loose-fitting predecessor, the "qipao" that was designed to completely cover up the figure of a woman, cheongsams were designed to be worn tight on a woman's body so her features are shown in a tantalizing way. During the 1930's, cheongsam fashion reached a height in mainland China, as this dress came to represent all the desirable attributes a young, modern Chinese woman wanted to possess: high status, feminine beauty, and a good taste in fashion. They also felt they had been truly liberated from an age of backwardness and ignorance during the last dynasty. However, the Communist Revolution in 1949 abruptly ended this fashion and the cheongsam disappeared on mainland China for 30 years. It was only revived here recently. Over the last 80 years, the basic design of cheongsam has remained the same. A lot of changes have been made, but they were limited to only a few details: the zipper, collar, sleeves, slit, and the length of the dress. Below is a short list of the specially-made details on a cheongsam: Zipper - round, straight, square, side, ruyi, and pipa Collar - high, low, and collarless Sleeves - long, short, and sleeveless Slit - long, short, single, and double Length - full-length, ankle-length, mid-thigh, and extra-short In mainland China before 1949, there were two major styles of cheongsams developed in Beijing and Shanghai. They are called "Beijing Style" and "Shanghai Style." The "Beijing Style" is more conservative and restrained, and it is more favored by traditional people. "Shanghai Style" is more vibrant and risqu, with a focus on western fashion trends. Pure silk, cloth, brocade, and wool are the main materials used to create cheongsams. Traditional flower patterns done in the style of Chinese paintings are found on most cheongsams. Some people believe, in order to have a sense of age-old elegance, a woman wearing a cheongsam should hold an oil paper umbrella in one hand and a fragrant fan in the other. To keep the cheongsam you buy in a good condition, remember to store it properly. There are many ways to properly store a cheongsam, but one thing you should keep in mind is to always dry-clean it and hang it in a closet. When you are shopping in Beijing, it's a good idea to find a personal shopper to help you find the best cheongsam shops. More information: A. Lao has written about Chinese culture and history for years. He now works with a Personal Shopper in Beijing who brings visitors to great Chinese shops. Sometimes he personally tailors shopping trips in Beijing.
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