Old Time Beauty in Cheongsam

The cheongsam is a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women, also known as qipao.It features by stand collar, right side opening, fitting waist and slip bottom, which can fully set off the beauty of the female shape.

In 1929, the Cheongsam was chosen by the National Republic of China to be one of the national dresses. The original qipao was wide and loose. It covered most of the woman’s body, revealing only the head, hands, and the tips of the toes. With time, though, the qipao were tailored to become more form fitting and revealing. The modern version, which is now recognized popularly in China as the “standard” qipao,was first developed in Shanghai in the 1920s. People eagerly sought a more modernized style of dress and transformed the old qipao to suit their tastes. Slender and from fitting with a high cut, it had great differences from the traditional qipao.

In the 1950s, women in the workforce in Hong Kong started to wear more functional cheongsam made of wool, twill, and other materials.

Cheongsam has been experiencing constant changes with the fashions in different ages. While inheriting the characteristics of traditional cheongsam in details, the new-style one is associated with new features and a great deal of modern design elements in color,cutting and match, which are mainly embodied in the change of the bottom as well as diversified materials.

As a special traditional garment, cheongsam is unique aesthetic values and therefore acts as a spokesman of the art of Chinese garment.