Chinese People: Men and Women Clothings

The key fashion trends in modern China incorporate a lot of changes in the silhouettes compared to the ancient clothing worn by the Chinese people. Today, the men and women’s clothing’s have seen a major metamorphosis in terms of designs patterns and textures used. With influences from all over the world, the modern styles incorporate a lot of looks and patterns from the modern palette.

The ancient Chinese clothing saw the dress system being brought into the social circuit by the Xia and the Shang Dynasties. For the Chinese people, the Chinese clothing meant not only an expression of elegance but also an internal symbolism. Prior to this, the ancient Stone Age saw the invention of the bone needle, which was then used to sew winter dresses. (Leaves and animal skin). The archaeological Chinese artifacts unearthed, have produced items such as stoned beads and shells that have holes bored into them. This itself shows the existence of sewing in the ancient Chinese civilization. The sophistication of the Shang Dynasty was further seen in the remains of certain articles that reflected the refinement of clothing in that era.

It was during the Sui and the Tang Dynasties that the economy of China flourished. This also brought about new ideas and thoughts and one saw a whole of changes in the fashion scenario. The Chinese people also saw a major influence by the culture of middle Asia.

The traditional Chinese clothing is the ch'ang-p'ao (One piece garment that extends from the shoulders to the heels), pien-fu (Two-piece ceremonial garment) and Shen-I (Combines the first two). The Shen-I consists of a tunic with a skirt or trousers. Here, the tunics and the skirt or trouser are sewed together.

Chinese clothing is known for its varied design. The Chinese man and woman always wore clothes that were plain and structured. Wide sleeves and loose flowing fabrics characterized the clothing. Also, one saw a lot of add on’s such as detailed embroidery, elaborate sashes, bands that were used as decoration and the use of silk. This later became a very exclusive feature of the Chinese clothing.

One also saw loads of geometrical patterns being adopted and also the use of pictures of plants and animals being infused into the designs. Till the Shang and the Zhou dynasty, the patterns were pretty primitive. Post this era; one can see a neater look and balanced designs and compositions. The plant and the animal forms took a realistic turn on the garments during the Ming and the Qing Dynasties.

The Chinese clothing also saw a major use of darker colors in the early days. The Chinese woman generally wore lighter colored clothing at home. The Chinese people are also known to have strong belief in the fact that certain colors are associated with specific seasons. For example, White is said to represent the autumn season.

Today, the traditional Chinese dress is back in vogue. Fashion designers are always thinking of new fashion ideas to amalgamate the use of ancient clothing basics in order to churn out some of the most versatile designs. A lot of stores today display fashions that incorporate religious motifs and masks that are based on ancient Chinese opera characters. The Chinese man is now seen adorning the traditional Chinese gown. The Chinese woman is often seen wearing the ch’i-p’ao, which is a modern version of the designs that were prevalent in the Ching Dynasty. This garment has stand-up collars and wide sleeves. Decorative borders used in the late Qing period and are popular even today.

Traditional Chinese designs have also gained impetus today. The Chinese people are known to scour various boutiques, malls and shops in pursuit of that ultimate design that is required. Perhaps this is the prime reason why one can see traditional styled garments flooding the markets. Most of them have been modified under the influence of Western clothing. The Chinese woman can take her pick from short-sleeved clothes that have thigh high splits.

In the present day, the Chinese have adapted themselves to embrace all the influences and have learned to play around with various colors and fabrics to suit different occasions. The traditional Chinese dress lays the strong base for modern fashion today.