Qipao - a statement of Oriental beauty

SLINKY, elegant, chic (and often practical), the classic qipao was a symbol of trendy Shanghai. The old-fashioned formless dress was nipped, tucked and slit for liberated women, writes Fei Lai.

Once upon a time the qipao raised eyebrows - that was in the early 20th century when the simple form-fitting dress became the fashion for modern women in Shanghai.

The rest is history. Now the classic lady's dress is again enjoying a renaissance, especially as evening wear and in Shanghai where the standard qipao was "born."

Today qipao is a symbol of Oriental femininity. It usually has a high neck, bare shoulders, side slits and a snug fit. Some variations are quite daring, some more modest. It can be flashy or subdued, the materials brocade or cotton. Some have sleeves, some are floor-length, some touch the knees.

In any case, to wear qipao with style, one should have a nice figure. It's a rather restricting garment.

The original qipao, however, was a modest and loose garment introduced by the Manchus and popular among smart ladies in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The word qipao (literally "banner people quilt") comes from the word qi referring to the "banner" people, who were mostly Manchu. Pao means quilt. It referred to a long, straight gown, distinct from Hanfu, traditional Han Chinese clothing.

In the early 20th century, however, qipao was transformed, taken in and tailored into a garment of Chinese women's identity. In the 1920s and 1930s, it became a vogue throughout the country.

It was especially popular in trendsetting Shanghai, known for the liberation of Chinese women and for very chic women, among the first to wear qipao.

The development of the modern qipao coincided with the New Culture Movement between 1917 and 1923. Women, too, were waking up, seeking shorter hemlines and pursuing fashion.


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http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200807/20080715/article_366767.htm