Do You Know About Ancient Greek Costumes

A quick look at the older Greek clothes allows men and women to don't forget the previous generation so they can have an excellent sense at the present along with the future. Greek civilization can be a topic which was learned deeply that Greek culture is considered as an incredible one of the ancient history. Based on that the topic of the Greek clothes also gets most considerable.

The leftovers which include carvings, graves, wreckages from the ancient Greece cities and villages have been examined to know the day-by-day life of the Greeks. Commonly the Greek costumes were created of light weight and just very simple supplies as a result of their hot climate.
Mostly cost-free and convenient costumes are preferred by the Greeks. White color takes a key location in the ancient Greek costumes. For coloring their costumes they painted the clothes in contrast colors or by washing them in those colors. Mostly the model of the Greek costumes consists of different parts of ‘Amphineura' which was a unisex lengthy costume with attached pins around arms for sleeves and also for a belt. These Greek clothes are created up with canvas for summer and woolen for winter. Normally this costume was similar to the coats nowadays. To identify the city or village of an ancient Greek they use selection of embroidery in their clothes
The diverse generations inside the Greek history was reflected by their signs left on the Greek clothes. The climate too had its mark, as some Greek costumes during winter were cloaked. Shoes or slippers created of light weight leather also a part of the ancient Greek costumes which commonly utilised on outdoors. Typically the diapers produced of canvas were the babies' costume. the cloth covered around the waist had been the costumes of the older children's.
A group of revelers with ancient Greek costumes gathered and went door to door dancing and singing songs during the festival seasons. Mostly those costumes reflect the forms of humans or animals. For a good celebration of the history of the Halloween, these revelers would wear varieties of their Greek costumes made up of different parts of the animals. Often these wear up's had been disguises hardly for an individual who aware of their relationship with the ancient Greek civilization.
One of the most substantial component of the ancient Greek costumes is their wedding dresses. As a matter of truth, the ancient Greek wedding themes were chosen by most of the men and women nowadays. Especially, they wanted to be reflecting the preferable ancient Greek styles in their wedding gowns. They hardly worked out to obtain the excellent look of the costumes of ancient Greek weddings. To fulfill the complete appearance, the wedding dress is worn with the ancient Greek style sandals or shoes. Usually the everlasting beauty of the ancient Greek styles as well as the ancient Greek carvings are the two major things which inspire the styles for customizing the Greek apparels.

Know More About Ancient Chinese Clothing

The ancient Chinese clothing had a very distinctive social classes. Every of those has specific types and significance of dressing. Varied symbols are used on the clothing to distinguish between numerous strata of society. The ancient Chinese clothes have varied greatly throughout different periods of time. Each social or historical period brought about a brand new style.
Throughout the Pre-Qing Dynasty (also recognized because the Manchu Dynasty was the final ruling dynasty of China from 1644 to 1912.); the prevalent ancient Chinese clothing was broadly referred to as hanfu with numerous variations such as traditional Chinese academic dress. Each and every individual stratum displayed a various fashion. Actually, the military was totally distinctive in its appearance.

Chinese civil or military officials had an assortment of motifs to depict their rank and position. Hat knobs were used as an icon of their rank. There had been nine kinds of color coded hat knobs that represented the nine distinctive ranks. An additional well-liked insignia was the Mandarin square or rank badge.
The Chinese clothing known because the Hanfu (also referred to as guzhuang which means "ancient clothing"), was the conventional dress with the Han Chinese folk. The term Hanfu has its organ within the Book of Han, which says, "then numerous came towards the Court to spend homage and had been delighted at the clothing style of the Han [Chinese]." It had been fascinating for these visitors to determine the characteristic outfit – like a kimono and sandals created out of rice reed. As you are able to see, the Hanfu includes a colorful history dating back 3000 years and more. In fact, the dress was even worn by the legendary Yellow Emperor. It had been well-liked since long prior to the Qing Dynasty came into energy within the mid seventeenth century. Since the materials of this ancient Chinese clothing were always silk, supposedly found by the Yellow Emperor’s consort, Leizu, the Hanfu was also known as ‘silk robes’.
The Hanfu now is worn only at special occasions, which are mainly historical reenactment, hobby, coming of age/rite of passage ceremonies, ceremonial clothes worn by religious priests, or cultural physical exercise. Nevertheless, you will find attempts on to try and make it a part of more day to day wears or at least throughout Chinese celebrations and festivals, especially in China also as amongst the non resident community.
The Ancient Chinese clothes in its most conventional greatest can be explained as different parts of particular cloth that are draped inside a unique style. It would be totally different from the conventional garment of other ethnic groups in China such as the Manchurian qipao. There is a fantastic difference between the Han way of dressing and the Manchurian influence. It is as yet an unsolved issue which with the two would be the right traditional costume with the ancient Chinese. Some costumes commonly thought of as usually Chinese, like the qipao, are the result of influence by brutal laws (Queue Order) imposed by Manchurian rulers with the Qing Dynasty, and are regarded by some advocates as not being "traditionally" Han.

An Anorak Is A Type Of Heavy Jacket With A Hood

Anorak - A very untrendy kind of waterproof, padded coat with a zip. The sort of thing your mother made you wear when you were 10 and you still haven't forgiven her for it! Especially if she made you put the hood up when it rained. Possibly called a slicker in American. The worst thing about my anorak was that my Mum had tied my gloves together by passing a piece of string through the arms of the anorak. This would have been quite sensible if the big boys hadn't taken great delight in pulling one glove really hard and watching me punch myself in the face with the other hand!
　　
An anorak or parka is a type of heavy jacket with a hood, often lined with fur or fake fur, so as to protect the face from a combination offreezing temperatures and wind. This kind of garment, originally made from caribou or seal was invented by the Caribou Inuit, Inuit (Eskimo) of the Arctic region, who needed clothing that would protect them from wind chill and wetness while hunting and kayaking. Certain types of Inuit anoraks have to be regularly coated with fish oil to keep their water resistance.
　　
The words anorak and parka are now often used interchangeably, but when first introduced, they described somewhat different garments, and the distinction is still maintained by some. Strictly speaking, an anorak is a waterproof jacket with a hood and drawstrings at the waist and cuffs, and a parka is a knee-length cold-weather jacket or coat; typically stuffed with down or very warm synthetic fiber, and with a fur-lined hood. Originally, an anorak specifically implied a pull-over jacket without a zipper, button, or frogged opening, but this distinction is now largely lost, and many garments with a full-length front opening are now described as anoraks. The anorak and parka have been developed from their traditional forms into a number of different designs using modern materials, notably the Fishtail and Snorkel parkas and theCagoule, a form of lightweight anorak.
　　
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Scottish Trews Extended Their Life To A Certain Degree

The Scottish Highlands were considered a backwater of Europe, and not worth much attention, and consequently there are few descriptions or drawings of what people wore. In addition, few clothing remains have been found. All of this makes reconstructing a workable outfit rather difficult. Even in the later periods, documentation, especially for womens' clothing, is sketchy. At the same time, the Highlands were not absolutely isolated from the clothing trends that affected the rest of Europe, so one does see changes over time -- for example, ca. 1100 sleeves throughout Europe were narrow, and that's what we see in the Rogart Shirt. In the 1500s, wider sleeves were more popular throughout Europe, and one sees a wider sleeve in Irish clothing, too (albeit in a particularly Celtic form).
　　

James V wore trews in 1538 so their longevity is not in doubt. They were always made of tartan and great ingenuity was used in their manufature. They were cut on the bias - on the cross - so that they had a certain amount of elasticity and clung to the legs. The sett of the tartan was usually smaller than seen on the kilt and the hose was carefully crafted to match on the seams which ran up the back of the leg on the outside - a little like the seams on old-fashioned ladies' nylon stockings. Having no pockets, the wearer would often wear a sporran - usually hanging from the belt rather than on the front - and a plaid would also be worn.

Sixteenth century onwards and had probably been worn for quite some time before that over the saffron tunic - the main article of clothing worn by the Irish.
　　
It was reported that in very bad weather - high winds, frost or snow - the Highlander would dip his plaid in water and then lie down in it. We're told that wetting it like that made the wool swell so that the plaid would give better protection against the wind and cold air. In sub-zero temperatures, it's said that the dipping would result in a thin glaze of ice on the outside surface which would further insulate the occupant. Wrapped up like this with his head under the blanket, the Highlander's breath would then create a warm and moist atmosphere around him which would keep him cosy during the night! As you can imagine, if the poorer Highlanders worked and slept in their plaids they must have been pretty smelly as reported in 1726 in a letter from Captain Burt, an English engineer. " the plaid serves the ordinary people for a cloak by day and bedding at night imbibes so much perspiration that no one day can free it from the filthy smell"

Thearisaidh was the elegant and practical choice for the woman who lived and worked in the beautiful green highlands of Scotland. over a millenia ago. The arisiadhwas worn belted around the waist and the extra fabric could be pinned at the breast and worn up as a hood to keep warm in the rain and cold. The excess could also be rolled and tied about the waist or tucked into the belt in warmer weather and to keep it from interfering with chores. It also provided lots of 'pockets' to perhaps stash a spindle and wool or herbs gathered from the fields.
　　
It was a loose garment made up of around six ells (18 feet/5 metres) of double tartan - Highland looms could only weave a maximum width of 25 to 30 inches (65 - 75 cms) so two lengths had to be sewn together down their long edge to make the plaid (from 'pladjer' - the Gaelic for blanket).
　　
Historians have foisted onto us the idea that the Highlander laid this great expanse of fabric onto the ground and carefully folded it into pleats until its length was reduced to about 5 feet (1.5m). He then lay down on his back on top of it so that the bottom edge almost reached to his knees and gathered it around himself, securing it round his waist by a leather belt. He would then stand up and arrange the unpleated top portion around his shoulders, tucking the corners into his belt to form ingenious pockets.

Costume In The Tang Dynasty Plays A Very Essential Role In Chinese History Of Clothing

In the long history of human dress, the ancient Chinese costume is the most resplendent. It is also evident that the dress of the Tang dynasty is the most beautiful when compared to the other characters in this costume kingdom. In 618 AD, the Tang dynasty ended China’s split status and civil war, which lasted hundreds of years, and became a very powerful dynasty in terms of politics, economics, and the military. At that time, the silk industry was developing very quickly. In addition, communications between people of different nationalities was very extensive. During the Tang dynasty, ancient Chinese civilization reached its heyday in the areas of fashion, literature, art, medical science, and technology.
　　
Thanks to the unified and prosperous Tang Dynasty, costume in the Tang Dynasty plays a very essential role in Chinese history of clothing. The dresses of the Tang Dynasty were mainly made of silk, so they were famous for softness and lightness. The dresses of the Tang Dynasty boldly adopted the features of foreign garments in terms of forms and adornments; i.e. they mainly referred to the garments of other countries (such as the Central-Asia countries, India, Iran, Persia, northern countries and the Western Regions) and used them to improve the habilatory culture of the Tang Dynasty.
　　
One of important features of costume in Tang Dynasty is how women's dress and personal adornments of the Tang Dynasty were outstanding in entire China's history. The clothing materials were exquisite, the structure was natural, graceful and elegant, and adornments were splendid. Though the forms of garments were still the continuation of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) and the Sui Dynasty (581-618), they were influenced by cultures and arts of the Western Regions. The trades and cultural exchanges with Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Persia and other countries gradually became frequent, and they mutually dispatched emissaries and accepted students of other countries. In this way, a special open and romantic style of dress and personal adornments for women was formed.
　　
Because of communication with the Western Regions, the influence of dressing culture of other minorities on the Tang court also reflected the change of thoughts and concepts. Chinese women were seriously restricted by the old Confucian or feudal ethical code before Tang Dynasty. The social status of ancient women was very low. They often served as Jileren (music performer), Guanji (official performer), Gongji (palace performer) and Jiaji (family performer) who were regarded as the playthings and goods that can be sold and bought by rich people for their will. Some females had rebel spirit in the Tang Dynasty, so they climbed or jumped over the walls and went to the nature to view the beautiful sightseeing in the spring by riding horses with men. Just as recorded by many historical materials, some girls therefore dressed as boys in order to go out.
　　
Women's dress and personal adornments of the Tang Dynasty were outstanding in China's history. The clothing materials were exquisite, the structure was natural, graceful and elegant, and adornments were splendid. Though the forms of garments were still the continuation of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) and the Sui Dynasty (581-618), they were influenced by cultures and arts of the Western Regions. Especially, the national power of the High Tang was strong. The trades and cultural exchanges with Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Persia and other countries gradually became frequent, and they mutually dispatched emissaries and accepted students of other countries. In this way, a special open and romantic style of dress and personal adornments was formed.
　　
Women's dress and personal adornments of the Tang Dynasty were outstanding in China's history. The clothing materials were exquisite, the structure was natural, graceful and elegant, and adornments were splendid. Though the forms of garments were still the continuation of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) and the Sui Dynasty (581-618), they were influenced by cultures and arts of the Western Regions. Especially, the national power of the High Tang was strong. The trades and cultural exchanges with Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Persia and other countries gradually became frequent, and they mutually dispatched emissaries and accepted students of other countries. In this way, a special open and romantic style of dress and personal adornments was formed
　　
Because of communication with the Western Regions, the influence of dressing culture of other minorities on the Tang court also reflected the change of thoughts and concepts. Chinese women were seriously restricted by the old Confucian or feudal ethical code all through the ages. The social status of ancient women was very low: they often served asJileren (music performer), Guanji (official performer), Gongji (palace performer) and Jiaji(family performer), and were regarded as the playthings and goods that can be sold and bought by rich people. Some females had rebel spirit in the Tang Dynasty, so they climbed or jumped over the walls and went to the nature to view the beautiful scenes and/or go sightseeing in the spring by riding horses with men. Just as recorded by many historical materials, some girls therefore dressed as boys in order to go out.
　　
It was a fashion for women to wear Hufu (garments of the Tartars or those who lived in the Western Regions). After the High Tang, the influences of Hufu were gradually weakened and women's garments became broad and loose day by day. As to ordinary women's garments, the width of sleeve was always more than 1.3 meters.

Medieval Clothing Was Dictated By The Pyramid Of Power Which Was The Feudal System

Medieval clothing and fashion like everything else was dictated by the Pyramid of Power which was the Feudal System. Medieval clothes provided information about the status of the person wearing them. This was not just dictated by the wealth of the person. Only Royalty were permitted to wear clothes trimmed with ermine. Lesser Nobles were allowed to wear clothing trimmed with fox and otter. There were other Medieval clothing rules! The wives and children of tradesmen were to wear:
　　
"No veils, but such as are made with thread, nor any kinds of fur except those of lambs, rabbits, cats and fox"
　　
A 14th Century Act of Parliament decreed that:
　　
"All labourers and lower classes of people shall wear no kind of cloth but blankets and russets, nor use any girdles than such of those made of linen"
　　
Medieval Clothing - The Fabrics
　　
The type of cloth and fabric used for Medieval clothing was therefore extremely important. People of the Lower Classes wore clothing generally made of wool, linen and sheepskin. Medieval Nobles and Upper classes wore clothing made of velvets, furs, silks, lace, cottons and taffeta. Knights returning from the Crusades returned with silks and cottons from the Middle East. Velvets were imported from Italy. The materials worn by the Nobility came in a variety of different colors. The dyes used for coloring these clothes were expensive. The red dye came from a Mediterranean insect which provided a bright scarlet color. Green dyes came from lychen. the Dyerswoad plant provided dyes for the remaining blue-based colors.
　　
Practical Medieval Clothing
　　
The early Medieval clothing was distinguished by lots of different layers of clothing. Much of the time was spent outdoors or in draughty, cold castles and it was necessary to invest in warm clothing layers.
　　
The Medieval Clothing of Peasants
　　
The Medieval clothing of peasant men consisted of a Knee length tunic fastened with a belt. Others wore linen shirts or rough woollen shirts. Peasant men often went bare-legged or simply bound their legs with strips of linen. Peasant women wore a longer dress made of similar material which was also fastened with a belt.
　　
Medieval Clothing of Noblemen
　　
The Medieval clothing of the Noblemen consisted of trousers covered with long over tunics called bliauds. Tabards and Surcoats were also worn. These clothes were covered with full length cloaks. The cloaks were trimmed with an expensive fur and pinned at the shoulder with a broach. They wore shoes designed for castle wear made of silk, velvet, cloth or leather and fastened with a buckle. The indoor shoes worn with Medieval clothing were covered with wooden and leather outdoor overshoes. Hats were also part of a nobles clothing which were similar to a cap and pointed at the front. The materials were made of velvets, silks, lace, cottons and taffeta and dyed in bright colors. In the 14th century Medieval clothing included underclothes consisting of breeches, chemise and hose. Additional information is available by clicking the following link -Medieval Knights Armor
　　
Medieval Clothing of Noble Women
　　
The Medieval clothing of the Noble women consisted of many layers of clothes. They wore underclothes consisting of breeches, chemise and hose. The underclothes in Medieval Clothing were covered with an underskirt usually made of yellow or white linen or silk. The underskirt was covered with a long, trailing gown, or dress, with wide sleeves. The gowns were made of velvets, furs, silks, lace, cottons and taffeta. The hem and the neck of the gown (dress) and sleeves were often decorated with gems and lace. The gowns were covered with long over tunics called bliauds. Tabards and Surcoats were also worn over the gowns and dresses. These clothes were covered with full length mantel. The mantels were trimmed with an expensive fur and pinned at the shoulder with a broach. They wore shoes designed for castle wear made of silk, velvet, cloth or leather and fastened with a buckle. The indoor shoes were covered with wooden and leather outdoor overshoes. Women wore their hair long and plaited which was covered by a Wimple or a Guimpe - a piece of silk or linen draped and pinned over the hair, wrapped around the throat and tucked into the neckline of the gown. Hats were were later added as part of the clothing of a noble women which grew bigger as fashion dictated featuring tall points, some shaped as the horns of cows. The Medieval Clothing materials were made of velvets, silks, lace, cottons and taffeta and dyed in bright colors.
　　
Peasant men often wore woolen jackets with woolen pants or knickers. This ensemble was sometimes accented with a cottonshirt. Peasant men also wore medium-length tunics with bare legs or stockings. The tunics would be cinched with a rope or sash. Shoes and hats were luxuries that not all could afford, but peasant men sometimes wore shoes and hats made of cloth. What is commonly known as the wench look was the norm for female peasants.
　　
The wench look consisted of a long tunic commonly referred to as a kirtle. Kirtles were made of various materials, but usually of wool or linen for peasants. Kirtles were either laced in front similar to acorset or they were laced down the back. A loose fitting shirt would normally be worn underneath the kirtle if it were short-sleeved. A shirt may or may not have been necessary if the kirtle was long-sleeved. Long-sleeved kirtles usually had bell sleeves, which made an undershirt unnecessary.
　　
Unlike the rich, peasants could not afford the services of tailors, seamstresses, or weavers. Peasants were known to make their own clothes. Money was hard to come by so peasants often resorted to alternate means of meeting their needs. The barter system was popular. Bartering enabled peasants to trade goods or food in exchange for clothes and shoes. If a peasant could make good quality clothes, shoes, or hats, then they were in high demand and had an easy time trading in exchange for necessities.

The Peplos Is Distinctively Greek Garment

The peplos (06.311; C.I.43.85.2a,b) is perhaps a more distinctively Greek garment than the chiton, insofar as the chiton's reductive construction has similarities to apparel types in a number of other cultures and times. However, the peplos has several characteristics that distinguish it from other clothing traditions. Made of one large rectangular piece of cloth, it was formed into a cylinder and then folded along the topline into a deep cuff, creating an apoptygma, or capelet-like overfold. Although there are rare instances of chitons represented with overfolds, a garment is not a peplos unless it has been draped with an apoptygma. The neckline and armholes of the peplos were formed by fibulae, broochlike pins that attached the back to the front of the garment at either shoulder. Of all the identifying characteristics of a peplos, the fastening of its shoulders with fibulae is its single defining detail.

The clothing of the women of Ancient Greece from the fifth century B.C.E., to the fourth century B.C.E., changed as the time periods changed. Changes in fashion are important, because these changes reflect some of the changes in society. As with all societies throughout history, as years go by, different fashions come and they go. This was exactly the same with the ancient Greek women in the fifth century. The different clothing styles of this century changed with events and with innovations.

In the absence of any surviving clothing, art and literature provide the only evidence of classical dress, opening a Pandora's box of confusion and contradiction. Even in its own day, the apparel of ancient Greece was subject to numerous modifications and transformations. In the huge variety of costumes delineated in artworks and categorized by scholars, exceptions are rife and consistency is elusive. Because specialists of the high classical period of ancient Greece have developed terminology based on a variety of methodologies—art historical, archaeological, and literary—certain discrepancies are perhaps inevitable. However, in every instance, the glossaries are also a simplified system, identifying numerous and specific forms of dress under quite general labels. Here the nomenclature is simplified even further, originating from the structure of the garment rather than from any other criteria.

Another garment worn by the Doric women was the peplos. It was also worn in the fifth century B.C.E. Kohler says, "[The peplos] has a piece of woolen material, about 3 meters wide and of a length equal to the height of the wearer, and was folded at the upper extremity to form first a narrow and then a wider shawl or plaid. The material was brought through beneath the left arm and fastened with tapes on the right shoulder to leave a board peak in front and behind." (100).

The peplos was tubular in shape, and the upper edge was turned down at the waist. The peplos was put over the head and was made to fit closely at the shoulder with fasteners. The arms were left bare. It was held at the waist with a girdle. The lower edge was finished with a braid. The peplos was open at the right side and hung in folds from the shoulder. In time, the shawl, or plaid, was so wide that it reached to the hip. It was tied with tapes on both shoulders.

The word kore means maiden in Greek, and it is used to refer to a statue of a female figure. A beautiful example of such a work is the Peplos Kore from the Athenian Acropolis. Scholars have suggested that the purpose of statues such as the Peplos Kore and other korai (the plural form of the word) was to serve as votive offerings, perhaps in this case to the goddess Athena. However it is also clear that the ancient Greeks delighted in creating and admiring these stylized images of beautiful maidens. So in essence, korai were meant to please both human and divine audiences.

This statue’s name was inspired by the garment she wears. The Greeks called such a dress or robe a peplos. And indeed, the Peplos Kore is draped in a lovely peplos that clings and reveals the shape of her body. Originally, this garment was painted in bright colors, which no doubt complemented the equally bold colors of the Kore’s hair, face, and other details. While it may be difficult now to imagine how she would have appeared in polychrome it is important to remember that this was the way the ancient Greeks decorated their works of art. In fact, if one looks closely one may see that traces of these colors remain.

The Peplos Kore was made during the Archaic period of Greek art history. Some features that are indicative of this period are revealed in the Kore’s rather stiff, formal pose, her stylized and patterned tresses, and the beautiful hint of what has been dubbed an “archaic smile”. Ultimately, the Peplos Kore is a brilliant example of the timeless enchantment of Greek art.

Have A Look At Renaissance Clothing

The Renaissance period had some delicately designed clothing for all and fashion in that time was organized towards the superb designs and the simplistic forms as well. Clothing during the Renaissance period was more about displaying people's social status. The kings, queen and other rich people used to wear clothes in expensive fabrics such as fur and silk; while the peasants and other general people used to wear simple clothes made of wool and cotton. Women used to wear around five layers of clothing that include skirt, vest, bodice, underskirt and collar. One of the interesting facts about the Renaissance clothing is that wedding dresses were beautiful in their appearance and were made of brocades; while, beautiful jewels were stitched onto them. These layers of clothing created an important factor in Renaissance clothing because they helped keeping the body warm during the cold weather.

Renaissance clothing gives the same ancient touch as o medieval age. For women, there are long and classic gowns available which are designed carefully especially to give antique look. These gowns come with long sleeves and clinched waists. The clothes manufactured for renaissance festival are made of soft materials such as velvet so that one can stay comfortable while wearing the dress. For men, there is a wide array of clothes and accessories to acquire an ancient look. The belts made for the matching of clothes come in thick and vivid colors to give an appealing look. You can also get medieval helmet which was used by the warriors of medieval age. Men wearing these helmets really give the same ancient look in the festival.

Renaissance, meaning new birth according to French language, is a name of a periodduring which European men were inspired to adopt major changes in life. This era brought great revolution and witness the massive cultural upheaval. Men were very passionate about learning and have great thirst for knowledge that lead them to carry out investigations of natural events that also broadened their outlook and perspective to a great level. During this era a weekend gathering called as renaissance festival was organized that restore the renaissance past to entertain the visitors.

In addition to women's clothing, men's clothing began with the rich and magnificent look. In the Renaissance period, men's clothing was designed to emphasize the body shape to provide them with a more rounded looks. If talking about the fabrics like silk, brocade, fur and high quality wool used in that time, then they were expensive and exclusive and people used clothing according to their standards. Numerous fashionaccessories like headgears and hoods also added spice to wearers personality. Without these accessories, Renaissance clothing was considered incomplete. At that time, women used to adorn pointed hats over their hair. Small hats also came in to fashion in renaissance period. Small hats were decorated with jewels and often had a string attached to the back. These hats were widely used by people of all ages.

Now in at the present time, authentically designed Renaissance clothing has influenced many eras and has been still in fashion. Today, in any Ren Fair or Medieval party, you can see numerous people in Renaissance clothing. People who use clothing of that time are appreciated by other with a number of names like, elegant, beautiful and amazing. Nowadays, Renaissance accessories, like helmets, swords, hats shirts and a variety of other items are used very much in Hollywood movies, exhibitions and above all in the celebration of Halloween. It is celebrated on the evening of October 31 in United States of America, British Isles, Canada, by children. Children go door to door by wearing wonderful and attractive dresses and begging treats and playing planks.

Ancient Roman Costumes Would Brief You About The Kind Of Garments

Ancient Roman costumes worn by everyday folks in the Roman Empire were mainly loose articles of clothing that draped around the body and were secured by fasteners. For both men and women, undergarments were called tunics. Women wore clothing called the stola over their tunic, a long garment reaching to the ankles consisting of two pieces of fabric, one on the front and the other in the back, held together by pins at the shoulder, which were called fibulae. The Statue of Liberty is actually "wearing" a stola.

It also had two belts, one fitting just below the breasts, the other around the waist. This created a great many luxurious folds, a fashionable trick at that time - the more folds, the richer and more upper class she looked. If a woman went outside, she usually wore an overcoat called a palla, which was basically a long shawl. It usually draped over one shoulder and across the entire body. Extra folds could be used to pull over the head.

The ancient Roman civilization and architecture is one of the most popular in the world. The world has learnt a lot of things from the Romans. There are several interesting facts about the Romans. Right from their lifestyle to food and clothing, everything was advanced and remains a wonder for the rest of the world. Also, some historians believe that ancient Roman clothing was very different and unique from the clothing found during that period.

Romans were known to use different varieties of fibers to create their clothing. Their fabric made to stitch their tunic was made out of wool, hemp and linen. The ancient Romans wore well stitched clothes and they had different types for men and women.

The toga was a popular kind of dress and was standard for Romans. The Romans also wore clothes according to their status in the society. The toga was a long garment which was like a sash and was made out of wool. It was like a tunic for the Romans. The toga was also worn by magistrates and was mostly plain white in color. Even scholars and teachers wore them. Some togas had a purple stripe on them.

The stola was very similar to the toga and was like a blanket that needed to be wrapped around the body. This was usually wrapped around another piece of clothing called tunica. Usually girls and women wore tunic with a stola wrapped around it.

Cloaks were another form of popular clothing and generally were very colorful. They were made out of wool and linen, and were worn when going out.Though the tunic was considered an undergarment, it was often the only thing worn, or two tunics - an inner one and a shorter outer one. Most common Romans and slaves simply slipped on their tunic and went about their days business.

While women wore a stola over their tunics, men wore the toga. Actually, only male Roman citizens could wear a toga in public - it was the stately, official and cumbersome dress, representative of the Roman Republic and into the Empire (it was actually originally used by the Etruscans, the civilization that flourished before Rome - the town of Rome overthrew the Etruscan royalty and began their own conquest of Italy.)

The toga was a large (around 20 feet) length of cloth that was wrapped around the body. Because it was difficult to wear, it was usually only worn on official occasions, much like tuxedos and evening gowns are worn today. In fact, slaves and servants from rich families specialized in toga dressing, making it as fashionable and comfortable for their master as possible!

The way Romans wore their clothing indicated their status symbol. Higher class women would wear more layers of clothing, indicating their wealth. The more folds and layers, the better. The colors of Roman costumes also mattered. Magistrates wore clothing that had a purple border. Generals wore togas with golden hems to signify success in battle. Emperors wore purple robes, as this color was rare and expensive.

Finally, basic sandals that lace up the leg were the standard type of footwear. Both men and women wore these type of sandals, without socks, which were only invented when the Romans conquered more northern territories like Germany and Britain. Unlike the warm Mediterranean climate, sandals by themselves would quickly freeze the skin!

To dress as a Roman for your Halloween costume, a white or red toga is your best choice, as it is the most distinctive. A stola isn't very well known, and few would know the difference anyway! If you wish to look like a high class Roman man, wear a luxurious toga lined with gold trim. As an aristocratic woman or an empress, wear a red costume with a shawl.

Dragon Robe Is A Prime Of Chinese Ancient And Rich Cultural Costume

The robe embroidered with dragon patterns was made for the exclusive use of an emperor during the Qing dynasty. The ritual of embroidering dragon patterns on the emperor's robe, however, dates back to as early as the Zhou Dynasty (11th century-256 B.C.).

During the Yuan and Ming, the emperors were already wearing robes graced with dragon patterns, but it was not until the Qing that they were named “dragon robes” and became part of the official attire system. A dragon robe is either yellow or apricot-yellow dragons in color, and embroidered with nine yellow dragons and five-hued auspicious cloud patterns.

The clouds are interlaced with twelve other patterns—the sun, the moon and stars (representing the light of the throne), mountains (synonymous to stability to changes) auspicious bird (denoting elegance and beauty) water reeds (which represent purity and cleanness), and fire (meaning light). According to imperial Qing rituals, the emperor's dragon robe was a kind of auspicious attire for lower-grade celebrations and ceremonies—it as by no means the highest grade of imperial attire.

The dragon robe that was passed down from one emperor to another is embroidered with a dragon on the front and the back, before or behind the knees, on the shoulders, and on the lining of the chest. Thus a total of nine dragons are embroidered on a dragon robe. Observed from the front or behind it, five dragons could be seen at a glance, because in Chinese tradition the figures nine and five tallied with the dignity of the throne.

In the Qing Dynasty only Emperors had the privilege of wearing the dragon robes decorative of the dragons with 12 insignia badges, whose designing include circular collar,big front,right border(opening),narrow and comprehensive sleeves with sleeve end of horse shoes shape.The demy front and back of the robe was sumptuously embroidered 9 dragons and embellished with gold, pearls and precious stones. In the front of the robe collar was embroidered with one front dragon each and at the joining of the left and right borders have decorative dragons each, while there is a front dragon at the end of horseheel-shaped sleeves. The collar and sleeves were brimmed with azurite gold satins. The clothing materials could be changed according to seasons, for instance, cotton, gauge, sandwich blend, or fur, etc.

Dragon robe and crown is a sort of costume worn by emperors on the most important occasions in ancient China. Dragon robe refers to the noble dress decorated with rolling dragons while dragon crown is the noble hat.

As a world-famous country of amenity, China has been attaching importance to various amenity-related activities since ancient times. Accordingly, costumes prepared for different amenity-related activities have developed into a clothing system exclusively possessed by China. According to archeological discoveries, crown-costume came into existence early in the Shang Dynasty. It was a kind of grande toilette worn by the emperor and supreme officials of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty on ceremonious sacrificial occasions. Due to the enhancement of emperor's rights in later dynasties, dragon robe and crown became the costume exclusively prepared for the emperor, and even, served as a token of the emperor. In the feudal society with rigid hierarchy, costume was an important symbol for distinguishing the noble and humble as well as class differences. For this reason, dragon robe and crown acted as a symbol of imperial power other than a top-grade dress. Making dragon robe and crown privately at that time was perceived to be a crime as serious as rebellion.

Exquisite dragon robe and crown is a prime of Chinese ancient costume with rich cultural context. The dragon embroidered on the robe demonstrates the worship of dragon totem in ancient China, while the shape of the crown (slightly round front and square rear) contains the cultural content of "Round heaven and square earth". The exquisite and graceful dragon robes and crowns preserved in the Palace Museum are an embodiment of supreme dressmaking technique in ancient China. Moreover, they can reflect the aesthetic consciousness in traditional Chinese culture.

Ancient Greek Costumes Are Known For Their Grandeur And Tradition

The legacy of an attire dates back to many centuries. From ancient times, people of the world have used different costumes to adorn themselves; though the style and form of costumes has changed over the years.

Different clothing have been used in various traditions. The attire of kings, especially the battle armor worn by them, contained detailed work on leather. Pale white was a color worn in times of tragedy. In ancient times, the priests brought in the practice of wearing robes.

Ancient Greek costumes are known for their grandeur and tradition. The ancient Greeks loved to drape themselves in different types of clothes. A wide range of costumes were used for different occasions. In theater and drama, a mask constituted an important part of the costumes worn by actors. Ancient Greeks were known the world over for their attire. Costumes worn by them have influenced fashion all over the world. The attire was an integral part of Greek culture. The clothes worn were associated with power and overall status in society. They also formed an important part of celebrations. A victorious king often invited his fellowmen to join in the victory of a battle and everyone wore their best costumes to partake in such celebrations.

Ancient Greek Clothing
In ancient Greek culture, the masks used in theater were made of clay. Linen was also used in making some types of masks. Different variants of costumes in the ancient Greek culture have found their way into books of today's designers who implement such patterns while designing clothes.

The Chiton, a robe worn by the ancient Greeks was a comfortable garment made from wool. The robe had two versions, one up to the thigh and another till the ankle. The sleeves of the robe were designed in such a way, that they allowed the arms to flow freely. This robe was worn by both sexes. The Tunic was two rectangular pieces of cloth interwoven together. Some costumes worn by the ancient Greeks also had buttons made from bone.

The Greek apparel involved a lot of drapery and required great precision and detail. The Himation was another long piece of cloth that the Greeks draped themselves from shoulder to ankle. They loved to wear cloaks which were also called Chalmys. Cloaks were wrapped in different styles around the body. The colors most commonly used by the ancient Greeks were gray and violet. White was a color that was used in some traditions. Pins and brooches were used to hold the clothing together. Petasos, a kind of headgear similar to a hat, was preferred by the men in ancient Greece.

The ancient Greeks gave a lot of importance to their footwear. Sandals were a prominent part of the Greek civilization and different kinds of leather was used in designing them. Kothumus was a popular form of footwear worn by the Greeks. These boots had laces which were tied around the shin. Sandals and boots were helpful on rocky terrains.

In different phases of Greek history, the simplicity and attire of Greek costumes have remained the same. Wedding dresses were also a significant part of ancient Greek culture. The elegant gowns that were used in weddings were known for their simplicity. Even today, gowns worn at weddings are influenced by ancient Greek designs.

Clothes worn in the ancient Greek era paved the way for fashion in the years to come, thus making a significant contribution to the world of fashion.

Japanese Ancient Clothing

Japanese ancient clothing was majorly influenced by China. Vigorous trade between Japan and its continental neighbors brought in Chinese dresses and styles into Japan during the Han Dynasty. The Tang styles and Sui dynasty from China influenced clothing in Japan while it was developing from a collection of loose clans to an Empire. All robes in Japan were to be worn from left to right just like the Chinese. Right to left was considered barbaric in China and the ‘left over right’ became the conventional rule of wearing a Kimono ever since.

Kimono:The word Kimono actually referred to all types of clothing. It also remains to be the national costume of Japan. Some of the earliest designs of the kimono were hugely influenced by the Hanfu, which is a part of Chinese clothing. During the 8th century, Chinese fashion trends gained popularity amongst the Japanese. The kimono turned into a stylish version during Japan’s Heian period. Over the years, one could see visible changes in the designs of the kimono.

Japanese Traditional Clothing: Footwear and socks.

Tabi:The tabi are actually traditional Japanese socks. These are worn by men as well as women. The tabi is generally ankle high and has a separation between the toe areas. (Between the big toe and the rest of the toes) The jika-tabi are often worn by workmen because they are made of a stronger material.

Zori:The zori formed a major part of Japanese traditional clothing. These were often worn with the kimono. The zori are open sandals that can be described as slip ons. Today, one can see many styles of the zori being used with modern fashion.

After the Heian period, the Kamakura period saw a number of clashes and war clans within Japan. The ancient Japanese clothing soon underwent another change and now clothes became more functional. The number of layers and broad sleeved clothes were shunned for more usable clothing. Soon the imperial land split into a southern and northern court and these people’s lives got influenced by the soft court life. Fights resumed and the gradual decadence is obvious in the elaborate dresses of the period. Women had stopped wearing the Hakama and the robes were lengthened to ankle level. Veils and robes over the head were some strange ways experimented and worn during this time.

Japanese ancient clothing was mainly robes and most of the patterns and designs were religious and auspicious. Dragons were printed with nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns. These heavily embroidered robes were won by the emperors and were auspicious for the wearer. The Cheongsam was another one piece dress adorned by ancient Chinese women. It had a high neck with a closed collar and short or medium sleeves. Buttoned on sides with a fitted waist, it had slits going up from the sides and complemented their figures.

Qing Emperors Dress Adhered To A Status Code

In ancient feudal society, it is easy for people to be distinguished from his daily dress, especially for the ordinary people and upper-class. For the sake of working and low statue, ordinary people usually wear dress making of linen in dark color while upper-class prefer the dress making of silk with many valuable decoration.

Among the upper dominated class, the Emperor, without any doubt, designated the color yellow and the dragon emblem on traditional Chinese imperial dress as an exclusive affirmation of their power. You will find the most typical example from the dress of Qing's Emperor and his empress.

Qing emperors' dressQing emperors' dress adhered to a rigid code that specified clothing for every occasion: ceremonial robes for the most formal ceremonial occasions, court wear for holding audiences, auspicious garments worn during the celebration of festive occasions such as Lunar New Year and his birthday, informal clothing to be worn in his private quarters, and travel ensembles to be worn during the hunt, expeditions and inspection tours. Each ensemble consisted of several garments, headgear, belts, shoes and accessories. The ensembles included seasonal variants. Winter garments, for example, were lined with fur.

Requisite silks, gauzes, satins, brocades and damasks of the highest quality were woven in the imperial weaving factory in Suzhou, and the clothing was sumptuously embroidered and embellished with gold, pearls and precious stones.

In Qing dynasties, there happened some cases that empress held the royal court together with emperor. In this case, the empress has to wear a certain kind of court robes to show her status. Winter court hats of empress dowagers and empresses were made of fumed marten and sewn with red wefts. Their hats adorned with pearl, gold pheasant patterns, gems and jade ornaments had protective collar behind the neck with drooping bright yellow ribbons. The winter court robes of empress dowagers, queens and high-ranked imperial concubines were bright yellow, and also decorated with images of dragon patterns. Summer court hats were made of cyan velvet.

Empress dowagers, queens and high-ranked imperial concubines used cyan sheets with gold-wrapped metal trims to decorate their court costumes; images of dragons and Chinese characters Fu (blessing) and Shou (longevity) were embroidered on the clothes. Necklines of dresses of empress dowagers and queens were made of golden filament and decorated with pearls, turquoises and jade ornaments. Three sets of necklaces were hung on the chest when empress dowagers and queens wore court robes. When an empress dowager or queen was in auspicious clothing, she always wore one set of necklace made of pearls, jade and other top-grade materials. Court necklaces of imperial concubines were decorated with ambers, each having 108 beads in four parts divided by three big ones.

Ancient Chinese Clothing-Hanfu

Tang Dynasty portrait of Confucius (by Wu Daozi) showing him in Hanfu of the Spring and Autumn Period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.

12th century Chinese painting of The Night Revels of Han Xizai () showing musicians dressed in Hanfu
Hanfu has a history of more than three millennia, and is said to have been worn by the legendary Yellow Emperor. From the beginning of its history, Hanfu (especially in elite circles) was inseparable from silk, supposedly discovered by the Yellow Emperor consort, Leizu. The first solidly historical dynasty known of in China, the Shang Dynasty (c.1600 BC-1000 BC), developed the rudiments of Hanfu; it consisted of a yi, a narrow-cuffed, knee-length tunic tied with a sash, and a narrow, ankle-length skirt, called shang, worn with a bixi, a length of fabric that reached the knees. Vivid primary colors and green were used, due to the degree of technology at the time.

The dynasty to follow the Shang, the Western Zhou Dynasty, established a strict hierarchical society that used clothing as a status meridian, and inevitably, the height of one rank influenced the ornateness of a costume. Such markers included the length of a skirt, the wideness of a sleeve and the degree of ornamentation. In addition to these class-oriented developments, the Hanfu became looser, with the introduction of wide sleeves and jade decorations hung from the sash which served to keep the yoi closed.
The yi was essentially wrapped over, in a style known as jiaoling youren, or wrapping the right side over before the left, because of the initially greater challenge to the right-handed wearer (the Chinese discouraged left-handedness like many other historical cultures, considering it unnatural and unfortunate).

In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, the "deep robe" (shenyi) appeared a combination of tunic and skirt. The upper and lower halves were cut separately but sewn as a single unit. An additional change was the shaping of the left side of the costume into a corner, fastened on the chest. Perhaps because of Confucian influence, disapproving of a hierarchical society in favour of social mobility based on personal merit, the shenyi was swiftly adopted. There still existed an elite however, and they monopolised the more ornate fabrics and grandiose details.

Historically, Han Clothing has influenced many of its neighbouring cultural costumes, such as Japanese kimono, yukata, and the Vietnamese o t thn. Vice versa, elements of Hanfu have also been influenced by neighbouring cultural costumes, especially by the nomadic peoples to the north, and Central Asian cultures to the west by way of the Silk Road.

Tang Dynasty Hanfu Tang Dynasty was a period of golden age for the people where culture and economy were thriving. Especially, the Women's dress and personal adornments saw some major reform in this era. Although it still continues the clothing of its predecessors such as Han and Sui dynasties, fashion during the Tang was also influenced by its cosmopolitan culture and arts. Communications and trades were flourishing between the Tang and many places and cultures and that it has changed the thoughts and concepts of the old practices. Before the Tang, Chinese women were restricted by the old Confucian code where women's statues were low and their clothing have to be conceal. However during the Tang, women's clothing gradually became broad and loose. Tang Dynasty was considered by some as another turning point for Hanfu. During the Tang era, foreign culture was lively accepted by the Chinese and blended into Chinese traditional culture. Such foreign cultures ranged from Gandhara, Turkistan, Persian to Hellenism, while these influences were fused together into the Tang clothing without the prominence of one particular culture.

Song Dynasty Hanfu Some features of Tang Clothing carried into the Song Dynasty Such as court customs. Song court customs often use red color for their garments with black leather shoe and hats.Collar edges and sleeve edges of all clothes that have been excavated were decorated with laces or embroidered patterns. Such clothes were decorated with patterns of peony, camellia, plum blossom, and lily, etc. Song Empress often had three to five distinctive Jewelry-like marks on their face (Two side of the cheek,other two next to the eyebrows and one on the forehead). Although some of Song clothing have similarities with previous dynasties, some unique characteristics separate it from the rest. Many of Song Clothing goes into Yuan and Ming.

Ming Dynasty Hanfu Ming Dynasty also brought many changes to its clothing as many dynasties do. They implemented metal buttons and the collar changed from the symmetrical type of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the main circular type. Compared with the costume of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the proportion of the upper outer garment to lower skirt in the Ming Dynasty was significantly inverted. Since the upper outer garment was shorter and the lower garment was longer, the jacket gradually became longer to shorten the length of the exposed skirt. Young ladies in the mid Ming Dynasty usually preferred to dress in these waistcoats. The waistcoats in the Qing Dynasty were transformed from those of the Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Confucian codes and ideals was popularized and it has significant effect on clothing.

Korean Hanbok Shows Perfect Beauty

Traditional Korean dress is called Hanbok in South Korea, and Chosõn-ot in North Korea. Nowadays, Hanbok in general, and mainly refers to from Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). Changing through from ancient time to today, female hanbok embodys a perfect integration of an Oriental ethics and a plain beauty. Like Chinese Qipao, hanbok has been withdrawn from historic stage, not popular in current life any more, but as semi-formal or formal wear in special ceremonies, which is actually a displayment of a culture heritage. The design is characteristic of simple lines and vibrant colors. The curve of sleeves, white inner edge of the V-shape collar, and the broad long skirt are usually regarded as the three major contributing elements for its attractiveness. Short and small on the top and long and broad in the lower in general design shows a quiet beauty of Korean women.

Historical background

Hanbok changed from Chinese and Mongolian ancient clothing, including men's and women's. Hanbok was originally influenced by ancient Chinese clothing of Tang Dynasty (618-907), during which Korean clothing were almost exactly same with Tang clothing since the current Korean unified Silla Dynasty was closely related to Tang. In 1271, Mongolian people (created Yuan Dynasty in China in 1206) invaded into the current Koryo Dynasty of Korea, and since then Korea had been the tributary state of Yuan for 80 years. During that time, Koryo emperor married the daughter of Yuan emperor, and ordered that all his officials must wear Mongolian costume. From the middle time of Joseon Dynasty, Hanbok began to get developed independently, especially female style, which got changed to high-waistline skirt from the breast-high style of Tang clothing. Since then, Korean Hanbok had been more and more different from Chinese clothing.

The Major Structure
One major feature of Hanbok is the random thinking in design dealing with color, lines and ornaments. Generally, at least two colors are chosen to make more colorful. Women's hanbok shows both curved and straight lines, and the arrangement of thin top and heavy bottom (Jeogori and Chima) makes women look decorous and elegant to underline their virtuousness and tenderness.

Jeogori, the short upper garment, has V-shape collar with inner and outer bands, which is to show the beautiful necks of women, and natural and soft curves of sleeve connects. Chima, the long wide skirt, can hide some flaws of body shape. For example, can make short women look tall, and skinny ones plump.

Cultural taste
Hanbok is mainly made from silk, cotton and linen cloth, and the colors can see social status. Korean people is known for its kindness, generosity and good at singing and dancing. They more admire white color for the cleanness, simpleness and dignity, so has a good fame of "white nation". Therefore, white is the basic color of hanbok. In ancient time, commoners mainly wore white hanbok, and those with bright vibrant colors were allowed to them only in special days, such as wedding days, but upper-class people had diverse colors.

Wedding Hanbok
In traditional weddings, wedding clothing is more glorious compared with regular hanbok. The bride wears yellow Jeogori and red Chima, and special hairpins with front accessories and a ribbon. Modern changed wedding hanboks keep major traditional features, but add modern fashion concept and are simpler.

Wedding Hanbok
In traditional weddings, wedding clothing is more glorious compared with regular hanbok. The bride wears yellow Jeogori and red Chima, and special hairpins with front accessories and a ribbon. Modern changed wedding hanboks keep major traditional features, but add modern fashion concept and are simpler.

Upon its unique changing history and designing concept, female Hanbok is to reveal the unique charm of Korean women known by the decency, the grace and the virtuous. Although it can be rarely seen nowadays in daily life, it still sticks to its important role in traditional and wedding ceremonies to prove the tradition complex of Korean. Therefore, like Chinese Qipao, Korean Hanbok embodies a strong cultural meaning, which carries the sense of national belonging.

 

Chinese Cheongsam,Regarded As A Symbol Of Chinese Female Clothing

The Chinese Cheongsam, also called “Qi Pao” in Chinese, is a traditional female dress which originated from a kind of ancient clothing of Manchu ethnic minority. It is regarded as a symbol of Chinese female clothing.

The golden age of the Chinese cheongsam was in the 1930s, which was a bright and brilliant period of modern Chinese dress. At that period, the changes of the style for the Cheongsam mainly focused on the sleeve and ‘Jin’ (the part of a garment that covers the chest). It was mainly made of silk and brocade and the red-colored, which embodied the charm of the oriental women, was the most common one. The pattern on the cheongsam, which possessed Chinese traditional characteristics, was also very unique.

Nowadays, the cheongsam has a high decorative and artistic value. For instance, the bride will wear still the red cheongsam, which means the perfect happiness, at tradition Chinese wedding. And the it also has very high preserving value due to its high appreciated value and historical significance.

The cheongsam, or Qipao in Chinese, evolved from a style of ancient clothing worn by the Manchu ethnic minority. During the early years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) they unified China, and standardized the nationwide costume as well. At that time, men wore a long gown and a mandarin jacket over the gown, while women wore the cheongsam.

Although the 1911 Revolution toppled the rule of the Qing Dynasty, this female dress survived the political change and, with succeeding improvements, has become the traditional dress for Chinese women. From the 1930s, cheongsam almost became the uniform for women. Folk women, students, workers and high society women all wore the cheongsam, which even became a formal suit for occasions of social intercourses or diplomatic activities.

Later, the cheongsam even spread to foreign countries and became a favorite among foreign females. After the 1940s, influenced by new fashions at home and abroad, the cheongsam became narrow-sleeved and fitted to the waist, with a relatively loose hip covering, and its lower hem reached the ankles. Next emerged various forms of cheongsams we see today that emphasize color decoration and set off the beauty of the female form.

The main reason that Chinese women like to wear the cheongsam is that it fits the female Chinese figure well. The style has simple lines and looks quite elegant. What's more, it is suitable attire during any season by both the old and the young. According to the four seasons and the wearers' needs, the cheongsam can either be long or short, unlined or interlined, woolen or made of silk floss. Moreover, when constructed with different materials, the cheongsam presents different styles.

Cheongsams are made of silk stamped with patterns of fine and dense flowers, plain lattices or thin lines, all demonstrating feminine charm and modesty; those made of brocade are eye-catching and magnificent and suitable for formal occasions that require greeting guests and attending banquets. The cheongsam displays strong national flavor and embodies the beauty of Chinese traditional costumes. It not only represents the Chinese female costume but also has become a symbol of a traditional oriental costume.

The Ancient Chinese Wedding

Ever since ancient times, there has been a saying that the three most delightful moments in one's life come with success in the imperial examination, marriage and the birth of a son. From the Qin (221 BC – 206 BC) to Qing (1644 – 1911) Dynasties, the feudal system dominated over two thousands years. During this period, the importance of getting married was far more than that a person found his better half. For the male side, it determined the prosperity and even the future fame of their family; while for the female side, it meant that parents lost the chance of seeing their daughter for a long time. Thus to choose an ideal partner was vital for both the individual and the family.

In feudal society, a marriage would be decided not by a young couple's love, but by their parents' desires. Only after a matchmaker's introduction and when parents considered the two family conditions were similar and could be matched, would the marriage procedures go forward. Conditions that should be taken into consideration included wealth and social status. If a boy's family was well-off or an official family, his parents would never permit him to marry a girl from a poor family. Essential to the marriage process were the commonly recognized 'three Letters and six etiquettes'.

The three letters were the betrothal letter, the gift letter with a gifts list and the wedding letter used on the day the bridegroom met his bride at her home.

Six etiquettes then led to the final wedding ceremony.
Proposing: when a boy's parents intended to make a match, they would invite a matchmaker to propose with them at the girl's home. It was the custom that the first time matchmaker went as a guest they could not be served tea in order not to 'lighten the marriage'. If the proposal was successful, however, the matchmaker (usually a woman) would be rewarded with profuse gifts and feasts to show the two families' gratitude. Many unmarried young people could not see and were unfamiliar with each other till their wedding day.

Birthday Matching: after knowing the girl's full name and birthday, they would ask a fortune teller to predict whether that could match their son's and whether there would be a happy marriage. The Chinese zodiac would be surely taken into consideration.

Presenting Betrothal Gifts: if the match was predicted to be auspicious, the matchmaker would take gifts to the girl's parents and tell them that the process could continue.

Presenting Wedding Gifts: This was the grandest etiquette of the whole process of engagement. Prolific gifts were presented again to the girl's family, symbolizing respect and kindness towards the girl's family as well as the capability of providing a good life for the girl.

Selecting the Wedding Date: the boy's family asked the fortune-teller to choose a date according to the astrological book when it would be proper and propitious to hold the wedding ceremony.

Wedding Ceremony: the wedding ceremony began with the groom and his party meeting the bride in her home. Before this day the bride's dowry would have been sent to the boy's house. The dowry represented her social status and wealth, and would be displayed at the boy's house. The most common dowries included scissors like two butterflies never separating, rulers indicating acres of fields, and vases for peace and wealth.

Before the meeting party's arrival, the bride would be helped by a respectable old woman to tie up her hair with colorful cotton threads. She would wear a red skirt as Chinese believed red foreshadowed delight. When the party arrived, the bride, covered by a red head-kerchief, must cry with her mother to show her reluctance to leave home. She would be led or carried by her elder brother to the sedan. In the meeting party the bridegroom would meet a series of difficulties intentionally set in his path. Only after coping with these could he pass to see his wife-to-be.

On the arrival of the sedan at the wedding place, there would be music and firecrackers. The bride would be led along the red carpet in a festive atmosphere. The bridegroom, also in a red gown, would kowtow three times to worship the heaven, parents and spouse. Then the new couple would go to their bridal chamber and guests would be treated to a feast. Wine should be poured to the brim of a cup but must not spill over.

On the night of the wedding day, there was a custom in some places for relatives or friends to banter the newlyweds. Though this seemed a little noisy, both of them dropped shyness and got familiar with each other.
On the third day of the marriage, the new couple would go back to the bride's parents' home. They would be received with also a dinner party including relatives.

Of course, marriage customs differed by region, but these were the most common. They have been maintained for thousands of years, but in recent years (especially after the founding of modern China), people have tended to discard some of the details and advocate simplified marriage procedures and wedding ceremonies.

Chinese Ancient Clothing And Japanese Ancient Clothing

The Chinese were always a fashionable race and Chinese ancient clothing was largely influenced by all the dynasties which ruled it. The Han Chinese clothing or the Hanfu has the longest history of clothes worn. The Hanfu rules of dressing were followed strictly as a mark of respect for the culture. On the other hand, ancient Japanese clothing kept changing with every dynasty that ruled Japan. Since the Kimono is a national dress, it has always been mistaken for very ancient clothing worn by the Japanese people which is incorrect.
The basic design of the Ancient Chinese clothing Hanfu was largely developed during the Shang Dynasty. The Shang had two basic styles - the Yi which was the coat worn on top and the Shang whichwas the skirt worn beneath it. Buttons on any ancient Chinese clothing was substituted by a Sash. The clothing was in warm tones. The Zhou dynasty in western China varied in the sleeves being narrow as well as broad. The length of the skirt varied from knee length to the ankle and the different sizes and styles created a distinction between the people who wore them. Ancient Chinese clothing used minimal stitching on the garment and the use of embroidery and silk sashes to design the dresses.
Japanese ancient clothing was majorly influenced by Chinese clothing. Vigorous trade between Japan and its continental neighbors brought in Chinese dresses and styles into Japan during the Han Dynasty. The Tang styles and Sui dynasty from China influenced clothing in Japan while it was developing from a collection of loose clans to an Empire. All robes in Japan were to be worn from left to right just like the Chinese. Right to left was considered barbaric in China and the 'left over right' became the conventional rule of wearing a Kimono ever since. During the Heian period (894 specifically), Chinese influence began dying out and Chinese characters began being abbreviated in Japanese script. The Heian court was taken to sensitivity of art and subtle beauty and wardrobe became much more detailed. Colors, combinations and fabric textures changed and separated themselves from Chinese influence.
Japanese ancient clothing was mainly robes and most of the patterns and designs were religious and auspicious. Dragons were printed with nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns. These heavily embroidered robes were won by the emperors and were auspicious for the wearer. The Cheongsam was another one piece dress adorned by ancient Chinese women. It had a high neck with a closed collar and short or medium sleeves. Buttoned on sides with a fitted waist, it had slits going up from the sides and complemented their figures.

Ancient Japanese Footwear

Since the Japanese people don’t wear footwear inside their homes, tabi is still worn. These are split –toe socks woven out of non-stretch materials with thick soles. Clogs have been worn for centuries in ancient Japan and were known as Geta. These were made of wood with two straps and were unisexual. Zori was footwear made of softer materials like straw and fabric with a flat sole.
Ancient Japanese clothes, culture and footwear are slowly regaining their popularity with the western world. There is an honest curiosity in knowing more, wearing kimonos or using silk fabrics with beautiful floral prints from the ‘land of the rising sun’.
Ancient Japanese clothing was majorly unisex, with differences being in colors, length and sleeves. A Kimono tied with an Obi or a sash around the waist was the general clothing and with the advent of western clothing are now mostly worn at home or special occasions. Women’s obi in ancient Japanese clothing would mostly be elaborate and decorative. Some would be as long as 4meters and tied as a flower or a butterfly. Though a Yukata means a ‘bath clothing’, these were often worn in the summers as morning and evening gowns. Ancient Japanese clothing consisted of mena and women wearing Haori or narrow paneled jacket for special occasions such as marriages and feasts. These are worn over a kimono and tied with strings at the breast level.

The most interesting piece of ancient Japanese clothing is the ju-ni-hitoe or the ‘twelve layers’ adorned by ladies at the imperial court. It is multi-layered and very heavy and worn on a daily basis for centuries! The only change would be the thickness of the fabric and the number of layers depending on the season. Princesses still wear these on weddings.

Chinese And Japanese Ancient Clothing Similar?

Ancient Chinese clothing for women was the Cheongsam which was a one piece suit consisting of a high neck with a closed collar and short or medium sleeves. The fitted waist and slits on the sides complimented women’s figures well. The tunic suit dominated ancient Chinese clothing, known as the ‘Zhongshan suit’, had a turned down collar and 4 pockets. Animal print embroidery patches were used during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Beautiful in appearance and very intricate, these embroideries also symbolized the ranks of officers who wore them.

Both the ancient Chinese clothing and ancient Japanese clothing evolved over the centuries and during different dynasties ruled. The major differences in the designs and embroideries were that while the ancient Chinese clothing symbolized religion and auspicious symbolism; the ancient Japanese clothing was more colorful and used floral patterns without any symbolic meanings. Both the clothing styles however distinguished in social ranking, age, sex and other aspects. Clothes of a wearer explained their social status or their marital status where women were concerned.

By 718, the clothing codes had restrictions entirely influenced by china. The influence of china on ancient Japan was no less than a military siege! While wearing a robe, the Chinese considered wearing a robe form right to left barbaric since it was easy for right handed people. The code in Japan specified that robes had to be worn right over left and it became a convention of Kimono wearing in Japan ever since.
Chinese ancient clothing has been setting trends for centuries. Rules of dressing were followed religiously and most dress patterns and designs were influenced by religion. Ancient Chinese clothing was in warm tones with a lot of embroidery and silk sashes used to tie the robes instead of buttons. During the Zhou Dynasty, dragon robes were seen mostly worn by emperors. These were heavily embroidered with nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns. These were considered auspicious for the wearer and had a symbolic meaning. The nine and five combinations were calculated deliberately used while designing; this symbolized the dignity of the throne. Dragons were embroidered on the front and back of the robes, also the knee areas and even shoulders.

Japanese Ancient Clothing

After the Heian period, the Kamakura period saw a number of clashes and war clans within Japan. The ancient Japanese clothing soon underwent another change and now clothes became more functional. The number of layers and broad sleeved clothes were shunned for more usable clothing. Soon the imperial land split into a southern and northern court and these people’s lives got influenced by the soft court life. Fights resumed and the gradual decadence is obvious in the elaborate dresses of the period. Women had stopped wearing the Hakama and the robes were lengthened to ankle level. Veils and robes over the head were some strange ways experimented and worn during this time.
Japanese ancient clothing was mainly robes and most of the patterns and designs were religious and auspicious. Dragons were printed with nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns. These heavily embroidered robes were won by the emperors and were auspicious for the wearer. The Cheongsam was another one piece dress adorned by ancient Chinese women. It had a high neck with a closed collar and short or medium sleeves. Buttoned on sides with a fitted waist, it had slits going up from the sides and complemented their figures.
Japanese ancient clothing was majorly influenced by China. Vigorous trade between Japan and its continental neighbors brought in Chinese dresses and styles into Japan during the Han Dynasty. The Tang styles and Sui dynasty from China influenced clothing in Japan while it was developing from a collection of loose clans to an Empire. All robes in Japan were to be worn from left to right just like the Chinese. Right to left was considered barbaric in China and the ‘left over right’ became the conventional rule of wearing a Kimono ever since.
During the Heian period (894 specifically), Chinese influence began dying out and Chinese characters began being abbreviated in Japanese script. The Heian court was taken to sensitivity of art and subtle beauty and wardrobe became much more detailed. Colors, combinations and fabric textures changed and separated themselves from Chinese influence.

The Fashion Chinese Tang-Style Costume

The unified and prosperous China was established in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In China’s history, the Tang Dynasty was a period when the polity and economy were highly developed and the culture and art were thriving.
Women’s dress and personal adornments of the Tang Dynasty were outstanding in China’s history. The clothing materials were exquisite, the structure was natural, graceful and elegant, and adornments were splendid. Though the forms of garments were still the continuation of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) and the Sui Dynasty (581-618), they were influenced by cultures and arts of the Western Regions. Especially, the national power of the High Tang was strong. The trades and cultural exchanges with Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Persia and other countries gradually became frequent, and they mutually dispatched emissaries and accepted students of other countries. In this way, a special open and romantic style of dress and personal adornments was formed.
Because of communication with the Western Regions, the influence of dressing culture of other minorities on the Tang court also reflected the change of thoughts and concepts. Chinese women were seriously restricted by the old Confucian or feudal ethical code all through the ages. The social status of ancient women was very low: they often served as Jileren (music performer), Guanji (official performer), Gongji (palace performer) and Jiaji (family performer), and were regarded as the playthings and goods that can be sold and bought by rich people. Some females had rebel spirit in the Tang Dynasty, so they climbed or jumped over the walls and went to the nature to view the beautiful scenes and/or go sightseeing in the spring by riding horses with men. Just as recorded by many historical materials, some girls therefore dressed as boys in order to go out.
It was a fashion for women to wear Hufu (garments of the Tartars or those who lived in the Western Regions). After the High Tang, the influences of Hufu were gradually weakened and women’s garments became broad and loose day by day. As to ordinary women’s garments, the width of sleeve was always more than 1.3 meters.
The garments in the Tang Dynasty also greatly affected the garments of neighboring countries. For instance, Japanese kimono adopted the elites of the dresses of the Tang Dynasty in terms of colors, and the Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) also adopted the advantages of the dresses of the Tang Dynasty. The dresses of the Tang Dynasty were mainly made of silk, so dresses were famous for softness and lightness. The dresses of the Tang Dynasty boldly adopted the features of foreign garments in terms of forms and adornments; i.e. they mainly referred to the garments of other countries (such as the Central-Asia countries, India, Iran, Persia, northern countries and the Western Regions) and used them to improve the habilatory culture of the Tang Dynasty.

Qipao Is One Of The Most Typical, Traditional Costumes For Chinese Women

Qipao (Ch’ipau) 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 charm.
The cheongsam is evolved from a kind of ancient clothing of Manchu ethnic minority. In ancient times, it generally referred to long gowns worn by the people of Manchuria, Mongolia and the Eight-Banner.
In the early years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), long gowns featured collarless, narrow cuff in the shape of a horse’s hoof, buttons down the left front, four slits and a fitting waist. Wearers usually coiled up their cuff, and put it down when hunting or battling to cover the back of hand. In winter, the cuff could serve to prevent cold. The gown had four slits, with one on the left, right, front and back, which reached the knees. It was fitted to the body and rather warm. Fastened with a waistband, the long gown could hold solid food and utensils when people went out hunting. Men’s long gowns were mostly blue, gray or green; and women’s, white.
When the early Manchu rulers came to China proper, they moved their capital to Beijing and cheongsam began to spread in the Central Plains. The Qing Dynasty unified China, and unified the nationwide costume as well. At that time, men wore a long gown and a mandarin jacket over the gown, while women wore cheongsam. Although the 1911 Revolution toppled the rule of the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty, the female dress survived the political change and, with succeeding improvements, has become the traditional dress for Chinese women.
Till the 1930s, Manchu people, no matter male or female, all wore loose-fitting and straight-bottomed broad-sleeved long gowns with a wide front. The lower hem of women’s cheongsam reached the calves with embroidered flower patterns on it, while that of men’s cheongsam reached the ankles and had no decorative patterns.
From the 1930s, cheongsam almost became the uniform for women. Folk women, students, workers and highest-tone women all dressed themselves in cheongsam, which even became a formal suit for occasions of social intercourses or diplomatic activities. Later, cheongsam even spread to foreign countries and became the favorite of foreign females.
After the 1940s, influenced by new fashion home and abroad, Manchu men’s cheongsam was phased out, while women’s cheongsam became narrow-sleeved and fitted to the waist and had a relatively loose hip part, and its lower hem reached the ankles. Then there emerge various forms of cheongsams we see today that emphasize color decoration and set off the beauty of the female shape.
Why do Han people like to wear the cheongsam? The main reason is that it fits well the female Chinese figure, has simple lines and looks elegant. What’s more, it is suitable for wearing in all seasons by old and young.
The cheongsam can either be long or short, unlined or interlined, woolen or made of silk floss. Besides, with different materials, the cheongsam presents different styles. Cheongsams made of silk with patterns of flowerlet, plain lattices or thin lines demonstrate charm of femininity and staidness; those made of brocade are eye-catching and magnificent and suitable for occasions of greeting guests and attending banquets.
When Chinese cheongsams were exhibited for sales in countries like Japan and France, they received warm welcome from local women, who did not hesitate to buy Chinese cheongsams especially those top-notch ones made of black velour interlined with or carved with golden flowers. Cheongsam features strong national flavor and embodies beauty of Chinese traditional costume. It not only represents Chinese female costume but also becomes a symbol of the oriental traditional costume.