What Role Did Qipao Play In Fashion History?

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The function is nothing more than drying the clouds and laying the moon in a faithful way.

This is written by Eileen Chang in 1942 in his essay "changing clothes".

If asked, what is the tradition of China?

Cheongsam can always be mentioned.

But cheongsam

Also experienced evolution, from the original Puritanism of the cold party to become enchanting and colourful.

The exhibition of Shanghai Pai Pao, which is about to be exhibited by artists in Edinburgh, has combed the changes of Cheongsam in 30 years.

In 1842, the Nanjing treaty signed by the Qing government made Shanghai one of the five trading cities.

The Sino Japanese War of 1894 and the Treaty of SinoU made Shanghai the most westernized city.

Under the stimulation of urban buildings such as tall buildings, sound and light technology, department stores and movie dramas, the fashion industry in Shanghai has been accelerating.

By 1900, the population of the city was more than 1 million, ranking first in the country.

Shanghai style has become a fashionable word in Shanghai fashion.

The Bund, Shanghai, 1928

Although it is not like Paris's famous fashion designer such as Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior, but in the area of tailor shops and silk fabrics in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, the dress of Shanghai people is still changing.

They not only use the style of Paris's clothing, but also talk about the popular style, such as Qipao, which is based on Chinese traditional style.

The popularity of cheongsam dates back to the female students of Yang School at the time: short ears with short ears, with a loose blue robe, standing collar and diagonal lapel.

Female students who are obsessed with equality between men and women are deliberately imitating men. "Therefore, the cheongsam of Chu Xing is cold and upright, with Puritan style," Eileen Chang wrote in his essay.

Although cheongsam was gradually accepted by most women, the conservative women still did not dare to try.

In 1926, the good friend has reported the government ban because the cheongsam shows its skin and curves in a large area, and thinks it is "immoral".

By the time the northern expedition was fought, Qipao became the symbol of new women by the call of "overthrowing the old traditions".

Unlike traditional clothing, people do not wear skirts or trousers when wearing cheongsam.

If we turn our attention to the same period of Europe, we will find that the trend is surprisingly similar. Cheongsam does not differ from its dress in terms of structure.

Easy to make and easy to get is the main reason why cheongsam is popular. You can either tailor the door or make it yourself.

By 1930s, fashionable groups in the city had used cheongsam to replace the traditional top skirts.

"From the late 1920s to 1949 is the golden age of cheongsam, almost every year with new tricks."

Bian Xiangyang wrote in the history of Chinese Modern Shanghai style clothing: the height of the hem, the height of the collar, the tightness of the waist, the length of the paw, the length and shape of the sleeve, and even the form of the cardigan all decide to be popular nowadays.

In the initial stage of cheongsam's popularity, the wearers were mainly bold and fashionable women.

At that time, the cheongsam was more spacious than the waist, and the heel was above the ankles.

The sleeves are mostly trumpet shaped and skim over the elbows.

The students are mainly colored fabrics, geometric stripes, stripes, etc.

Shanghai early Qipao is made of silk and Zhuang Zhuang.

"There are usually two tailors next to each other in order to buy cloth.

Bian Xiangyang said, "at that time, there were many silk fabrics in Shanghai, such as Jiu Jiu and Lao Jiu."

Many western style boutiques also became cheongsam.

The fabric is widely used, mainly made of silk and cotton fabrics, and partly made of wool, rayon and velvet.

In general, western style coats, coats, sweaters, vests and other matching clothing.

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Old packaging paper

Since 1927, the lower cycloid has been rising, moving from the middle of the calf to the knee, and the waist is adducted through the side seam.

In 1940, "good friends" published the "cheongsam melody", which mentioned: "Western women were prevailing short skirts, and Chinese women's clothing was also affected."

With the shortened robe, the sleeves are not only small, but also some lengths up to the elbow.

The wide lace gradually replaced the inserts and rolls.

From 1930s, the lower cycloid of cheongsam rose from high to low, reaching the limit of mowing in 1935, then gradually rising.

"Collar and skirt slit also follow from low to high, falling from high to low, very strange, there is no reason to explain."

Bian Xiangyang said that even sleeves are alternately changed from short sleeves, long sleeves to sleeveless ones.

If the cheongsam fashion in 1920s had a certain time difference with that of Paris women's clothing, then the cheongsam in Paris in 1930s was almost synchronous.

"Paris's new clothes will be shipped to Shanghai by sea for almost half a month."

Bian Xiangyang said, "Hongkong people want to make many clothes, and they also run to Shanghai."

At the same time, western style shoulders, chest, waist, buttons and zippers are gradually absorbed by cheongsam.

Even the "improved" cheongsam of Western three-dimensional cutting has emerged.

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By the time the war of resistance against Japan started, China was still saving money like Europe.

The declaration also published articles to introduce how to change cheongsam to short cheongsam to cope with shortages in wartime.

After the victory of the war of resistance against Japan, the cheongsam of Shanghai was once influenced by the dress of Hollywood movie stars, and the waist was very tight.

Like all craftsmen, cheongsam masters with exquisite skills of making clothes are more and more difficult to find.

Around 1949, a group of tailors went to Hongkong to make a living. There was a Shanghai road full of cheongsam and Western style clothes shop.

The movie "the mood for love" is about Hongkong in 1950s. "In fact, the fabric is the popular fashion of Shanghai in 40s, such as stripes, printing and embroidery."

After 1970s, fewer and fewer people wore cheongsam in the Chinese community.

In fact, the chance to wear cheongsam is also very poor. It is no more than a company annual meeting or wedding ceremony.

"Now it is becoming fashionable to dress cheongsam for convenience, such as knitting and low collar."

Bian Xiangyang said, "this may be a way to continue the culture of cheongsam."