Drastic Changes in the modern Era
China's fairlure in the Opium War in 1840 opened China to the outside world, and Chinese clothing came to be influenced by Western culture.
Young scholars bravely wore Western-style suits, abandoning robes and mandarin jackets and cutting their braids. In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-sen led a bourgeois democratic revolution, or the Revolution of 1911, and the republican government promulgated an "Order on Cutting Braids," abolishing millennia-long traditions and rules on designating sttus by one's attire.
Toward the end of the 1920s, the replublican government issued "Regulations on Uniforms," providing for the uniforms of men and owmen civil servants. The Chinese tunic suit became popular, a design based on Japanese students' uniforms. With a straight turndown collar, a single row of five buttons and a tight waist, it combined the convenience of western suits and the comfort of Chinese graments. As it was popularized and worn early by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, it was regarded as a symbol of the democratic revolution and also known as "Sun's Suit."
In that period, Western suits and Chinese tunic suits were popular in major cities, where people were more open-minded, especially among the elite and intellectualls. In rural areas, ordinary people still wore robes and mandarin jackets.
Before the 1920s, women's garments remained two-piece, with little defference from Qing Dynasty garments. Shortly after the Revolution of 1911, as more Chinese students studied in Japan, the influence of japanese women's wear on young Chinese women could be seen in a narrow, long blouse with a high collar and a long black skirt. Known as "modern garments," these clothes were accompanied by little jewelry.
In the 1920s, Chines women started to be conscious of "the beauty of curvaceousness," and traditional straight, loose garments were replaced by close-fitting ones. Women of that period wore blouses narrow at the waistline, with small stand-up collars, sleeves reaching the elbows, and a curving hemline. The blouses were decorated on the collar, sleeves, front and hem. The skirts, which earlier had been pleated and reached the feet, were not pleated and shorter, though the hem still fell below the knees. The skirts were also decorated along the hem, sometimes with colorful, speakling jewelry.
The major feature of modern Chinese women's wear was the qipao, which originated from the Manchu. After the 1920s, Han women started to wear qipao, changing and improving the original design until the qipao became common wear among Chinese women. The qipao became popular for two mains reasons. Women's attire previously had consisted of a blouse, trousers and a skirt. Now a qipao replaced all of them, and a qipao cound be made at lower cost. Second, as a one-piece dress, the qipao set off a woman's figure, especially in high-heels.
Young scholars bravely wore Western-style suits, abandoning robes and mandarin jackets and cutting their braids. In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-sen led a bourgeois democratic revolution, or the Revolution of 1911, and the republican government promulgated an "Order on Cutting Braids," abolishing millennia-long traditions and rules on designating sttus by one's attire.
Toward the end of the 1920s, the replublican government issued "Regulations on Uniforms," providing for the uniforms of men and owmen civil servants. The Chinese tunic suit became popular, a design based on Japanese students' uniforms. With a straight turndown collar, a single row of five buttons and a tight waist, it combined the convenience of western suits and the comfort of Chinese graments. As it was popularized and worn early by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, it was regarded as a symbol of the democratic revolution and also known as "Sun's Suit."
In that period, Western suits and Chinese tunic suits were popular in major cities, where people were more open-minded, especially among the elite and intellectualls. In rural areas, ordinary people still wore robes and mandarin jackets.
Before the 1920s, women's garments remained two-piece, with little defference from Qing Dynasty garments. Shortly after the Revolution of 1911, as more Chinese students studied in Japan, the influence of japanese women's wear on young Chinese women could be seen in a narrow, long blouse with a high collar and a long black skirt. Known as "modern garments," these clothes were accompanied by little jewelry.
In the 1920s, Chines women started to be conscious of "the beauty of curvaceousness," and traditional straight, loose garments were replaced by close-fitting ones. Women of that period wore blouses narrow at the waistline, with small stand-up collars, sleeves reaching the elbows, and a curving hemline. The blouses were decorated on the collar, sleeves, front and hem. The skirts, which earlier had been pleated and reached the feet, were not pleated and shorter, though the hem still fell below the knees. The skirts were also decorated along the hem, sometimes with colorful, speakling jewelry.
The major feature of modern Chinese women's wear was the qipao, which originated from the Manchu. After the 1920s, Han women started to wear qipao, changing and improving the original design until the qipao became common wear among Chinese women. The qipao became popular for two mains reasons. Women's attire previously had consisted of a blouse, trousers and a skirt. Now a qipao replaced all of them, and a qipao cound be made at lower cost. Second, as a one-piece dress, the qipao set off a woman's figure, especially in high-heels.
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