Qipao-Wow

Now that I’ve been positively identified as a female China blogger, I thought I should post something über-feminine and I think shopping qualifies, right?

My shopping tale begins last November. I had been invited to attend a wedding in Vienna, Austria and as any woman would, I immediately began to panic over my lack of suitable formal wear. Although I’m sure I would have been welcome in an H&M dress, this was my best friend’s wedding. Okay, technically it was her second wedding since she and her husband were already married, but since the first took place in a strange little chapel in Niagara Falls and I had worn jeans and a shirt for that one, I felt I needed something dressy.

Fortunately, I live in China, where everything comes from anyway. Surely I could find an appropriate dress at reasonable cost. Linyi is a nice little city but it lacks the kind of shopping and style I was looking for. Just when I thought I’d have to leave my dress search for the last minute in Shanghai or possibly Vienna, it hit me. Duh. Why not a Qipao? 

(That’s chee-pow.) Qipao or Cheongsam, is the traditional body-hugging Chinese dress that you have probably seen in Chinese movies, like Suzie Wong. They’re traditionally made of silk with side slits and may also include embroidery and elaborate frog-style closures. I think they are graceful and beautiful. 

With visions of a glamorous and lithe 1920s Shanghai girl in my head, my friend Susan and I began making the rounds of the many wedding tailor shops, examining their silk selections and looking at patterns. Reality is a nasty thing. Turns out I am not a glamorous, lithe, 1920s Shanghai girl at all. I’m a Global Gal, as in globular. Still I was assured by the friendly seamstress at our last stop that she could make me a flattering dress. 

And she did. She made me a gorgeous qipao in blue with silver dragons. It was well-made, lined and cost all of $22. (There’s the benefit of Linyi!) And so began my obsession with the wedding tailor shop and Chinese silk clothing.

Mannequins Mark the Tailor Shop

Easily identifiable by the mannequins dressed in red flanking the entrance, wedding tailor shops are where you go to pick out red silk and have a dress, suit or jacket tailored for the traditional Chinese wedding costume. Red is the traditional choice for weddings and celebrations, but these shops usually offer silk in many colors, although the variety may not be as wide. I was able to choose a silk from a fabric sampler book and have it shipped to the shop. 

Piles of silk and original, couture examples

Oops, this one’s a little pornographic!

The shops usually have stacks of pattern books as well, so you can just look through them and pick out something you like. I had a fairly clear idea of what I wanted, and since it was very traditional it was not difficult to make my choices. My friend Susan and the head seamstress were full of suggestions, however, as you would expect from Chinese women. “This fabric design is too mature for you.” “Why don’t you choose this one?” Etc. It was good advice and appreciated.

Rows of jackets ready for pick-up

A little variation in color

Since my first trip to the shop, I’ve had a short summer qipao and a red long-sleeved jacket made. I’m considering going back for a third qipao and maybe a few silk scarves. Yes, it’s an obsession. So far, it’s been a $50 obsession. Not bad. Show me a girl who does not love rock-bottom priced, quality bespoke silk clothing and I’ll show you a cloistered nun. Even she’d probably love a tailored black silk habit.

My silk purchases

My favorite wedding tailor shop in Linyi open-air mall

**Addendum: I realized only today that I omitted a few thoughts I had wanted to share about qipao shopping with my Chinese friend Susan. At first she told me that the qipao was very old-fashioned and that only restaurant hostesses wore them these days. She seemed very surprised I liked them and that I wanted to buy one. (Actually, a lot of people here are surprised when I express interest in anything traditional.) After our shopping experience, she admitted to me that she had changed her mind and would now consider buying one.  

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Tagged as: China, clothes, clothing, Culture, Linyi, qipao, shopping