This is my comprehensive guide to all the subtle yet distinct parts of the qipao (cheongsam): from the material, the fit, to the height of the mandarin collar, the width of the edging, the style of the pankou, and others. I hope it helps you to understand the intricacies of the qipao a little bit ... Read More about Parts of the Qipao (Cheongsam): a comprehensive guide to the qipao anatomy
The four techniques of Qipao (cheongsam) edging
There are four traditional techniques to qipao (cheongsam) edgings: 滚 gun，镶 xiang，嵌 qian and宕 dang. These can be used alone, or in combination with each other as the qipao above to create a wide range of effects. (Image source: MET Museum collection) There are several features of the qipao which ... Read More about The four techniques of Qipao (cheongsam) edging
The qipao (cheongsam) front: variations of a qipao’s chest opening (大襟)
The qipao (cheongsam) front is unsurprisingly, the front piece of the dress, which starts from below the collar and extends down to the hem. Typical the front is made from two or three pieces of materials, joined together diagonally at the chest area by a series of pankous (traditional Chinese knot ... Read More about The qipao (cheongsam) front: variations of a qipao’s chest opening (大襟)
The difference between Shanghai-style and Beijing-style qipao (海派和京派旗袍)
Shanghai-style and Beijing-style qipao differ primarily in their cut, and level of embellishment. The image above shows three sisters clad in typical Shanghai-style (or Haipai in mandarin) qipaos, which tend to be unadorned but very fitted. Their outfits and mannerisms also show that they are highly ... Read More about The difference between Shanghai-style and Beijing-style qipao (海派和京派旗袍)
The Pankou (盘扣／盤扣): the qipao knot button
The Pankou is the name of this website, and as I’ve mentioned in some of my other posts, it is the Chinese name for the traditional knotted buttons used on qipaos (or in Cantonese cheongsam). I chose it because, well, it’s a name relatively easy to pronounce and remember (this cannot be said of ... Read More about The Pankou (盘扣／盤扣): the qipao knot button