Beautiful Chinese Cheongsam Dresses!

I have to admit that of all the East Asian clothing for women I have seen the new style of Chinese "cheongsams" are truely one of the most beautiful wardrobes available on the market.  Clothing for Chinese women has changed a lot in recent times, but the classic contribution makes the contemporary very attractive.  The "qipao" is also known as cheongsam or "mandarin gown."  It is a body-hugging dress for women who mostly live in China.  However, the dress need not be confined to any cultural or national domain. 

These lovely dresses originated from the Manchu legacy.  They were later modernized and improved upon in the famous, commerce center of Shanghai.  The English word loaned to apply to these dresses is "cheongsam."  It comes from the Cantonese pronunciation of the original Shanghainese term.  In the beginning, the term was used for clothing worn by either men or women.  The Chinese word "qipao" refers specifically to clothing worn by women alone.  It is interesting to note that "cheongsam" was the formal dress for Chinese men before Western style suits become popular in China.  The actual cheongsam for men is not worn today, except during traditional celebrations or as party attire.  The cheongsam dresses have since taken over the market in the area of women's clothing.  It is certainly not hard to see why this has been the case!

Best regards from your friend,

Harlan Urwiler

For more information, feel free to visit my website at:  http://www.myorientalgallery.com/.