The Evolution of Shanghai Fashion

Shanghai has long been considered a cosmopolitan city, China’s hub of East-meets-West cultural exchange, open to new and foreign ideas, inventions, and even clothing. The rapid modernization and ‘opening up’ of China during the first half of the twentieth century influenced the ways in which the people of Shanghai presented themselves. Here is a look at the evolution of Shanghai fashion, from foot binding to Western dresses. The photographs are from the Historic Shanghai collection, purchased in the flea markets of Shanghai.

Turn of the century

At the tail end of the Qing Dynasty, China was not the cosmopolitan, ‘modern’ city it would become in the 1920’s – for one thing, foot binding was still prevalent. Tiny, narrow, feet (the ideal was 7cm or 3 inches) – the “golden lotus” ideal – were considered beautiful, and often a prerequisite for finding a husband, so young girls were subjected to the torturous procedure of having their feet broken and wrapped tightly in bandages. Bound feet prevented women from being able to walk very well, so this proved an excellent method for restricting women to the home, increasing their dependence on men, and eliminating the possibility of participation in politics and social life. Despite being outlawed in 1902 and 1912, foot binding only really came to a stop in 1949 – even to this day, in the countryside, you may come across some very old ladies who still have bound feet.

Women in the early 20th century with bound feet

In addition to the tiny shoes worn by women with bound feet, clothing during this time was still very traditional. The women in this photograph are wearing traditional, loose-fitting Chinese jackets with wide sleeves (ao) and trousers. Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, trousers had replaced skirts in popularity among the commoners.

1911-1920

In the early years of the Republic of China, dress still reflected traditional Chinese costume, but was beginning to resemble the modern qipao (cheongsam). Originally a Manchurian outfit, the Han Chinese people adopted this style of dress in the 1920s. Until the 1920s, women usually wore the traditional jacket over a plain, more Western-style skirt.  The jacket and qipao have the same the high collar and diagonal fastening on one side.

1920s-30s

The roaring twenties brought the advent of Westernization to Chinese clothing in Shanghai, as well as the flourishing of the qipao. Early on in the decade, the qipao was loose-fitting, generally long-sleeved, and worn with unadorned, plain hairstyles. The modern version of the qipao, now recognized as the ‘standard’ qipao, was developed in Shanghai in the 1920s, as people sought a more modern form of dress and tailored the traditional clothing to suit their tastes.

Early 20s qipaos were loose but narrower in cut

The great popularity of the cinema brought knowledge of Western customs and fashion into people’s everyday lives. Unsurprisingly, society women and movie stars were among the first to wear the new version of qipao. The modern qipao became more form-fitting and with a high cut, and sometimes, as in this photo, worn with Western-style 20’s hairdos such as finger waves. Changes in the appearance of the garment from a Chinese robe to a Western dress were also echoed in the fabrics used – more traditional silks embellished with embroidery were replaced by cheaper contemporary textiles, which introduced a greater variety of designs. Florals were consistently popular, but geometric patterns, influenced by contemporary Art Deco fashions, increased in popularity.

Still long, but fitted qipaos of the late 20s, with very 20s hair

1940s

Chinese women also wore Western clothes in old Shanghai, but, as with everything, there was a Chinese element to it. Here we have a (hand-tinted) photo of a Chinese woman in a Western-style dress with Chinese buttons. The Western fashions of the day influenced how the qipao transformed – around the time this photo was taken, you would also see more fitted qipaos with raised hemlines.

All this crazy modernism and Westernization came to an abrupt end in 1949, however, when the Communist Party took over and fashion, once again, transformed. But that’s another story …

References:

Clark, H. (2000) Images of Asia: The Cheongsam. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.