Chinese dresses are so versatile! 16 styles from classic to unconventional | Costume Design Notebook
Hello there! I'm Sui.
This edition of the Costume Design Notebook is all about the "Chinese dress".
We're going to have fun exploring everything from classic styles to creative arrangements. For those of you who create illustrations, I've designed 16 types of Chinese-style outfits for your characters.
What is a Chinese dress?
When you hear "Chinese dress," the first things that come to mind are the high standing collar, the diagonal front closure, and the slim silhouette that follows the body's lines.
The most iconic among them is the qipao, which evolved from traditional Chinese clothing. It is also widely known in Japan as a "China dress."
What makes it unique is that the elements that give it that distinct Chinese look are very clear.
A standing collar that encircles the neck
A diagonal front closure
Decorative knotted buttons
Chinese patterns like flowers, clouds, or birds
Outlines trimmed with piping
Silhouettes incorporating slits
And the interesting thing is that as long as you keep a few of these features, you can change the shape of the garment itself quite boldly.
Beyond the classic long-length qipao, you can have mini-lengths, wide pants, capes, peplums, hoodies, sheer dresses, and even mechanical armor.
It's a type of costume where it's easy to enjoy seeing "how far you can break the shape while still keeping that Chinese-style feel."
Now, please take a look at the 16 styles I've created for my illustrations.
Illustrations of characters wearing Chinese-style outfits! 16 selections
1. Moonflower Straight Qipao
【Color Scheme】
Deep Crimson × Black × Dull Gold × Beige
【Style】
High mandarin collar + diagonal front closure + slim long qipao + side slits
【Design & Color Points】
Black to deep crimson transition with dull gold peony, branch, and cloud patterns
Floral embroidery arranged vertically from bodice to hem
Thin gold trim bordering the collar, front closure, and hem
2. Goldfish Tail China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Deep Crimson × Black × Dull Gold × Golden Orange
【Style】
Sleeveless mandarin collar + diagonal front closure + short front hem + long fishtail
【Design & Color Points】
Short front hem revealing the legs, with a large tail extending near the floor in the back
Goldfish and flowing water patterns widely placed on red and black fabric
Tail outer edge emphasized with thin dull gold trim
3. Double-Front Closure China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Black × Deep Crimson × Dull Gold
【Style】
Short mandarin collar bolero + under-bust cut sleeveless dress + double front closure
【Design & Color Points】
Two-layer structure with a black bolero layered over a deep crimson long dress
Dense black and red small floral patterns on both the bolero and dress
Long length with a diagonal gradient shifting from deep crimson to black
4. Folded-Sleeve Mini China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Black × Deep Crimson × Olive Gold × Ivory
【Style】
Diagonal front closure crop top + accordion-style wide sleeves + flared mini skirt + long hanging fabric
【Design & Color Points】
Intricate cloud and flower patterns across the black top and skirt
Multi-layered structure with large ivory ruffles layered at the cuffs
Long deep crimson hanging fabric panels placed on both sides of the waist
5. Water-Sleeve Wide China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Celadon × Ink Black × Silver White × Pale Blue
【Style】
Short mandarin collar top + long water sleeves + high-waisted wide pants
【Design & Color Points】
Celadon water sleeves that flare widely from the elbow to near the floor
Silver white and pale blue lotus and water patterns on the top and sleeves
Silver white flowing water and lotus patterns on the hem of the ink black wide pants
6. Swallowtail Short China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Black × Ivory × Deep Crimson × Dull Gold
【Style】
Sleeveless mandarin collar + high-waisted shorts + bifurcated long swallowtail
【Design & Color Points】
Thin dull gold grid pattern on a black background
Swallowtail that splits and extends long from the waist to both sides
Deep crimson swallow and dull gold line patterns on the swallowtail
7. Tied-Waist Culotte China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Ink Black × Ivory White × Deep Crimson × Silver White
【Style】
Diagonal wrap bodice + wide tied waist + knee-length flared culottes
【Design & Color Points】
Fine tortoise-shell pattern across the entire ink black fabric
Structure with a wide ivory white sash tied in a large knot at the waist
White plum and deep crimson small flower patterns placed on the bodice, culottes, and sash
8. Flower-Light Tiered Qipao
【Color Scheme】
Ivory × Deep Crimson × Pale Red × Dull Gold
【Style】
Sleeveless qipao + three-tier tiered skirt + long flare
【Design & Color Points】
Three-tier tiered skirt transitioning from ivory to deep crimson
Peony patterns that increase in density toward the hem
Each tier's edge bordered with a thin dull gold line
9. Fan-Circle Cape China Dress
【Color Scheme】
Deep Crimson × Dark Navy × Black × Dull Gold
【Style】
Mini qipao + integrated fan-circle cape
【Design & Color Points】
Deep crimson cape that flares widely in a semicircle from the shoulders
Radial fan rib lines and black flower-and-bird patterns on the cape surface
Inner dark navy fabric fully decorated with dull gold flower-and-bird patterns
10. Peony Peplum China Dress
[Color Scheme]
Crimson × Black × Dull Gold × Ivory
[Style]
Sleeveless Mandarin collar top + circular peplum + slim pants
[Design & Color Points]
A large crimson peplum that flares out from the waist
Floral patterns in the same color covering the black slim pants
Pale gold peony embroidery placed from the bodice to the peplum
11. Purple Smoke Glass Flower Collar
[Color Scheme]
Deep Purple × Lavender × Pale Purple × Ivory × Pale Gold
[Style]
Mandarin collar + cross-strap bodice + sheer long sleeves + multi-layered fishtail
[Design & Color Points]
Chest area crossed multiple times with thin purple and pale gold lines and butterfly-shaped ornaments
Sleeves and skirt layered with sheer pale purple fabric
Flower, butterfly, and bead-like ornaments finely placed all over the body
12. Panda Ear Hoodie
[Color Scheme]
Ivory × Black × Deep Purple × Pale Gold
[Style]
Panda ear hood + oversized hoodie + voluminous sneakers
[Design & Color Points]
Large white hood with black round panda ears
Sleeves switched to black fabric with purple and pale gold Chinese patterns
Structure with long, sheer purple fabric hanging from the hem and sleeves
13. Dim Sum Idol China
[Color Scheme]
Lapis Blue × Crimson × Yellow × White × Gold
[Style]
Mandarin collar top + frilled apron + petal-shaped mini skirt
[Design & Color Points]
Peony and cloud patterns covering the lapis blue bodice and skirt
Skirt divided into multiple petal-shaped panels and edged with yellow frills
Layered with a white frilled apron and red and gold decorative knots
14. Dim Sum Idol China: Delicate Flower Myriad Points
[Color Scheme]
Lapis Blue × Crimson × White × Gold
[Style]
Sheer chest top + sheer frill sleeves + multi-layered petal mini skirt
[Design & Color Points]
Chest area layered with white lace, cutwork, and thin decorative knots
Blue and red petal-shaped skirts layered alternately with white frills placed inside
White sheer material layered over the arms and the outside of the skirt
15. Purple Glass Flower: Dark Armament
[Color Scheme]
Purple × Black × White × Gold
[Style]
Chinese Mandarin collar bodysuit + multi-layered armor + large back unit
[Design & Color Points]
Hard armor in purple, black, and white divided and placed on the shoulders, arms, waist, and legs
Gold peony, cloud patterns, and circuit-like lines placed on the armor surface
Large plate-like units deployed from the back to the left and right
16. Purple Glass Flower: Dark Armament White-Purple Type
[Color Scheme]
Lavender × Black × White × Gold
[Style]
Chinese Mandarin collar bodysuit + white-purple armor + back blade unit
[Design & Color Points]
White and pale purple segmented armor layered over a black inner suit
Gold flower patterns and Chinese knots placed on the chest, waist, and leg armor
Long, thin purple blade-like units and hanging fabric deployed from the back
Conclusion
This time, I arranged Chinese dresses in various directions, from classic qipao to mini lengths, wide pants, capes, hoodies, sheer dresses, and even mobile suits.
Looking at them all together, I realized that Chinese dresses arecostumes that can be played with by changing their shapemore than I thought.
You can keep the Mandarin collar while changing the silhouette, use only the decorative knots as an accent, or apply peony and cloud patterns to completely different materials.
It's great to enjoy the classics as they are, and it's also fun to break them down to the point where you wonder, "Is it okay to call this a Chinese dress?"
If there's a design that catches your eye, please try incorporating it into your own characters or creative work and have fun with it!
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