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Guide to Dress Terms, Definitions, and Cultural References

Your feedback and suggestions are appreciated! Dress terms sometimes feels like a foreign language! Lillian

Ao Dai Cuoi, Girl's Vietnamese Traditional for girls! The Ao Dai Cuoi is a beautiful dress that is used for special occasions including weddings and holidays such as Tet. The top half has a Mandarin Collar, with a long pants bottom

Brocade

Brocade fabric is woven fabric that contains a design. Often found on Chinese and Vietnamese Dresses

Cap Sleeve

An extremely short sleeve that does not go below the armpit level. It is covering the cap (top) of your shoulder.

Cheongsam

Cantonese for QiPao's (Chinese Dresses). Traditional dress worn by Chinese often made of silk and custom made. High collar and usually comes below the knee with a slit on the side.

Colors

Sage, Violet, Burgundy - This page translates them into green, purple, and red.

Colors - Their Cultural and Symbolic Meanings

American, Chinese, and Vietnamese culture and symbols of Colors

Cummbund

Cummerbund is a term now used to describe any wide waist sash, usually sewn in on girls and women's dresses.

Empire Waist

The Waist line is below the bust line. It is a raised waist line. This often looks better on younger kids giving a slender, long look that is also elegant.

Frog Knots

Frog Knots - Traditional type of fastener used on QiPao's (Chinese Dresses) made with large cord with a knotted button and a frog loops.

Gathered Waist

Gathered Waist: the fabric is folded or bunched together with thread at the waist of a skirt. This makes for a fuller skirt and give the child more room to move (verses a straight skirt).

Mandarin Collar

Mandarin Collar - Stiff collar found on QiPao's (Chinese Dresses)

Organza Definition

A sheer (see through) fabric that is used in layers. Looks like a thin net.

Pastels

A pale color.Link to a pastel color chart. Traditional meaning is from painting of a chalk with a binder that offers more brilliant colors than a crayon, and does not have the drying time of paint.

Pleats

A pleat is a type of fold formed by doubling material back upon itself and securing it in place. It is commonly used in clothing and upholstery to gather a wide piece of fabric to a narrower circumference.

Pleats are categorized as pressed, that is, ironed or otherwise heat-set into a sharp crease, or unpressed, falling in soft rounded folds. Pleats may also be partially sewn flat and allowed to fall open below.

Small pleats sewn in place down their entire length are called tucks

QiPao - Chinese Dress Definition

Traditional name in Mandarin for a Chinese Dress. Traditional dress worn by Chinese often made of silk and custom made.
High collar and usually comes below the knee with a slit on the side.

Queue (pig Tail or Pony Tail)

After the Ching Dynasty took over, men were required to wear a queue, or a long pony tail or pony tail as a mark of subservance. If the queue was cut off, this marked them as a rebel. The Ching Dynasty was overthrown in the revolution of 1911.

Skirt Length: Mini-skirt

The miniskirt (often hyphenated as mini-skirt) is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees (usually about 8 inches�or more above knee level)

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Girl's Red QiPao Chinese Dress Traditional qi pao

Girl's Red Traditional Chinese QiPao Dress

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Beautiful girl's red traditional Chinese dress (QiPao or qi pao). Red is symbolic of good luck, vitality, and the New Year in the Chinese Culture! Gold brocaded Red Cloth of bamboo and plum leaves are symbolic of longevity.

Women's Red QiPao Chinese Dress Traditional qi pao

Women's Red Traditional Chinese QiPao Dress

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Beautiful women's red traditional Chinese dress (QiPao or qi pao). Red is symbolic of good luck, vitality, and the New Year in the Chinese Culture! Gold brocaded Red Cloth of bamboo and plum leaves are symbolic of longevity.

Girl's Purple QiPao Traditional Chinese Dress

Girl's Purple Traditional QiPao Chinese Dress

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Beautiful girl's Purple traditional Chinese dress (QiPao or qi pao). Purple is symbolic of wealth and winter in the Chinese Culture! Dark purple brocaded with a shiny lighter purple Cloth with bamboo and plum blossoms are symbolic of longevity.

Girl's Pink QiPao Traditional Chinese Dress

Girl's Pink Traditional Chinese QiPao Dress

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Girl's beautiful Pink traditional Chinese dress (qi pao). Qi Pao was the traditional Chinese clothing worn during the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). This elegance Pink Chinese dress will transform your little girl to a beautiful and elegant Chinese princess!

Girl's Hot Pink Traditional QiPao Chinese Dress Costume

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Girl Purple Traditional Chinese Dress/Pant Set

Girl's Purple Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

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Girl's beautiful purple traditional Chinese dress pant set. This style was the traditional Chinese clothing worn during the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). This elegance Purple Chinese dress/pant set will transform your little girl to a beautiful and elegant Chinese princess!

Girl's Purple Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

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Girl's beautiful purple traditional Chinese dress pant set.
Uses Frog Knots and snaps on top (NO ZIPPER).
$12.88 for all sizes, on Clearance!

100% Money Back Guarantee!

Girl Pink Traditional Chinese Dress/Pant Set

Girl's Pink Traditional Chinese Dress/Pant Set

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Girl's beautiful Pink traditional Chinese dress pant set. This style was the traditional Chinese clothing worn during the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). This elegance Pink Chinese dress/pant set will transform your little girl to a beautiful and elegant Chinese princess!

Girl Vietnamese Purple Lavender Traditional Ao Dai Dress

Girl's Ao Dai Cuoi Vietnamese Dress, Traditional, Purple Lavender

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Ao Dai for Girls in purple Lavender! The traditional Vietnamese dress (Ao Dai) dated back to 1744 of the Nguyen Dynasty. Ao Dai means Long Dress. This girl's beautiful purple Lavender traditional Vietnamese dress (Ao Dai) features traditional knots, purple satin collar, satin cuff, and painted flower paten. The dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down. The loose silky trousers feature elastic waist for easy dressing.

Girl's Ao Dai Cuoi Vietnamese Dress, Traditional, Purple Lavender

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