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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

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
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Girl's beautiful 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

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

Purple is symbolic of wealth and winter in the Chinese Culture!
Dark purple fabric is brocaded with shiny purple bamboo and plum blossoms.
Bamboo and plum blossoms symbolize long life.
Get your darling little princess this beautiful purple Chinese dress (QiPao or qi pao, order now!

Girl Red QiPao Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

Girl's Red Traditional Chinese QiPao Dress/Pants Set

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

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

Girl Pink Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

Girl's Pink Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

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

Girl Purple Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

Girl's Purple Traditional Chinese Dress/Pants Set

List Price: $39.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $30.00!

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

Girl's Pink QiPao Traditional Chinese Dress

Girl's Pink Traditional Chinese QiPao Dress

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

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

Girl Vietnamese Pink Traditional Ao Dai Dress

Girl's Vietnamese Pink Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $25.00!

Size 1 left!
Ao Dai features traditional knots, pink satin collar, satin cuff, and painted flower patterns.
Perfect for Vietnamese Holidays and other special occasions

Size 15 Only

Girl's Hot Pink Traditional QiPao Chinese Dress Costume

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

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

Boy's Chinese Black with Red High Lights Traditional Costume Pants Set

Boy's Chinese Kung Fu Black with Red High Lights, Traditional Costume Pants Set

List Price: $29.99
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Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

Boy's Black Traditional Chinese Pants Set with frog buttons (embroidered), mandarin collar, dragon brocade, red edging on cap, and includes a hat with a pigtail!
Price reduced and moved to similar inventory types

Boy's Chinese Dark Blue with with Kung Fu Symbol, Traditional Costume Pants Set

Boy's Chinese Kung Fu Dark Blue with with Kung Fu Symbol, Traditional Costume Pants Set

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $20.00
Sale Price: $9.99
You save $20.00!

Boy's Dark Blue Traditional Chinese Pants Set with frog buttons (embroidered), mandarin collar, dragon brocade, red edging on cap, and includes a hat with a pigtail!
Size 3 left