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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 Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Sleeveless Dress

Girl's Vietnamese Pink Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress Long Sleeve

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Size 1-16 Available
Ao Dai features traditional knots, Red satin collar, short sleeve satin cuff, and painted flower pattern.
Great for holidays and special occasions!

Girl's Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress Sleeveless W/ Mandarin Collar

Girl's Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress Long Sleeve

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Size 1-16 Available in Girl's Sizes
Girl's Red Ao Dai with Long Sleeves and Red Pants with embroidered flowers and hand painted painted flowers patterns
Great for celebrations and special occasions

Vietnamese Girl's Red Ao Dai Cuoi with White Pants

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Size 1-16 available Girl Sizes
Ao Dai with Red Top and White Pants
Great for Holidays and other special occasions

Girl's Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress Sleeveless W/ Mandarin Collar

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Size 1-10 Girl's Available
Girl's Red Ao Dai, Sleeveless, with painted flower design, embroidered flowers, and rhinestones
Great for special occasions and weddings!

Girl's Red QiPao Chinese Dress Traditional qi pao

Girl's Red Traditional Chinese QiPao Dress

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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

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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).

Girl's Vietnamese Purple Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress Long Sleeve

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Size 2-16 Girl's Available
Purple Ao Dai features traditional knots, Purple satin collar, short sleeve satin cuff, and painted flower pattern with embroidered flowers.
Great for weddings, celebrations, and other special occasions

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's beautiful hot 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 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!