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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

Dupioni

Vietnamese Girl's Dresses - Ao Dai Cuoi

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

Dupioni

Dupioni is a type of silk fabric. It is similar to shantung, but thicker and more irregular.

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 Dress

Girl's Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
You save $10.00!

Sizes 1-10 Girl's Available
Girl's Ao Dai features traditional knots, Red satin collar, satin cuff, and painted flower pattern.
Perfect for weddings and special occasions!

Boys Vietnamese Red and Blue Traditional Ao Dai

List Price: $39.99
Our Price: $29.99
You save $10.00!

Available in kids size 1-5
Boys Vietnamese Red vest with blue shirt and white pants.
Great for special occasions, holidays, and weddings!

Girl's Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress

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

Features traditional Chinese knots, red mandarin type collar, satin cuff, and small ribbon red roses with painted leaves highlighted with silver glitter.

The long sleeve dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down. The loose silky trousers feature elastic waist for easy dressing.

Sizes 7 & 11 Available

Girl's Vietnamese Pink Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
You save $10.00!

The long sleeve dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down.
The loose silky trousers feature elastic waist for easy dressing.

Girl's Vietnamese Purple Traditional Ao Dai Cuoi Dress

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
You save $10.00!

The long sleeve dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down.
The loose silky trousers feature elastic waist for easy dressing.

Boys Vietnamese Red and Gold Traditional Ao Dai

List Price: $39.99
Our Price: $14.99
You save $25.00!

Boys Vietnamese Gold vest with Red shirt and white pants.
Great for special occasions, holidays, and weddings!
Available in kids size 12,14

Girl Vietnamese Red Traditional Ao Dai Sleeveless Dress

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

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $14.99
You save $20.00!

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

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
You save $10.00!

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

List Price: $34.99
Our Price: $24.99
You save $10.00!

Size 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 available Girl Sizes
Ao Dai with Red Top and White Pants
Great for Holidays and other special occasions

Girl's Purple QiPao Traditional Chinese Dress

Girl's Purple Traditional QiPao Chinese Dress

List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $14.99
You save $15.00!

Purple is symbolic of wealth and winter in the Chinese Culture!
Dark purple fabric is brocaded with shiny purple bamboo and plum blossoms
Available in baby sizes and girls' sizes

Get your darling little princess this beautiful purple Chinese dress (QiPao or qi pao) order now!