Chinese Fashion Embodies Elegance and Hides Figure Flaws With Style
Chinese fashion embodies the elegance of a cultural tradition that has endured for thousands of years. When a civilization has been around as long as China's has, there's been plenty of time to figure out what looks good on a woman and is comfortable. Yang Lu's is so right when she claims that Chinese clothes embody the essence of "elegance and symbolism."
As the United States embraces the unique ethnic identities of its people, ethnic styles are more popular than ever at the begining of the 21st century. Chinese fashion is an especially good choice for the older woman who wants to add something new to her wardrobe, yet sophisticated, comfortable, and classic.
Here are some reasons why an Asian fashion may be right for you.
The long, lean lines of Chinese clothes silhouette feminine curves and disguise figure problems. The cheongsam - the traditional Chinese dress most often associated with that culture - can be fitted so that it is a slimming sheath. We often see the skin-tight version in Hollywood depictions. It is not necessary to wear a cheongsam dress like a sausage skin and is not even authentic. Chinese women have lived and worked in this simple, elegant dress for centuries.
The traditional Mandarin collar, used in cheongsam dresses and Chinese silk jackets, is a high neckline that can conceal what may be an older woman's least attractive visible feature. Candace Bergen, a notably beautiful older woman, has complained about her neck for decades. If you've seen an episode of Boston Legal, you may notice Bergen adopting artificially heightened collars secured by chunky jewelry to conceal what she cites as one of her worst features. The Mandarin collar goes a long way to concealing a neckline with rings or chicken skin, two common effects of aging. Unlike a scarf, which can be deadly hot in warm weather, the Mandarin collar loosely conceals without strangling. A high neckline in a garment of a solid fabric can become the background for an eye-catching necklace.
Luxurious women's silk clothing is sought-after in the current trend for green clothing and natural fibers. China was long thought to be the sole source of silk fiber unique to the cocoon of the mulberry worm. Only recently have archaeological expeditions in Europe revealed than some royalty wore silk fabric spun from the cocoons of native moth species, reported Diana Pearsall in Science News (Dec. 11, 2004). Silk drapes beautifully, as illustrated in the graceful, elongating lines of the cheongsam dress. It can provide insulation if worn close to the body, as in thermal underwear and Chinese quilted, or wadded, silk jackets. Silk also may be woven into sheer fabrics that billow in the summer breeze, allowing air to circulate and cool the skin. Silk is so soft to the touch that "smooth as silk" has become the ultimate comparison. It can be dyed into a rainbow colors. It is durable, even emerging from archaeological sites after hundreds of years. Some women's silk clothing may be gently washed by hand.
Chinese fashion often uses handmade details that are innately beautiful and may not be available in many factory-made garments for the same price. Details include embroidery, hand-painted flowers or scenes, and frogging. Frogging is a type of intricately braided button fastening. Motifs such as the Chinese dragon have inspired interest and fantasy for a thousand years.
Chinese clothes are a perfect way to express membership in our global, intercultural world. We are faced with a large of array of ethnic fashion from which to choose, including bright African dashikis, Indian saris and Indian-inspired draped gowns, Native American prints, as well as more traditional European Scottish plaids, Irish sweaters, and - of course - the influence of French and Italian uber-designers. Chinese fashions are comfortable, may include handmade details, often offer the luxury of silk fabric, and are available in styles that flatter the older woman's figure.
A Chinese garment is an investment that will bring compliments for years to come. Chinese fashions have been around for thousands of years. Their many attractions ensure that they will endure for at least our lifetimes. When was the last time you saw a Chinese woman whose clothing appeared dowdy or out-of-date?
For more information about the history and symbolism of Chinese clothes, Yang Lu presents a wonderful summary of the regional and historical traditions, complete with glossary and photos. Fashion After 50 has some suggestions for Chinese fashion for the fashionable older woman.
In summary, there's a lot of good reasons to add a Chinese fashion to your wardrobe. These styles are especially age appropriate for older women looking for something unusual with handmade details, comfortable, and figure-flattering. Many garments are beautiful examples of women's silk clothing with a timely, ethnic twist.
Tags: candace bergen, cheongsam dresses, feminine curves, mandarin collar, traditional chinese dressWomen’s Plus Size Swim Wear Is Making A Comeback In The Full Figure Fashion Industry
A voluptuous beautiful woman with full hips has been a forgotten consumer in the women's plus size swim wear category. Fortunately, this full figured woman usually controls the purse strings for the family. After years of suffering in silence, the strong voices of these women are finally being heard in the full figure fashion industry.
Someone forgot that full figured women are the mothers, sisters, and head of households that hold the purse strings. Someone forgot that these women go to dinners and go on vacation and may very well need to purchase a fashionable plus size swimsuit.
They forgot to design a sexy, color enhancing swimsuit for this pillar of not only society but retail sales. What happened to the marketers who have their ears to the consumers wants and needs meter. The message was not delivered and somehow was not conveyed to the creator of the bikini or the chlorine resistant sackcloth called women's plus size swim wear.
A woman with a full figure is currently not the Hollywood representation of beauty. The choice of the fashion community is a slim waif like creature with sunken cheeks and no curves. So the fashion industry gave the full figured woman what they wanted and the full figured woman rejected their overture thumbs down.
There has now been a revolution in the fashion industry which was too long in coming. But stylish figure enhancing swim wear has finally arrived. Women's plus size swim wear is now available in beautiful colors and shape enhancing features that fit the body of a real woman. The women designers who are full figured women themselves finally put together a winning formula for swim wear for the regular sized woman
If one believes in conspiracy theories, then the conspiracy exists between the million dollar weight loss industry and the fashion gurus who might own stock in the companies. The conspiracy is the reason that the long awaited fashionable clothes and proper fitting swim wear for full figured women took so long to come to fruition.
The problem may be that those slim witted designers may hold stock in the weight loss companies. Long before the slim waif was in vogue, Rueben defined beauty in his elegant pictures of woman who had hips, thighs and (whisper) breast.
The women of the Reuben era had curves. The curves of a woman's body are what define her femininity. The curves differentiate women from men. Women are build they way they are for a purpose. The creator designed women to look a certain way and it is not the thin reed like silhouette of the runway model.
The women of the Rubenesque era were applauded and envied for their full body healthy curves. These women were pursued because they were the epitome of femininity and considered beautiful because of their rounded curves. These characteristics were considered attractive and desirable. Finally, someone in the retail clothing stores remembered that women in other sizes needed attractive swim wear. These women who have been ignored actually hold the purse strings.
Swimsuits are now available in stylish and flattering designs. This improvement in the design is beneficial to all women who don't have the perceived perfect body. When design is improved in clothes everyone shares in the compliments.
Tags: fashion gurus, fashionable clothes, full figure fashion, full figured woman, full figured womenRelated posts
Woman Can Look Fashionable And Healthy With Evening Gowns for Plus Size Women
Evening gowns for plus size woman can be found at Nordstrom's,
Neiman Marcus and other top retail stores. "Shop Plus" lady's wear
is what Nordstrom's named their clothing line that fits women larger
than a size 12. Nordstrom's is a national department store chain
that offers first rate merchandise in addition to first class
customer service.
Their line of clothing for the real woman is almost exclusively
designer labels. Their "Shop Plus" fashion shop include not only
basic working woman's clothes in the Plus size shop but also
beautifully designed dresses from some of Fashion's best and most
innovative fashion houses.
There is a stunner of a dress for plus size women on their website now.
The dress is designed by Adrianna Papell. The Plus Size section at
Nordstrom's website have a large selection of absolutely wonderful
evening gown for plus size women.
The first dress that was eye catching has a silvery glitter finish
and is in a lavender color. The site calls it a party dress.
I agree. Partying looks like what this dress does best. The dress
is made for a fuller figure woman who wants to go out and have a good
time at a party. The dress actually emphasizes all the right curves in
all the right places.
More impressive is the Ribbon Dress (Plus) by the same designer. This dress
is unusual in the design and the cut. The dress is in elegant silk that is
crisscrossed with ribbons. The dress has two front slits that add a sexy
edge to the dress and encourages the ebb and flow of the hem that reminds
you of the motion of the ocean.
This dress is only available in black and white but has such presence that the
lack of options may be a plus. The dress would be wonderful for a dinner date
or a night on the town going to a play or to a smashing fun party.
Both of the dresses are priced under $200.00. The dresses flow just
to the knee and may be considered more for an after five look.
But depending on what the occasion requires, they would work to make
any woman look elegant and very well put together.
The most appropriate dress by this designer that would be considered a
true evening gown for plus size ladies was a marvelous cachet beaded
dress with a sheer shawl that can cover the shoulders and the arms.
This dress is appropriate and amazing for any formal occasion.
The dress has a tonal beaded pattern of city lights on the bodice.
The beads flow down the skirt of the dress.
The dress has a scoop neck which is very flattering for most women.
Then there is this sheer shawl that adds coverage over the arms.
The shawl adds to the drama of this gown. The dress is form-fitting at
the bust which is covered in tiny beads. Then the dress becomes less fitted
at the hips. Because of the way the dress fits, the website suggests
that you order the next size up.
The entire collection by this designer is impressive. These dresses are available
in sizes 12-24 and cost from $128.00 - under $200.00
Evening gowns for plus size women have come a long way. The top designers in the
fashion world have started creating high end fashions for women that wear sizes over 12.
These high fashioned designsin plus sizes can finally be purchased at high end stores
like Nordstrom's and Neiman Marcus. Being a plus size woman is finally acceptable.
Finding a lovely plus size evening gown is no longer a problem.
Neiman Marcus calls their plus size line of designer fashions "Special Sizes" which
is a kind of misnomer. The average sized woman in the United States is a size 14.
So calling the average size woman a "Special Size" is a sort of clueless irony.
We forgive them their trespasses because these clothes really do have a "wow" factor.
Well, the tyranny has passed. Women who eat can buy beautiful elegant evening gowns
at almost any retail store from JC Penny's to Neiman's. Woman can look fashionable
and healthy as they arrive beautifully attired at the most fashionable locations
in their evening gowns for plus size women.