If the blouse is see-through, you may want to wear a light undershirt underneath it. Most blouses in hanfu style are short so they won’t add extra bulk under the long skirt. The bottom hem should be at navel length or just a little bit longer.

Depending on the time of year, you could wear light cotton or linen pants or undershirts under the hanfu for extra warmth. The hanfu will completely cover the undergarments.

Even though there are 2 panels, a front and a back, the skirt is still made of 1 piece of fabric. The back panel has shorter ribbons than the front panel. If your skirt is a single piece rather than in panels, you’ll need to wrap it around your chest similarly to as if you were putting a towel around you. There should be ties so you can knot the skirt at your side and then knot it again once the entire piece of fabric has been wrapped around.

For added security, loop the ends of each side of the tie around the belt several times.

The hezi normally doesn’t match the patterning of the blouse and skirt, and it can be a fun place to showcase a particularly beautiful pattern or fabric. You could get different hezis for multiple occasions to easily change the look of your hanfu.

Consider wearing a hanfu coat if you’re attending a wedding, special party or banquet, or if you’re celebrating a big festival, like the Chinese New Year. In other styles, a large-sleeved coat called Quju Shenyi is wrapped around the body and secured with a sash tied in a bow around the waist. [7] X Research source

Most pibo scarfs are sheer and very lightweight. They usually don’t match the color or pattern of the hanfu or the hezi.

With qipao, plan on wearing seamless undergarments both when you try on the dress and when it comes time to actually wear it out somewhere.

For example, if you have a broader, shorter neck, you may want to get a collar that is closer to 1. 5 to 2 inches (3. 8 to 5. 1 cm) for comfort. Shorter collars are also better if you’re wearing a more casual qipao, while high collars are more popular at special events, like weddings or other ceremonies.

If the skirt of your qipao is very tight, slits on both sides might make it easier to walk and sit.

Many traditional qipaos are made of embroidered pieces of silk, but more modern ones can be made of different types of fabric, like linen, satin, velvet, or even wool or cotton.

There are even qipao-style tops that you can pair with pants for a workday at the office. A traditional qipao has a short collar, capped sleeves, and a floor-length skirt with slits up one or both sides. They’re normally made of silk fabric and are embroidered with beautiful designs.