There was a big fashion event last week, and lovers of fashion met and brushed shoulders with the high and might in the fashion Industry.Designers showcased their imaginations through their designs and most of us were awed at how far fashion has come.Both the designers and the audience were dressed to kill. I looked around to see what was new in the audience, and came upon three young ladies dressed in mini Chinese dresses. Even though the dresses were alike, each girl stood out because the dresses were of different colours.What a way to celebrate fashion, I thought to myself as I combed through the buffet of clothes that were available that night.Chinese dresses have been in vogue for many years, but most people from these parts of the universe were shy to be seen in them, because we were not sure how they would look like.These traditional Chinese dresses have come a long way and are rich with unique history and culture. The cheongsam as it is known in Chinese, which means “long dress,” can be used both as formal or casual attire. This one-piece dress dates back centuries and is widely recognized among the traditional dress for Chinese women. It has a high neck, buttons on the right side, and is generally long. Easier to put on and wear than the rest of Chinese clothing; the cheongsam was popular within the walls of China but not anymore.Thanks to celebrities like Rihanna, Nicole Kidman and Naomi Campbell, they set the pace for the rest of us.What I like about the cheongsam is that it has been around for many years and even though some few changes have been made here and there, the main theme of style remains the same.Even the material that was used almost 7,000 years ago is the same material used today when used for many cheongsams. A few designers have tried using other materials in doing this dress, but the prints and quality of the materials are nothing compared to the original one.These dresses can be found in many shades, but the secret to the art of traditional to most of the Chinese dresses is that colors are associated with seasons.Black for winter, since winter was considered to be dull, people used to dress in black throughout. Black has also been known to be a colour that protects very well during the winter seasons, that is why black cheongsum were reserved for the winter, even though a few people can be spotted in black cheongsum- they are not the favorite among many. Green for spring; this is a green time as we all know. Wearing a green cheongsum was good luck for ladies then- since this is a time that was associated with harvest time, and harvest time can mean from bounty of harvest or even marriage for the single ladies.Red for summer; this is the happy season and the red cheongsum is the most favourite of all. Even today, people prefer the red dresses over all other colours. This colour was also used during feasts and weddings.Whereas lighter colours were used during day time activities, the darker colours like red, blue and green were reserved for ceremonies; but that was then. What we know now is that cheongsums are beautiful Chinese dresses and every woman deserves to have at least one in her wardrobe, just for change
