Shanghai Ladies: Poster Ads of the 1930s

• What is Cheongsam?
  The cheongsam is a body-hugging (modified in Shanghai) one-piece Chinese dress for women; the male version is the changshan. It is known in Mandarin Chinese as the qípáo Wade-Giles ch'i-p'ao, and is also known in English as a mandarin gown. The stylish and often tight-fitting cheongsam or qipao (chipao) that is most often associated with today was created in the 1920s in Shanghai and was made fashionable by socialites and upperclass women.
• Chipau Features
  Chipau stems from a kind of long robe worn by both men and women of the north minority nationalities in China. To keep warm, the collar of the costume was made high and tight-fitting. Chipau has incorporated this feature, not just for preventing coldness but for beauty.
  
  The collar of chipau generally takes the shape of a semicircle, its right and left sides being symmetrical, flattering the soft and slender neck of a woman. Also, against the woman's lips and chin, it brings out her sex appeal.
  
  The front of chipau is rather ordinary, loose and tight. To be more exact, its bust girth is appropriate. The design of the front of chipau is simple and flowing without any decoration. To display the protruding breast of a woman, the designers make the waist girth appear as thin as possible to represent the high breast indirectly; by means of the flat back of chipau they highlight the wavy shape of the breast.
  
  Chipaus may have a variety of sleeves. Consider chipau without sleeves first. Quite contrary to the traditional chipau with a protrusive front and tiny waist, sleeveless, chipau exposes a woman's slender arms, making her feel comfortably cool, on the other hand, showing the ingenuity of the designer. For example, there are long-length sleeves, elbow-length sleeves, cornet sleeves, double sleeves, etc.
  
  The cuffs of chipau are so varied that they are too numerous to mention one by one. The cuffs set off women's hands and wrists, to reveal the delicacy of their hand and their feminine beauty expressive of rich sentiment.
  
  Chipau generally has two big openings at either side of the hem for convenient movement and display of the slender legs of women. Unlike a short-length skirt, the openings of chipau expose a woman's legs indistinctly when she walks. Chipau can express the elegance of a woman's legs vividly and involve the most complicated and active aesthetic imagination.
• History of Qipao in Shanghai
  1. Qipao is the classic element of Shanghai, with its hundred year history, Qipao shows the history of Shanghai as well.
  2. In the beginning, women in Shanghai altered the traditional long shirt into the weskit. After 1927, imitating the western women, they started to wear the overcoat.
  
  3. In 1928, the development of the cheongsam entered a new stage. The length was reduced to about six centimeters below the knees; thus the whole lower leg would be exposed and it was very convenient for ladies to walk at ease in the dress.
  4. In 1933, a slit on the left side and a 17cm-long slit in the cuffs appears. Soon modern ladies all followed her example. Later on, the slits became deeper and deeper. At the same time, the waist of the cheongsam was made tighter and tighter.
• Why is Qipao?
  Qipao characterize Chinese women's modesty, softness and beauty. Like Chinese women's personality.
• Fancy Qipao Patterns
  1. Dragon & Phoenix
  
  2. Chrysanthemum
  
  3. Cherry Blossom
  
  4. Peony
  
  5. Chinese Myth
  .
  More cheongsam pictures can be found here!!!

Romantic Cheongsam

• In the Mood for Love literally "the age of blossoms" or "the flowery years",which is a Chinese metaphor for the fleeting time of youth, beauty and love) is a 2000 Hong Kong film directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung. The film premiered on May 20, 2000, at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or.
• Everlasting Regret (Chinese title: Changhen ge) is a 2005 Hong Kong film directed by Stanley Kwan, and produced by Jackie Chan.It is based on Changhen Ge, a novel by Wang Anyi, about a woman's turbulent life in 20th century Shanghai, China. The film participated in the 62nd Venice International Film Festival and was shown at the 41st Chicago International Film Festival.
• Lust, Caution (Chinese pinyin: Sè, Jiè) is a 2007 Chinese espionage thriller film directed by Taiwanese American director Ang Lee, based on the short story of the same name published in 1979 by Chinese author Eileen Chang.The story is mostly set in Hong Kong in 1938 and in Shanghai in 1942, when it was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army and ruled by the puppet government led by Wang Jingwei. It depicts a group of Chinese university students from the Lingnan University who plot to assassinate a high-ranking special agent and recruiter of the puppet government using an attractive young woman to lure him into a trap.

Where to Buy Shanghai Lady Products

• Playing Cards - Old Trademarks with Chinese Girls
  

• Old Calendar Playing Cards - Chinese Girls
  

• Old Advertisements: Love Stories & Female Chinese Stars
  

• Old Advertisements in Early 20th Century