Qipao or cheongsam is a traditional dress worn by Chinese women, In the 1950s, women in the workforce in Hong Kong started to wear more functional Qipao and Cheongsam made of wool, twill, and other materials. Most were tailor fitted and often came with a matching jacket. The dresses were a fusion of Chinese tradition with modern styles. Qipao and Cheongsam were commonly replaced by more comfortable clothing such as sweaters, jeans, business suits and skirts. Due to its restrictive nature, it is now mainly worn as formal wear for important occasions. They are sometimes worn by politicians and film artists in Taiwan and Hong Kong. They are shown in some Chinese movies such as in the 1960s film, The World of Suzie Wong, where actress Nancy Kwan made the Qipao and Cheongsam briefly fashionable in western culture. However, they are sometimes used as Halloween costumes in some western countries. They are also commonly seen in beauty contests, along with swim suits. Today, Qipao and Cheongsam are only commonly worn day-to-day for some people—restaurant hostesses and serving staff at luxury hotels, for instance—as uniform.
Some airlines in Mainland China and Taiwan have Qipao and Cheongsam uniforms for their women flight attendants and ground workers such as China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines. They are in a plain color, hemmed to just above the knee, with a close fitting wool suit jacket of the same color as the Qipao and Cheongsam. The workers wear stockings and low heeled shoes. Their working places are often air-conditioned so they remain cool.
A modern style Qipao and Cheongsam
A few primary schools and some secondary schools in Hong Kong, especially older schools established by Christian missionaries, use a plain rimmed sky blue cotton and/or dark blue velvet (for winter) Qipao and Cheongsam with the metal school badge right under the stand-up collar to be closed with a metal hook and eye as the official uniform for their female students. The schools which use this standard include True Light Girls’ College, St. Paul’s Co-educational College, Heep Yunn School, St. Stephen’s Girls’ College, Ying Wa Girls’ School, etc. These Qipao and Cheongsam are usually straight, with no waist shaping, and the Qipao and Cheongsam hem must reach mid-thigh. The Qipao and Cheongsam fit closely to the neck, and the stiff collar is hooked closed, despite the tropical humid and hot weather. Although the skirts have short slits, they are too narrow to allow students to walk in long strides. The seams above the slits often split when walking and are repeatedly sewed. Many schools also require underskirts to be worn with the Qipao and Cheongsam. The underskirt is a white cotton full slip, hemmed slightly shorter than the Qipao and Cheongsam, and are slit at the sides like the Qipao and Cheongsam, although the slits are deeper. A white cotton undershirt is often worn underneath the Qipao and Cheongsam. The Qipao and Cheongsam‘s length, styling, color and sleeve length varies between schools. Many students feel it an ordeal, yet it is a visible manifestation of the strict discipline that is the hallmark of prestigious secondary schools in Hong Kong and many students and their parents like that. In summer wearing this for a school day would be sweaty and un-hygienic. Some rebellious students express their dissatisfaction with this tradition by wearing their uniform with the stand-up collar intentionally left unhooked or hemmed above their knees. The Ying Wa and True Light Schools have set questionnaires to their students about uniform reforms but not passed. But Madam Lau Kam Lung Secondary School of Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery ended their Qipao and Cheongsam uniform in 1990 after receiving student unions suggestions.
Many waitresses in Chinese restaurants over the world wear suits and skirts but some wear Qipao and Cheongsam. These Qipao and Cheongsam (referred to as qipao in China) are long, often foot-length or floor-length. They have slits high to the waist or hip, and are usually sleeveless or have only cap sleeves. They are often made of brightly-colored silk or satin with rich Chinese embroidery. Some nightclub waitresses, ritual girls in ceremonies, and competitors in Chinese beauty competitions wear similar Qipao and Cheongsam uniforms. They may wear pantyhose but not an underskirt so walking shows their legs. These uniforms are considered too sexy for ordinary wear so they are worn and kept at work. The waitresses change into casual clothes before going home.
Qipao and Cheongsams were the uniforms for the medal bearers in the 2008 Summer Olympics. They were also female members of the Swedish team and of the Spanish team in the opening ceremony, with the national colors worn Qipao and Cheongsams.
