The
manner of dress represented a person's social status or career.
The basis for the Chinese attire revolved around what was developed
during the 6th century, which consisted of a two piece outfit, a
long robe worn with a sash, and an outer jacket. All classes wore
the same style clothing; the material and the designs differed for
each social class. In general, the peasants wore baggy pants and
shirts made from a rough material called hemp and straw sandals.
The higher gentry - the imperial court, wealthy families, superior
officials, and scholars - wore skillfully embroidered silk robes
with cloth slippers; silk was reserved only for the rich.
Embroidery was commonplace on both men's and women's
clothing. Many of the designs were good luck signs or mythological
scenes. Men and women had their own different accessories, but the
fan was the favorite for both genders. The valuable types were intricately
carved ivory fans while the lower grade fans were made of bamboo
and paper. Jewelry was not only a fashion statement but also represented
a person's social status. The two most fashionable and essential
jewelry for men were belt hooks and plaques, as for the women, hair
decorations with pins and combs were vital to their appearance.
The wealthy had more elaborate forms of the mentioned jewelry made
of gold or silver with precious stones and feathers. It became a
custom for nobles to grow their pinky finger's nail extremely long
as a way to show others that they did not have to perform manual
labor.
Clothing was almost always decorated with some kind
of elaborate floral embroidery. Symbols were also widely used as
decorations. For example, the lotus was a symbol of purity and was
very popular in ancient Chinese gardens. Another popular, perhaps
even more noteworthy than the lotus, is the peony, which is a symbol
of spring. Another venerated flower was the Chrysanthemum - the
flower of autumn - because it possessed a very vivid color. Because
the flower survived throughout the cold winters the Chinese made
them the symbol of longevity.
