Through the lenses of street style photographers and fashion bloggers, we get to see what women wear across the Western world. How about our sisters on the other side of the globe, what do 650 million Chinese women get up in the morning and get dressed in? If your impression of Asian fashion came from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, it is about time you get an update.
The Forbidden City (Beijing, China) may just be the best place to see today’s Chinese women’s fashion trends. Why? Because it is the top tourist site of Beijing and every day thousands of women come from various parts of China to pay homage to the king’s yard. We, a mix of first-timers and veterans, braved the heat and the crowd and went to the City in the name of finding out what Chinese women wear.
How the Forbidden City is designed – everyone, I mean everyone – has to go through a series of gates to get in. The plaza outside of the Wumen gate, where all are waiting to get their tickets, serves as the best people watching spot. While rubbing shoulder to shoulder with waves of tourists, we spotted dresses short and long, shoes flat and chunky, flower prints, vibrant colors, and the occasional fun hat. Let’s go over the top five women’s fashion trends of China today:
1. See-through, overlay, or extensions of transparent fabric on garments – See some great pieces Here & Here
2. Floral-print, romantic maxi dresses – See similar ones Here , Here & Here.
3. White platform sneakers and sandals, usually embellished with rhinestones – See sneakers Here & Here , or a sandal version Here & Here
4. Mini dresses with hemlines at least 2 inches above the knee – See some great styles Here & Here.
5. Cartoon character hats -See similar fun style cap Here
Overall, it looks like the average Chinese woman would prefer more feminine, playful, or polished outfits. Even at a tourist mecca, like the Forbidden City, they would hold onto their flowing skirts, rhinestone-embellished sandals, and UV-shield umbrellas.