How To Wear Cheongsam?
Wearing a qipao for formal occasions can be a high-risk move. One wrong choice and you might end up looking like a hotel greeter, or worse, reinforcing stereotypical impressions.
That said, wearing a qipao from time to time can be a beautiful way to introduce a touch of Chinese aesthetics to international friends who are used to suits and ties.
The key is to follow a few fundamental styling principles:
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Stick to traditional flat cutting techniques and avoid the Hong Kong tailoring style.
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Choose neutral fabrics—black, white, grey, beige, or camel are ideal. If you opt for other colors, go for a matte finish and avoid embroidery.
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For sleeveless qipao, pair it with a cardigan or a Chanel-inspired tweed jacket. A structured blazer, on the other hand, tends to clash.
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Closed-toe shoes only—never expose the toes.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Straight men might want to skip this post—it’s likely to go over your heads. 😉
1. Styling Example
1.1 Black Heavy Xiangyun Silk Qipao
Occasion: An academic conference
Look: Diagonal pearl buttons + black flat shoes + white Chanel-style jacket
If you’re picking a formal qipao, my approach is to treat it like a “Chinese little black dress.” This particular one is made of 50mm heavy Xiangyun silk, commonly known as “black skin.” Its hidden superpower? Water-repellent—even if you spill some wine, no worries. It’s basically the qipao version of a technical jacket: tough and durable.
This piece has a low slit and a very minimalist design, with only the diagonal collar adorned with a string of pearls and white piping. From the front, it looks no different from a standard little black dress. Styling it is effortless: pair it with a white Chanel-style jacket and black Mary Janes with pearl accents to echo the pearls on the qipao. Perfect for presenting papers at a conference without any fuss.
1.2 Cinnamon-Pink Pure Silk
Occasion: School summer event / meeting
Look: Pomegranate-red buttons + burgundy flats + off-white openwork cardigan
This one is made of pure silk with a subtle feather pattern. Its official name is “Cinnamon Pink,” but it could almost be described as a warm-toned white. To keep it from looking too plain, I added deep red rose-shaped buttons and matched it with flats in the same tone.
The cut strictly follows traditional qipao lines: no darts, with a delicate wave hem. Since it’s sleeveless, I paired it with a lightweight openwork wool cardigan. In the harsh conference lighting, this soft pink almost reads as white. Photos simply cannot capture its true beauty—such a wasted opportunity for a fairy-toned piece.
Actually, in normal daylight, its true color is close to this:
1.3 Burgundy Rose Patterned Pure Silk
Occasion: Social dinner
Look: Black flats + white Chanel-style jacket
This piece is truly beautiful. The subtle rose jacquard pattern only reveals itself under candlelight, creating a quiet, understated luxury. In photos with a flash, it can look a bit harsh, but in reality, its true color is a rich burgundy—not ideal for daytime wear, but perfect for an evening social dinner. Since the dress itself is already the undisputed star, styling it becomes extremely simple: just a pair of plain black flats is enough.
1.4 Song Brocade “Jade Rabbit”
Occasion: Lecture
Look: Pearl buttons + pink flats
The Jade Rabbit and Begonia Song brocade pattern is outrageously cute. To maximize its charm, I kept the design almost entirely minimal. Although I added lining, I found that Song brocade, with its pronounced structure, is naturally not ideal for a body-hugging qipao—it works better as an outer layer. But what could I do? The Jade Rabbit and Begonia motif is simply too adorable. After all, who doesn’t love little rabbits?
1.5 Light Coffee Lace
Occasion: School summer event / class
Look: Burgundy flats + black cropped blazer
Lace is often associated with a certain “tacky” vibe, but it’s not beyond redemption. The key is to avoid loud, colorful lace and instead choose earthy tones that feel more refined—like this light coffee shade. The cropped design significantly tones down the traditional “ceremonial” feel of a qipao, making it look more like a dress with a Chinese-style collar. It pairs seamlessly with a blazer, with no sense of mismatch.
2. What kind of shoes to wear?
As shown in the picture, closed-toe shoes are the most suitable match for a qipao.
If possible, choose shoes with subtle Chinese-inspired details. For example, the pairs in the top left and top right have delicate jacquard patterns that give off a distinctly traditional vibe. Of course, simple flats also pair beautifully with a qipao.
For casual occasions—eating, drinking, or just hanging out—you can really wear whatever you like. Personally, I often wear qipao with sports slides, because honestly, is there anything more comfortable than slides? I don’t think so.
3. What to wear for casual occasions?
3.1 Cotton and Linen Qipao
It’s best to choose cotton or linen qipao for casual wear—they’re durable, affordable, and less prone to snags. You can pair them with slides or sneakers, and just toss them into the washing machine afterwards.
This one, for example, has a pink rose pattern. The shop owner couldn’t sell it, so I ended up buying it myself. 🙂
3.2 Brightly Colored Hong Kong–Style Qipao
I used to think that Hong Kong–style qipao were tricky to wear—like you had to go all out to recreate the glamorous vibe of Maggie Cheung in In the Mood for Love. But later, I realized the problem wasn’t the qipao—it was my own lack of imagination.
In fact, Hong Kong–style qipao look perfectly natural even with flip-flops, embracing a laid-back, effortless aesthetic. These qipao also come in a wide variety of fabrics—cotton-linen, lace, devoré velvet, and more.
For example, this burgundy lace Hong Kong–style qipao is extremely versatile. It has a retro charm that blends seamlessly into modern cityscapes.
Devoré velvet is a special type of fabric that’s often made to look overly formal, but this blue devoré velvet qipao is actually quite nice—it has a fresh and light feel to it.
This brocade in pink and light green is dreamy and enchanting. Its vibrant mix of colors can instantly lift your mood.
3.3. Sulou / Patterned Luo / Iridescent Luo
After all, if it’s really for casual outings and leisure, then the essence is dressing comfortably. For summer, Sulou is the best choice — it’s incredibly cool and breathable. Usually, simple solid colors are perfectly fine.
Here’s a light green one:
Here’s a light yellow one:
The bluish-green and pink contrasting yise luo fabric with a bow design perfectly embodies the saying “red and green together look ridiculous.” It’s a masterpiece of traditional Chinese aesthetics.
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