Traditional German Clothing

Fashion trends now-a-days are on similar lines all over the world. Germany may not be recognized as an important fashion destination but fashion did have a significant role to play out here. German fashion is known by their classic style of dressing. Germany also boasts of some creative fashion designers as well. Of course, the scene today is quite different from the traditional German clothing. In the olden days, colors also had an important part to play as far as German clothing was concerned. Have you ever wondered what traditional German clothing was really like? Was fashion as liberated as we see it today? Get to know all the know-how about traditional German clothing right here.

Traditional German Clothing:

Dirndl:
A dirndl is a traditional dress, which was worn in the Southern area of Germany. Originally, the dirndl is a simplified version of the folk costume. The dirndl was actually the uniform of the Austrian servants. This was during the 19th century. In the ancient days, every village even had its own particular style of this dress.

The dirndl comprises of many garments that makes up the entire outfit. This has a bodice, which is worn with a blouse, a full skirt and even an apron. The ancient days saw many simplistic designs of the dirndl. Today, one can come across many expensive versions of the same. This traditional German outfit was styled into a heavier design for the winter days. In such cases, materials such as thick cotton or even wool were used for the skirts or even the aprons.

The dirndl is worn today only for traditional events. In the earlier days, the dirndl was often in softer colors as compared to the brightly colored outfits one may see today. The designs available today are also modified to suit the modern trends. A knot on the apron of the dirndl is considered to be a symbol to indicate that the woman is married.

Lederhosen:
The lederhosen mean leather trousers in German. These are knee breeches and were worn by the Germanic men of the Alpine areas and the surrounding locales as well. The lederhosen are made of leather. This traditional style of German clothing was also worn by young German boys till the age of 16. As compared to the traditional Bavarian garment, the lederhosen were less decorated in these cases. It always had features such as the suspenders and the front flaps. The lederhosen were worn in the mountains of South Germany and were preferred by riders or hunters.

Tracht:
Traditional German clothing cannot be complete without the mention of tracht. The style of the traditional tracht has even resulted in the creation of the Landhausmode. Landhausmode sees its influences from the costumes that were worn by the farmers and the peasants. For this outfit, there is major use of linen and loden material.

Gamsbart:
The Gamsbart is also a part of traditional German clothing. The Gamsbart is actually a tuft of hair that is used as a form of a decorative element. This is worn on the trachten hats. Here, the lower end of the hair is set into metal and the upper portion tufts out like a brush. As per the old traditions, these were placed only on hats. Even today, the Gamsbart is used as a part of clothing and is infused in female clothing as well.

It was probably only till the 16th century that people who belonged to the lower strata of society had to wear shades of brown or gray. In fact, clothes in shades of blue were worn only on holidays. When the industrial revolution took place in the middle of the 19th century, factory made outfits started to conquer the markets. Even then, the end of the 19th century saw a revival of these native dresses. This can be seen in the modern styles of dirndls that are found today in the market.

Ancient Chinese Clothing

The Chinese people are a fashionable kind and have set many trends since ancient times. The Chinese clothing has seen immense variations and influences from the olden days. Today, the modern Chinese people have adopted various fashions from all over the world. Even then, there are many designs that still draw inspiration from the ancient Chinese culture. The ancient Chinese clothing has its own beauty and grace. Therefore, we can see that there are many ancient Chinese styles prevalent even today. These are popular not only in China, but around the globe as well.

Ancient Chinese Clothing:
There are various dynasties that influenced the styles of the ancient Chinese clothing. From long robes to wide sleeves, each had their own distinct pattern, which made its mark.

The pre 17th century ancient Chinese clothing or the Han Chinese clothing has a long history in terms of the clothing worn. The Han Chinese clothing or the Hanfu covered all the traditional Chinese clothing worn by people in that era. The Hanfu was considered to be very important by the Han Chinese as far as their culture was concerned. It was also known that one has to follow the rules of dressing that belonged to the Hanfu styles, as a mark of respect. The basic style and design of the Hanfu were developed to a great extent in the Shang Dynasty. The Shang dynasty saw 2 basic styles-The Yi and the Shang. The Yi is the coat worn on top and the Shang is the skirt that is worn beneath. There was a major use of sash instead of buttons and the sleeve cuffs were styled narrow. The colors of the fabrics were basically in warm tones.

The western Zhou Dynasty also followed similar styles and designs of the Shang dynasty. This is where one saw the variations in the sleeves-narrow as well as broad. The lengths of the skirts saw different levels, from the knee to the ankle. Here, the different styles that were worn also created a distinction between the people.

It was during the Sui and the Tang dynasty, one saw the acceptance of more ideas. The ancient Chinese dress was divided into 2 patterns-The Pien-fu and the Shen-I. The ancient Chinese clothing also used minimal stitches on the fabric. The structure was plain and there was a wide use of embroidery and silk sashes to add to the design of the dress.

Ancient Chinese clothing saw a lot of robes that are popular even today. These robes were used by emperors and very heavily embroidered with various patterns. The dragon robe was one such popular robe that had patterns of dragons embroidered all over. This was actually seen first in the Zhou Dynasty. These robes consist of nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns that are considered to be auspicious for the wearer. The dragon robe derived its name in the Qing Dynasty.

The clouds on the robes further incorporate 12 patterns. These also have a symbolic meaning to express. The nine and five combinations were deliberately calculated when designing the robe, as it symbolized the dignity of the throne. These dragons are embroidered on the front, back, knee areas or even the shoulders.

Yet another kind of ancient Chinese clothing is the cheongsam. This is very popular even on the international market. Also known as the qipao, the cheongsam was actually a one-piece dress. The ancient Chinese Manchu women mainly wore this in the olden days. These were easy to adorn and maintain and complemented the figure of a Chinese woman. The basic style of the cheongsam consists of a high neck with a closed collar and sleeves that are either short or medium. The cheongsam is buttoned on the right side and has a fitted waist. It also has slits that go up from the sides. Today, we can see many variations of the cheongsam available, to suit the modern tastes.

The ancient Chinese also saw a dominance of the tunic suit. The Chinese also know this as the ‘Zhongshan Zhuang’ or the ‘Zhongshan suit’. This consisted of a tunic that had 4 pockets and a turned down collar. This style also found an acceptance and went through few modifications along the way.

The ancient Chinese clothing often used patches of embroidery, which were mainly animal prints. This kind of embroidery was called the Buzi and was seen in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. These embroideries are very intricate and beautiful in its appearance. The various animals that were used also symbolized the rank of the officers who wore them on their garments.

The ancient Chinese clothing showcases a rich and cultural tradition that has influenced its design. These continue to be a major form of inspiration to young designers even today.

Chinese People: Men and Women Clothings

The key fashion trends in modern China incorporate a lot of changes in the silhouettes compared to the ancient clothing worn by the Chinese people. Today, the men and women’s clothing’s have seen a major metamorphosis in terms of designs patterns and textures used. With influences from all over the world, the modern styles incorporate a lot of looks and patterns from the modern palette.

The ancient Chinese clothing saw the dress system being brought into the social circuit by the Xia and the Shang Dynasties. For the Chinese people, the Chinese clothing meant not only an expression of elegance but also an internal symbolism. Prior to this, the ancient Stone Age saw the invention of the bone needle, which was then used to sew winter dresses. (Leaves and animal skin). The archaeological Chinese artifacts unearthed, have produced items such as stoned beads and shells that have holes bored into them. This itself shows the existence of sewing in the ancient Chinese civilization. The sophistication of the Shang Dynasty was further seen in the remains of certain articles that reflected the refinement of clothing in that era.

It was during the Sui and the Tang Dynasties that the economy of China flourished. This also brought about new ideas and thoughts and one saw a whole of changes in the fashion scenario. The Chinese people also saw a major influence by the culture of middle Asia.

The traditional Chinese clothing is the ch'ang-p'ao (One piece garment that extends from the shoulders to the heels), pien-fu (Two-piece ceremonial garment) and Shen-I (Combines the first two). The Shen-I consists of a tunic with a skirt or trousers. Here, the tunics and the skirt or trouser are sewed together.

Chinese clothing is known for its varied design. The Chinese man and woman always wore clothes that were plain and structured. Wide sleeves and loose flowing fabrics characterized the clothing. Also, one saw a lot of add on’s such as detailed embroidery, elaborate sashes, bands that were used as decoration and the use of silk. This later became a very exclusive feature of the Chinese clothing.

One also saw loads of geometrical patterns being adopted and also the use of pictures of plants and animals being infused into the designs. Till the Shang and the Zhou dynasty, the patterns were pretty primitive. Post this era; one can see a neater look and balanced designs and compositions. The plant and the animal forms took a realistic turn on the garments during the Ming and the Qing Dynasties.

The Chinese clothing also saw a major use of darker colors in the early days. The Chinese woman generally wore lighter colored clothing at home. The Chinese people are also known to have strong belief in the fact that certain colors are associated with specific seasons. For example, White is said to represent the autumn season.

Today, the traditional Chinese dress is back in vogue. Fashion designers are always thinking of new fashion ideas to amalgamate the use of ancient clothing basics in order to churn out some of the most versatile designs. A lot of stores today display fashions that incorporate religious motifs and masks that are based on ancient Chinese opera characters. The Chinese man is now seen adorning the traditional Chinese gown. The Chinese woman is often seen wearing the ch’i-p’ao, which is a modern version of the designs that were prevalent in the Ching Dynasty. This garment has stand-up collars and wide sleeves. Decorative borders used in the late Qing period and are popular even today.

Traditional Chinese designs have also gained impetus today. The Chinese people are known to scour various boutiques, malls and shops in pursuit of that ultimate design that is required. Perhaps this is the prime reason why one can see traditional styled garments flooding the markets. Most of them have been modified under the influence of Western clothing. The Chinese woman can take her pick from short-sleeved clothes that have thigh high splits.

In the present day, the Chinese have adapted themselves to embrace all the influences and have learned to play around with various colors and fabrics to suit different occasions. The traditional Chinese dress lays the strong base for modern fashion today.

Dresses with Sleeves to Wear to a Wedding

Which is the best dress to wear is probably the first thing that many women wonder after receiving a wedding invitation. While there are a number of styles available in wedding wear, you might want to don a modest outfit. If funky and ultra modish is not the thing you would like to opt for, then why not checkout the variety in dresses with sleeves to wear to a wedding which are classy and elegant?

Styles in Dresses With Sleeves For Wedding Guests

The huge variety in wedding wear offers you dresses in almost any type. If you are attending a wedding and have decided to don a sober look instead of a modish look, then you have a lot of options to explore in decent dresses. To start with, let me tell you that dresses with sleeves instantly add a touch of elegance to the outfit. Apart from wedding wear outfits with sleeves, make sure that you browse through the various options in sleeve patterns. This can help you design a nice dress by choosing the best sleeve pattern and adding it to a sleeveless dress.

Go for a nice body fitting, full length gown with a side slit which is graced with a lovely short cap sleeves. If you have picked a lace gown then simply add lace cap sleeves without any lining, hence keeping them semi-transparent. Next pattern that you can consider opting for is a lovely strapless cocktail length dress in baby pink or sky blue. A knee skimming dress or a loose pleated dress, both can look great with a fitted bodice. Further, add a sheer jacket with ¾th sleeves. Adding a lace shrug with short sleeves to wear a sophisticated look is a good alternative to a simple jacket. Bolero jackets are also amongst the popular add-ons to such wedding dresses. Jackets with sleeves can also be added to thin strapped dresses.

Another good pattern in dresses with sleeves to wear to a wedding is a knee length dress with full sleeves. Make sure you add semi-transparent sleeves and not the opaque ones. Two piece dresses with short balloon sleeves also look beautiful. If you want to give a fashionable touch to simple dresses with sleeves to wear to a wedding, go for ¾th sleeves with an off-shoulder pattern. Tea length dresses with sleeves in organza look beautiful and give you a charming and 'out of the crowd' appearance! Flashy color like magenta, dark colors like brown, or a soft color like lemon yellow can be suitable for such an outfit.

Colors and fabrics must be chosen rightly so as to make the dress pattern look even more beautiful. Single colored, one piece dresses look extremely sophisticated. A single colored piece can be spiced up by accessorizing it with colored trims and borders. A navy blue dress can be played up with white or silver piping for neckline, a bottom hem and sleeve hem line as well. You can add tiny ruffles to the hemline of the sleeves and the bottom hem.

When you add sleeved jackets to strapless or thin strapped dresses, there's a lot of scope in experimenting with colors and combinations. A plain dress can be adorned with a sequined fancy jacket having long sleeves. Shrugs or jackets can be chosen in a shade darker than that of your outfit or a muted shade which is further made attractive with embellishments. Another idea is to have a self printed outfit with plain jacket. Many also opt for outfits with minimal prints which can be graced with plain jackets.

If you choose to wear a dress with a jacket, be careful while choosing the jewelry. In case you pick a single colored dress with sleeves, the same can be accessorized with diamond or pearl jewelry in the best way. A clutch bag and suitable pair of footwear is all that you require to finish this classy look!

How to Dress for a Daytime Wedding

Colors of white, yellow and pink harmonized in attires, the natural beauty unadulterated with dollops of makeup and you exuding elegance with minimalist jewelry! This gives you the perfect picture of your deck up for attending a daytime wedding. Flashy and bright dresses are never in conjunction with morning weddings, rather you would look much more charming when you keep your outfit and makeup simple. The choice of your dress would also depend on the nature of the occasion and the destination of the wedding. So how to dress for a daytime wedding? We explain you the details over here...

Choosing the Dress
If you have been invited with sheer formality, then your costume has to be formal. Pastel shades of white, pink, olive, yellow, lavender and mauve blend well in women's costumes in a bright sunny day. If you are attending a formal ceremony, then it would be preferable to wear a long flowing gown with a halter neck. No matter if it's an A cut gown or a fish cut gown, you can keep the back cut deep or attach fine straps at the back. Men can wear formal trousers with full sleeved shirts. Tuxedos complement daytime winter weddings. A formal black suit is probably the classiest of all. The options exist in galore when it's an informal wedding. Skirts, pinched dresses, sheath dress, cocktail dress and laced frocks should be your choice for attending beach weddings or tropical weddings. Pick up dresses stitched from cotton, satin or chiffon. You can design your dress with ribbons, laces and frills. A fine embroidery work on your dress would also uplift its elegance. Men can carry themselves with a pair of casual jeans with a semi-formal or a casual Tee or a shirt while attending informal wedding ceremonies.

The Right Footwear
A badly paired footwear mar your sense of fashion irrespective of your gender. If you are wearing a gown, then a pair of stilettos would match perfectly well. Avoid wearing glittering and dazzling pairs since it's a morning wedding. Classy stilettos wrapped in white satin or muted shades let you step ahead daintily. Men should match up the color of their shoes with their belt. A mismatched belt and shoes shows one's lack of taste. Thus, if you are wearing a brown belt, make sure that tone of your footwear is nearest to the shade of brown. Wear formal leather shoes while attending official weddings during daytime. An unofficial wedding ceremony calls for donning a pair of loafers, leather slip-on, sneakers or canvas for men. Women can experiment with fashionable ballerinas, gladiators and strapped sandals. Kitten heeled closed shoes match up well with skirts and frocks. You can either match up the pair with your outfit or wear a contrast pair of moderately bright shades.

Makeup & Accessories
It would be a blunder on your part if you fail to apply a proper makeup during a daytime wedding. You can apply a mild coat of water based foundation or concealer and then dust some loose powder on it. Say a big 'NO' to glitters, shimmers and bronzer! Glossy lipsticks of peach, pink and light brown shades would suit you the best. Outline your eyes finely with a black or dark brown colored kohl. You can also coat your eyelashes with a waterproof black mascara. Men can go for a normal bleach before attending the ceremony and moisturize their skin with a light water based moisturizer before stepping out. In short, let the natural glow on your face enhance your glamor! Wearing shiny stones and heavy metallic jeweleries at daytime weddings would be a big blotch. An exquisite and finesse platinum or silver chain with a diamond pendent would match up well with every kind of dress. You can also wear a swish bracelet of similar type along with a solitaire as your ear piece. Wearing jewelry during daytime weddings is strictly restricted for men. Instead they can wear an expensive and aristocratic watch!

Styling Your Hair
There are versatile hairdos for weddings for both men and women. However, the styles are much limited when it's a day time wedding. Straighten your hair if it's long and frizzy. You can also incorporate loose curls or waves in it. Adorn your hair with tiny beads or flowers while attending a beach wedding. You can either roll up a vintage bun or leave your hair open for complementing it with your gown. Short and chic hairstyles like razor cuts, fringes and bob, go well with informal dresses. You can clutch your hair with small pins, clips and ribbons. Since it's a day time wedding, men should try to poise a more natural look with their hairdo. Do not overdo with gels and sprays, rather give a neat cut to it. Avoid wet looks while attending weddings in the morning. The more you keep your hairstyle casual, the more beautiful and handsome you look in a day time wedding.

I hope this short guide on how to dress for a daytime wedding has proven useful to you. After reading this article, you must have well understood the fact that daytime weddings want you to remain simple, casual yet elegant. And you can acquire the much coveted look by following the tips explained to you! Enjoy the wedding and let people appreciate your carefree look.

Destination Wedding Dresses 2011

Opting to have your wedding away from where you actually stay can be a huge decision because a lot of planning can go into such a wedding, but if you have made the decision then you should get caught up in the romance and adventure of a destination wedding. Buying a wedding dress for a destination wedding is no different from buying a normal one. The destination wedding dresses 2011 trends will tell you that. But, there are certain tips to keep in mind while picking out a wedding dress for a wedding away from home.

Choosing Destination Wedding Dresses

If you are getting married away from your hometown, then there are already several things that you will have to pay attention to. Add to this the stress that can come from choosing the perfect wedding dress that reflects the beauty of the place that you are getting married at. There are many things to keep in mind while choosing the perfect destination wedding dress. We give you some tips that will make your job easy.

    * While picking out the wedding dress, you need to be sure about where you are getting married and be acquainted with the seasonal conditions of the place. You do not want to wear a wedding dress that you freeze in if you are getting married in a town in Alaska.
    * It is also important to pick out the wedding dress according to the time of the day when you are getting married. If it is a morning wedding, then pick out a dress with lace and ruffles. For an evening wedding, choose a gown that has embellishments and a slight, subtle shimmer.
    * Another thing that will help you pick out a wedding dress for yourself is the kind of landscape of the place that you are getting married at. Depending on whether you are getting married on a beach, a manicured garden, a castle, or a sand dune, you will need to pick a dress accordingly which fulfills all the basic functionality needed from it. Wearing a dress with a long trail may be completely out of place on a beach where it will trail on the ground and end up getting dirty.
    * You also need to pick out a fabric that is comfortable in the climate of the place that you are getting married in. If the wedding destination is a tropical zone, then opt for a natural fabric that will allow you to breathe in. Of course, if you are getting married in a destination that has extreme temperatures, then you need to get married in a fabric that keeps you warm.

Once you have chosen your wedding gown, remember that you need to travel with the same to your destination, unless of course the boutique you have bought the gown from can ship it for you. If that is not possible, then you may have to buy a seat for the dress on the flight that you are taking so that it does not get crumpled in the overhead compartment. You will need to ensure that you can find a professional cleaner where you are getting married. If you need to steam your dress on your own, then all you need to do is to close the bathroom door and allow the hot water to run to steam up the bathroom. You can hang the dress in the bathroom to steam it. This will ensure that the dress does not retain the rumpled look that it may have from the traveling.

Trends for Destination Wedding Dresses in 2011

If you check the latest trends for wedding dress patterns, you will notice that there are many designs that you can actually opt for. Once you have kept the factors mentioned above in mind, there aren't many restrictions on you to buy a specific type of dress. Some of the most popular trends for destination wedding dresses 2011 are mentioned below.

Layered Gowns
This is a huge trend amongst brides nowadays. The fairy tale wedding has taken center stage again and more and more brides are opting for a princess style wedding dress. Opt for graceful layers that fall gently to create a cascading vision. Allow the skirt to be made of a material that falls well and has a soft, ethereal look about it.

Strapless Gowns
It was Victoria Beckham who can be credited with making this type of gown such a hit for weddings. It remains a popular choice this year as well and if you are opting for a tropical wedding, this may be the dress to try. For a beach wedding, especially in the day, this could be the perfect way to show off your sun kissed shoulders and let the warm breeze caress your shoulders.

Gowns with Embellished Backs
Taking a cue from Pippa Middleton's bridesmaid dress, focus on the cut of the back of your dress. Allow simplicity and subtlety talk for the dress otherwise but go in for a deep cut in the back. Alternatively, you can also opt for a halter neck dress or a dress which has a lace cover on the top of the dress.

These are just some of the more popular designs for wedding dresses in 2011. As long as you keep the theme of the wedding in mind and understand what is needed from the dress for a particular location, you can experiment as you want for your wedding dress.