SARI

WHAT IS A SARI?

A sari is an Indian female garment that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder^.

Sari-clad woman in Mysore balancing a basket of chikku on her head

 

 

 FACTS ABOUT SARI

The sari has a long history in India. The first depictions of sari like costumes can be seen in sculptures dating back to 100 b.c. The variety of colors, patterns, weaves and draping styles make the sari one of the world's most fascinating costumes. Hundreds of regional weaving centers are still engaged in traditional handloom production. Today in India six and a half milion people are engaged in the production of handloom sarees.

 

 The sari is an unstitched length of cloth measuring 42 - 49" wide and 5.5 to 9 yards in length. Ornamental borders and a matching end piece, called the pallu or anchal surround the field of the sari, which can also be either richly ornamented or plain.

Saris often come with a matching piece of cloth for the choli, or tight fitting cropped blouse, either woven on the end or the beggining of the sari, or on a separate piece altogether. Some ultra transparent sarees come with a piece of denser cloth dyed or embellished to match. This piece is usually about 3/4 to 1 meter long. The borders are used for the sleeves and back hem of the choli.

 

 

 

HOW YOU WEAR YOUR SARI IS UP TO YOU!

 

The sari doesn't have to be worn with a choli or a petticoat. A tight fitting top of any kind can be worn under the sari, and it's possible to drape the sari by first drawing the top border around your waist and tying a knot to form the waistband. There really are no limits with this simple, yet infinitely adaptible garb. The sari can be draped in hundreds of different ways - as many as your imagination can manifest.

 

 

 

 

 

BY,

DENISE OOI XUE WUEN 

:) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qipao and Changshan

CHEONGSAM

When the Manchus ruled China during the Qing Dynasty, certain social strata emerged. Among them were the Banners, mostly Manchus, who as a group were called Banner People. Cheongsam was derived from the garment of banner people and it was the basal garment for the Manchus in Northeast China.

Cheongsam is a tight-fitting one-piece Chinese dress for women. It is known in Mandarin Chinese as the qípáo 旗袍 and is also known in English as a Mandarin gown.

The original qípáo was wide and loose covering most of the woman's body, revealing only the head, hands, and the tips of the toes. The baggy nature of the clothing conceals the figure of the wearer of any age.

The modernised qípáo was created in the 1920s in Shanghai and made fashionable by socialites and upper class women as it accentuates the figures of women. As Western fashions changed, the basic qípáo design changed too, introducing high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, floral painting dress, art painting dress and mini qípáo dress.

Qípáo features strong national flavour and embodies the beauty of Chinese traditional costume. It has also become a symbol of the oriental traditional costume.

CHANGSHAN

Changshan, a traditional Chinese dress, is the male equivalent of the women's cheongsam and are traditionally worn in pictures, weddings, and other more formal historically Chinese events. It is a loose fitting long shirt or gown that buttons across the chest and down the side with traditional Chinese frog buttons. Changshan features a Mandarin Collar with an inner detachable collar. There are side slits on either side. Changshan may be worn full length, calf length or knee length.

Changshan are not often worn today except during traditional Chinese celebrations. A black Changshan, along with a round black hat, was, and sometimes still is, the burial attire for Chinese men.

By Jer Ying.

Of Kebaya Nyonya and Sarung Cloths

What's so amazing about Kebaya Nyonya and Sarung Cloths? The coolest part of all these is that it's a significant element of the Chinese Peranakan community's culture.

The words 'Baba' (for males) and Nyonya' (for females) are used to differentiate these locally born Chinese from the Chinese immigrants during the early days. The Peranakans were partially assimilated into the Malay culture in terms of food and dressing although they did retain some parts of the Chinese culture such as their religious worships and their names, thereby creating a fusion culture of their own.

To begin with, the Nyonya's clothing, Baju Panjang (Long Dress) was adapted from the native Malay's Baju Kurung. It is worn with a batik sarong (batik wrap-around skirt) and 3 kerosang (brooches). Beaded slippers called Kasut Manik were a hand-made with much skill and patience: strung, beaded and sewn onto canvas with tiny faceted glass beads from Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic).

Baju Panjang

Kebaya Nyonya

In modern times, glass beads from Japan are preferred. Traditional kasut manik design often have European floral motifs with colours influenced by Peranakan porcelain and batik sarongs. They were made into flats or bedroom slippers. But from the 1930s, modern shapes became popular and heels were added.

Kasut Manik

Kebaya encim was commonly wore by Chinese ladies in the Javan coastal cities with significant Chinese settlements, such as Semarang, Lasem, Tuban, Surabaya, Pekalongan and Cirebon.
It marked differently from Javanese kebaya with its smaller and finer embroidery, lighter fabrics and more vibrant colours. They also developed their own batik patterns, which incorporate symbols from China. The kebaya enicm fit well with vibrant-coloured kain batik pesisiran (Javan coastal batik), which incorporated oriental symbols and motifs from China; such as dragons, phoenixes, peonies and lotuses.  

As for the Baba they will wear baju lokchuan (which is the Chinese men full costume) but the younger generation they will wear just the top of it which is the long sleeved silk jacket with Chinese collar or the batik shirt.

Lokchuan

 

By Estelle