CLOTHING

CHINESE CLOTHING THROUGH THE RANKS by Blaze Lombardo Clothing sure is pretty isn't it? And It's useful, it keeps us protected, it keeps us warm, and, most of all, it keeps us in style. But are there are other things that make clothing so important too? Well for the ancient Chinese people, clothing was a key factor for determining what social class the wearer was in. Imagine, your whole lifestyle, portrayed in one simple outfit! But the ancient clothing of the Chinese was anything but simple, it was equally important to everyone, especially members of the upper, middle, and lower classes. The clothing worn by the upper classes of Chinese history can be described in one word: beautiful. Elaborate designs, bright colors, and heavy amounts of silk were wardrobe must-haves for the rich and powerful. Many emperors, princesses, and military officers wore decorated, gown-like robes that showed how socially important they were. "During the Ming dynasty, female upperclass clothing was known for it's high collars and narrow sleeves. The body height for their shirts were over three feet, revealing their skirt only two or three inches." (Cultural Essentials-Chinese culture) How well made and how appealing to the eye the clothing mainly depended on how rich the owner was. Only men and women of high rank could wear the most decorated clothing, the duller colors and lighter silk were strictly reserved for the two lower classes.

The clothes worn by members of the middle class, or better known as the working class, were much more traditional then the wardrobe of the upper class. In fact, it was not considered weird members of the same family to share and pass down their clothing to their chrildren. Also, because the middle class spent most of their time working in feilds or in shops, they tended to wear comfy clothes that were'nt too complex, but still very pretty. "Both working class Chinese men and women had always worn trousers...traditional Chinese clothing reflects the Chinese people's ancient way of life." (Geocities-Chinese clothing). If you were working all day, wouldn't you want to wear comfey clothes too? Well that's what the middle class thought! They chose clothes that didn't cost as much as the clothes of the upper class, yet nicer made and prettyer then the clothing of the lower class. The perfect in between for the fashionable worker! Lower class citizens had clothes that seemed more like rags. Dirty, in expensive, and quite appalling to the eye, the outfits worn by the lowest class were the complete opposite from what was “hot” in the times of ancient China. “The different styles of robes and other articles of clothing symbolized each person's social status, typically, duller patterns, worn out colors, and light silk or wool were worn by members of the lower class” (thinkquest.org) Although the clothing worn by the lower class weren't exactly beautiful, they were light, cheap, and easy to move in, just what was needed by the slave workers and peasants that wore these types of clothes!

The clothing of the ancient Chinese people was a main part of their lifestyle and their culture. Every outfit portrayed the lives and social class status of each unique citizen, like the upper, middle, and lower classes. The elegance of the higher class clothing, the traditional appeal of the working class clothing, and the usefulness of the lower class clothing stood out as reminders of who the wearer was and what they stood for. With this type of clothing history, it might even make us feel upset that our normal shirts, pants, shoes, and socks just match everyone else's.
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