Popular Men'S Bathing Suits

Men’s bathing suits, like women’s, are also available in various styles, designs and types though options are generally uniform in comparison.

Speedo, actually a swimsuit brand name, may be the most popular bathing suit for men. The name is now used as a generic term for any briefs-style male swimsuit. Speedos can be identified by the V-shape feature in the front and form-fitting solid back, and are mostly made of Lycra or a spandex composite. They are typically worn below the lower waist, and are secured by a drawstring and thin band at the upper thigh.

Board shorts are basically half length pants, longer than briefs, shorts, or Speedo styles. They may also have a baggy appearance and typically extend to the knee area or a little above it. They are popular, but not exclusively, for water sports such as surfing and wakeboarding. Maybe that’s why they are called board shorts. The skater punk fashion of the 1990s and 2000s has also immensely popularized these pants.

Jammers are normally worn by professional swimmers which enable them to gain speed advantages because of its Lycra or spandex composite. They extend from the mid-waist to the area above the knee and have more water resistance than other types of men’s swimwear.

Briefs are worn by the casual swimmer. Briefs normally refer to men’s underwear but the word is used for bathing suits too. The reason behind the popularity of briefs lies in their practicality: they offer an almost equal degree of support as jockstraps, which means many men find them comfortable to swim in.

Bathing Suits provides detailed information about bathing suits, bikini bathing suits, kids' bathing suits, men's bathing suits and more. Bathing Suits is the sister site of Kids' Swimsuits.

Men's Bathing Suits

Buying the right size, style and material for bathing suits is important, especially if you are a professional swimmer. There is a wide range of men’s bathing suits to choose from, so it takes a little time to figure out the right type of bathing suit. Here are a few guidelines that may be able to help you decide what type of bathing suit would match your style and needs.

Before measuring yourself, don’t forget to remove all your outer clothing. Stand in front of the mirror and make sure the measuring tape is not twisted. The tape should be secure but not too tight. Since the size of most men’s bathing suits is based on waist measurement, you need to get this right. In order to do this, bend to one side to find your natural waistline. Then while standing straight, measure your waistline just above the hipbone or about an inch below your natural waistline. This should verify the right waist size before buying a bathing suit.

Decide carefully what type of bathing suit would be appropriate for your needs. For example, if you’re into some serious water sports like surfing, get some board shorts. If you can afford it, try to go for high-quality sanded polyester coated with water repellent. The board shorts should also have reinforced stitching along seams and stress points.

If you’re a competitive swimmer, high-performance bathing suits, with blends of nylon or spandex, such as Speedos and tight-fitting briefs, maximize speed in the water and improve glide times. For training, buy your normal size, but for competitions, buy a bathing suit at least one size smaller than your training suit. Also make sure the suit is equipped with flat and locked stitches in order to prevent drag and skin chaffing in the groin.

Men’s bathing suits, like women’s, are also available in various styles, designs and types though options are generally uniform in comparison.

Speedo, actually a swimsuit brand name, may be the most popular bathing suit for men. The name is now used as a generic term for any briefs-style male swimsuit. Speedos can be identified by the V-shape feature in the front and form-fitting solid back, and are mostly made of Lycra or spandex composite. They are typically worn below the lower waist, and are secured by a drawstring and thin banding at the upper thighs.

Board shorts are basically half length pants but normally longer than briefs, shorts, or Speedos styles. They may also have a baggy appearance and typically extends to the knee area or a little above it. They are popular, but not exclusively, for water sports such as surfing and wakeboarding. Maybe that’s why they are called board shorts. The skater punk fashion of the 1990s and 2000s has also immensely popularized these pants.

Jammers are normally worn by professional swimmers which enable them to gain speed advantages because of its Lycra or spandex composite. They extend from the mid-waist to the area above the knee and have more water resistance than other types of men’s swimwear.

Briefs are normally meant for men’s underwear but they can also be used for bathing suits too. The reason behind the popularity of briefs lies in their practicality, which offers an almost parallel degree of support from jockstraps. So, many people find it comfortable to swim with briefs as bathing suits.

With many bathing suits to choose from in the market, it’s worth taking the time to find the right style and size for you; a little time spent choosing will give you a lot of good use and enjoyment from your new bathing suit.

Bathing Suits provides detailed information about bathing suits, bikini bathing suits, kids' bathing suits, men's bathing suits and more. Bathing Suits is the sister site of Kids' Swimsuits.

Bathing Suits

Bathing suits, also known as swimsuits, are worn for many purposes. Basically, for the general public, they are meant to avoid nudity or exposure when going for a swim or sun-bathing in public places like beaches and public swimming pools. Swimmers in a competition may wear them for thermal protection, and contestants in a beauty pageant, for displaying their bodies.

It is illegal to go swimming without a bathing suit in many parts of the United States, as it is considered to be a form of indecent exposure. There are special beaches and resorts reserved for people who wish to go nude while swimming. The number of nudist beaches has risen in recent years, and their popularity is still growing.

There are many types of bathing suits available for men, women and children. Men’s bathing suits may include shorts, trunks, board shorts, jammers, speedo-style briefs, thongs, or cut-off jeans. Women’s bathing suits mainly consist of one-piece swimsuits, bikinis, or thongs, with variants like monokinis, tankinis and string bikinis. Beaches mostly allow pants, underwear, or T-shirts to be used as make-shift bathing suits, but swimming pools seldom do so.

Special types of bathing suits or swimsuits, usually made from spandex, are generally worn by professional swimmers. They may wear full bodysuits, racer-back styles, jammers, and racing briefs for protection from drag, skin chaffing, stings and abrasion.

There are countless types, styles, designs and variants of bathing suits that have come up in recent years, and the number and popularity of certain styles are still growing.

Bathing Suits provides detailed information about bathing suits, bikini bathing suits, kids' bathing suits, men's bathing suits and more. Bathing Suits is the sister site of Kids' Swimsuits.

Women's Bathing Suits To Suit All Shapes

Shopping for women’s bathing suits can be a daunting task because most women believe that bathing suits compliment only those with the perfect hourglass figure. This is not so. If you consider that very few have perfect figures, then you’ll realize that there are many swimsuit options that can look great with your own body type.

You have the option of wearing one- or two-piece suits if you have large hips, but you should wear solid colors on the bottom to add more emphasis to the top part of the body. Remember that high-cut legs emphasize the hips, so try to buy low-cut legged suits.

If you are slightly overweight, try wearing string bikinis. However, string bikinis may not sustain strenuous physical activities so they are not very appropriate for women who play a lot of sports such as beach volleyball.

Wear medium to high-cut legs, and suits with wide straps if your shoulders and bust are broader than your hips, and emphasize on colors and textures on the bottom. Avoid plunging neck lines or mini bottoms and concentrate on square necks.

Streamlined skirt bathing suits look great on women with pear-shaped figures. Avoid any type of suits that reveal your thighs. The cut out bathing suit, on the other hand, is perfect for women with bigger waists.

Two-piece suits without a defined waist are great if you have an “H” shaped body. If you’re buying a one-piece suit, look for piping and princess seams that have the effect of giving you extra curves, and concentrate on bold colors. Also void solid-colored tanks.

As you can see, with a little thought to swim suit style, any body can look great on the beach or in the pool.

Bathing Suits provides detailed information about bathing suits, bikini bathing suits, kids' bathing suits, men's bathing suits and more. Bathing Suits is the sister site of Kids' Swimsuits.

Dress Well, Look Great - 3 Simple Steps

Is it possible for a person to go from finding dressing a chore to doing it effortlessly? The answer is yes. For some, knowing how to dress well and look great is difficult. It is something that for them takes a lot of time and effort. While for others, who know the secrets to successful dressing, looking great daily is not only possible but easily accomplished.

Knowing how to choose clothes that bring out our assets is not something we are born knowing. However, some of us are fortunate enough to learn early from parents, relatives or friends. For those who did not have someone to learn from, all is not lost.

Effortless dressing is something that can be learned if you take the time. Why should you learn? Why is looking your best important? The reasons are simple. We feel better when we know we look our best and people react to us in a more positive manner when we look good. This old cliché is still true, ‘ you only get one chance to make a good first impression’. This is especially true when how you look affects if you get the job, the promotion or the date. It is not fair that we are judged on how we look but since we can’t control it, the only other alternative is to go with it.

Being well dressed involves knowing yourself - your lifestyle, your best colors, your best clothing styles, best hairstyles and so much more. However, if you pay attention to the following three steps you will be on your way to looking great.

1. Keep clothes wrinkle-free. No matter how expensive your clothes are or how well they fit if they are wrinkled you will lose all credibility. Take care of your clothing by keeping them well pressed and hang them to prevent wrinkles. Before you buy pants, skirts or blouses check to see how easily they wrinkle by taking a little of the fabric in your hand and squeezing for two seconds. If it wrinkles don’t buy it.

2. The perfect fit. Clothes that fit well will make you appear slimmer and present a more polished look. It is amazing how much difference an inch taken off or added in a certain place can make. Why nip and tuck your body when you can nip and tuck your clothes and get the same result?

3. Grooming. A neat, fashionable hairstyle, subtle makeup and good overall grooming are the final touches to a well-dressed look.

A polished look can be yours every day, if you dedicate a little time and effort up front to learn about yourself and how to choose the right styles and colors. It’s the first step to investing in you.

©Copyright 2006 Sheila Dicks

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women feel more confident by dressing to suit their body type. To get tips on how to dress slimmer and find your best styles get a copy of her ebook “Image Makeover” at http://www.how-to-dress.com or go to http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to get the Free Report “ 7 Things Your Girlfriends Won’t Tell You About Beauty and Fashion”.

Are You Considering a Career in Fashion Design

More and more young people are choosing fashion design when they are quizzed about their future choice in a career and who can blame them. A career in fashion design means having a great job creating clothing concepts that will influence the way that people look all over the planet. One thing that many people are not aware of, is that top designers have a way of making it all look so easy when in fact they have put in years of work and study to get to the pinnacle that they are at.

To be successful at fashion design, one must be able to do a wide variety of tasks well including drawing, selecting colors and fabric types and sewing just to name a few things that a good designer must do well. Another thing that a good designer must have is vision, because the designs that they create have to be a year ahead of the popular trends in fashion.

This is because, what you see on the racks in clothing stores this spring were actually thought up over a year ago. This is when the designer first began to sketch designs and try to imagine what they will actually look like when than are finally constructed. It takes a full year for a designer to design and create a line of clothing and if the designer is wrong on which direction that they predicted fashion would take they will be out of business.

If you are considering fashion design as a career choice then now is the time to start your studies by learning to sketch your ideas. Sketching is a great way to work out idea concepts without having to go through the time and expense of actually constructing anything. Also, it is important to remember that the only way that you are going to communicate your ideas in fashion is with sketches.

Written by Shasta Cohen. Find the latest information on a BCBG Black Dress as well as BCBG Purses.

Wear Organic Clothing

The world in which we live in is an ever changing place. Everything is changing, from our homes, the buildings we work in and now our clothing. Organic Clothing has become a multi-billion dollar business. Some people have yet to realize this.
What do we mean by organic clothing? Clothes that are made from materials that are grown and not man made are considered to be organic. Materials that are organically grown don't harm the earth, water or the air we breathe. They are considered safe for the eco-system. What's the term used these days - "green".
What are the benefits of Organic Clothing? The clothing industry tends to pollute more than any other industry. Pesticides are used more often on cotton because it's not a food product. The pesticides have a tendency to pollute the water supply in the nearby towns. While farming organically promotes a clean environment. Organic clothing will contain no harmful materials or dyes.
Where can I buy organic clothing? There is a vast majority of marketers of organic clothing. The big department stores just recently started carrying their own brands of organic clothing. You can find specialty vendors online, they tend to carry the more hard to find items like bamboo towels. Organic clothing does tend to be a bit pricier than traditional clothing. You can buy hangers for your organic clothing made from newspapers. Currently most of your vendors are online. It will be a little while longer before you start seeing them in your local neighborhood.
What are they made of? Even though cotton is very popular, organic clothing is made of a variety of materials. These materials include hemp, wool and bamboo. Organic cotton is not like traditional cotton. Harmful chemicals and pesticides are not used in the process. In fact in order to get the label as being organic there is a strict set of rules that must be adhered to through out the entire process.
Is it comfortable to wear? Most organic clothing are smoother to the touch. Organic cotton is softer, kinder and feels better on the skin than traditional cotton. Bamboo pulp has s smoothness to it very similar to silk. Soy fibers have a smoothness too, very much like cashmere. People who suffer from allergies may find relief with organic clothing.
Today's society is a throwaway society. Here in America we produce more waste than any other country in the world. We like and prefer convenience. We all tend to take the easy way out. But, there is an ever increasing part of our population that is taking the other way. They are going green. The green revolution will not happen overnight, because habits are hard to break. As we start to see these changes taking place, more and more families are starting to revert back to the cloth diapers instead of the disposable version. Many parents are seeking out organic clothing for themselves and their families. These parents should consider dressing their children (and themselves) in organic cotton or hemp.
For a wide variety and wonderful selection of organic clothing, feel free to browse our website located at: http://www.green-uk.co.uk

Fishing In Hong Kong - If You Are Looking For Reel Fun

Ever get tired of fishing at the same old spot? Are you one of those fishing enthusiasts who has to try out the local waters no matter where you travel?
Try fishing in China! You may not know it, but Hong Kong is famous for being an excellent fishing location. While the family is out shopping and seeing the sites, you can enjoy your favorite sport in new, exotic waters. You'll never forget the fishing in China adventure!
Hong Kong was a gem in Great Britain's colonial crown from 1852 until its 1997 when its sovereignty was transferred to the People's Republic of China. Though it's part of China, Hong Kong will have much autonomy for 50 years, until 2047. It's a favorite vacation location, offering spectacular architecture, sophisticated culture, and surrounded by fantastic natural beauty.
Hong Kong offers unlimited tourism attractions - exciting night life, busy exotic markets, and some of the best fishing in the world. Located on the Pacific Coast, Hong Kong is surrounded by ocean, making for excellent salt water fishing. And Victoria Harbor hosts many islands and smaller natural harbors that are home to a wide variety of fish species. Popular fishing harbors include Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Hong Kong Island.
Being an ocean port, Hong Kong offers excellent salt water fishing. Fish are plentiful throughout the harbors. And even in this highly populated area, you can find quiet peaceful fishing on the peninsula of Stanley. Stanley contains an open-air market where your family can find an amazing array of inexpensive Chinese clothing, souvenirs, arts, and crafts while you enjoy fishing in Hong Kong. You can fish off one of the beautiful Stanley beaches.
Local anglers say some of the best fishing in Hong Kong can be found at Lamma Island and the Sai Kung peninsula. These scenic spots recall traditional Chinese fishing villages, and you can find dependable charter boats. You can get to Sai Kung by car, taxi, or bus. Lamma Island is a short boat-ride southwest of Hong Kong Island. The ride costs from $25 to $50 US. Lamma Island is a great spot for rock fishing.
Salt water fishing in Hong Kong is like salt water fishing everywhere. Use your old familiar techniques or try deep sea fishing from a boat or surf fishing. You can also do plenty of fresh water fishing in Hong Kong. Nearby reservoirs offer carp, Big Head Tilapia, and edible Goldfish.
If you're planning a trip to China, you'll find some great fishing in Hong Kong. The area is full of wonderful sights and sounds. Tourists find and endless supply of attractions, so your family will never get bored waiting for you to bring home your catch. The surrounding area is spectacularly beautiful, and fishing in Hong Kong is an adventure you'll never forget.
Abhishek is an avid Fishing enthusiast and he has got some great Fishing Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 116 Page Ebook, "Fishing Mastery!" from his website http://www.Fishing-Masters.com/772/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Theme Parties

Parties were always a large part of my childhood when I was growing up in Michigan. My mother would throw birthday parties for my three sisters, brother and myself. We had at least seven birthday parties every year for our family. We also had Christmas and New Years parties, family picnics and other special occasions. Our guests reciprocated, and invited us to their parties. Needless to say, we had or attended at least a dozen parties every year.
I remember that I couldn't wait for the next party, especially my own. My mother would invite my aunts and uncles and I had an opportunity to see my grandparents and my cousins. My mother would cook some of my favorite dishes that she served to our guests. She also baked a birthday cake and served it with ice cream and coffee for the adults and soda for the kids.
The food was always wonderful. It was great seeing my aunts and uncles and playing with my cousins. Most importantly, I couldn't wait to open up my birthday presents. It was exciting to open my birthday cards and to open my presents. I loved getting gifts, new clothes and toys. The parties were always greatly anticipated and were always a lot of fun. However, they were always the same. I can still remember removing the candles and pink hard sugar "H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y" letters from the top of my cake, removing the icing, and saving them for the next party. We never considered or thought about changing the party format. But, why not step out of the ordinary and raise your parties up to another level of fun and excitement.
It wasn't until much later in my adult married life that I evolved to accept the concept of themed parties. I remember eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant during the Chinese New Year. The wait staff celebrated by dressing in red Chinese robes, and the owners put on a show with a colorful Chinese dragon and firecrackers. I was very excited and decided to have my own Chinese New Years party the following year.
The subsequent party was simple and fun. I prepared a menu of sample items including chop suey, fried rice, egg drop soup, sweet and sour chicken, noodles, egg rolls and tea. I distributed it to my guests and asked each to bring one of the items. I also asked them to wear "Chinese" clothing. I decorated with a red table cloth and Chinese restaurant place mats. I put up some paper lamps, parasols, and fans. I played Chinese music, and the guests all tried to eat with chop sticks. Everyone, enjoyed sampling the variety of foods, listening to the music, eating fortune cookies and having their pictures taken in their costumes. I was on my way. I would never have an ordinary party again.
My sister lives on the water front. She enjoyed having Tropical Hawaiian Luau Parties. She decorated with flowers and banners. She purchased Hawaiian print dinner and desert plates, cups and napkins. Food consisted of bar BQ hamburgers, hot dogs, salad and potato salad. She played Hawaiian music and had the guests participating in limbo rock games. Guests wore Hawaiian style clothing, brought Hawaiian style dishes and refreshments. Moreover, the guests were expecting to have fun and were willing to role play to make the theme work.
I also had a Hawaiian tropical pool party. One of my friends once lived in Hawaii and studied Hula dancing. She added another dimension to the party by teaching the women and the men various Hula moves. We live in Florida so there are plenty of flowers and palm trees. My sisters gathered flowers and palm fronds. They made beautiful decorations and centerpieces. They also greeted guests by creating a tunnel of palms when they walked through the front door.
Our French party maintained a French theme. However, we took it to the next level by building our own Eifel tower decorated with white Christmas lights. We took night photos of our guests with the lighted tower in the background. Another friend is an artist. She drew personal caricatures of the guests on large drawing pads. Again the guests left with something special, a souvenir, to help them remember your theme party for a long long time.
The choice is yours. You can have a ho-hum party. Or, with little more planning, you can have an involving theme party that excites your guests and makes them want to have fun and participate in your party. Here is the formula: Select a theme. Find decorations, music and table ware that support the theme, decide the entrees and deserts that are theme related, invite guests that will excitedly take part and share in the success of the party with food, decorations, costumes etc. Add a surprise. This could include a photographer, a caricaturist, party games, karaoke, a singer, door prizes. Let your imagination run free.
C. Skiba, Miss Party Star, developed "12 Secrets to a Super EZ Party" from her years of experience as a party planner. She is the webmaster and co-owner of SUPERBIRTHDAYSUPPLY.COM and SUPERPARTYSUPPLY.COM

Theme Parties

Parties were always a large part of my childhood when I was growing up in Michigan. My mother would throw birthday parties for my three sisters, brother and myself. We had at least seven birthday parties every year for our family. We also had Christmas and New Years parties, family picnics and other special occasions. Our guests reciprocated, and invited us to their parties. Needless to say, we had or attended at least a dozen parties every year.
I remember that I couldn't wait for the next party, especially my own. My mother would invite my aunts and uncles and I had an opportunity to see my grandparents and my cousins. My mother would cook some of my favorite dishes that she served to our guests. She also baked a birthday cake and served it with ice cream and coffee for the adults and soda for the kids.
The food was always wonderful. It was great seeing my aunts and uncles and playing with my cousins. Most importantly, I couldn't wait to open up my birthday presents. It was exciting to open my birthday cards and to open my presents. I loved getting gifts, new clothes and toys. The parties were always greatly anticipated and were always a lot of fun. However, they were always the same. I can still remember removing the candles and pink hard sugar "H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y" letters from the top of my cake, removing the icing, and saving them for the next party. We never considered or thought about changing the party format. But, why not step out of the ordinary and raise your parties up to another level of fun and excitement.
It wasn't until much later in my adult married life that I evolved to accept the concept of themed parties. I remember eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant during the Chinese New Year. The wait staff celebrated by dressing in red Chinese robes, and the owners put on a show with a colorful Chinese dragon and firecrackers. I was very excited and decided to have my own Chinese New Years party the following year.
The subsequent party was simple and fun. I prepared a menu of sample items including chop suey, fried rice, egg drop soup, sweet and sour chicken, noodles, egg rolls and tea. I distributed it to my guests and asked each to bring one of the items. I also asked them to wear "Chinese" clothing. I decorated with a red table cloth and Chinese restaurant place mats. I put up some paper lamps, parasols, and fans. I played Chinese music, and the guests all tried to eat with chop sticks. Everyone, enjoyed sampling the variety of foods, listening to the music, eating fortune cookies and having their pictures taken in their costumes. I was on my way. I would never have an ordinary party again.
My sister lives on the water front. She enjoyed having Tropical Hawaiian Luau Parties. She decorated with flowers and banners. She purchased Hawaiian print dinner and desert plates, cups and napkins. Food consisted of bar BQ hamburgers, hot dogs, salad and potato salad. She played Hawaiian music and had the guests participating in limbo rock games. Guests wore Hawaiian style clothing, brought Hawaiian style dishes and refreshments. Moreover, the guests were expecting to have fun and were willing to role play to make the theme work.
I also had a Hawaiian tropical pool party. One of my friends once lived in Hawaii and studied Hula dancing. She added another dimension to the party by teaching the women and the men various Hula moves. We live in Florida so there are plenty of flowers and palm trees. My sisters gathered flowers and palm fronds. They made beautiful decorations and centerpieces. They also greeted guests by creating a tunnel of palms when they walked through the front door.
Our French party maintained a French theme. However, we took it to the next level by building our own Eifel tower decorated with white Christmas lights. We took night photos of our guests with the lighted tower in the background. Another friend is an artist. She drew personal caricatures of the guests on large drawing pads. Again the guests left with something special, a souvenir, to help them remember your theme party for a long long time.
The choice is yours. You can have a ho-hum party. Or, with little more planning, you can have an involving theme party that excites your guests and makes them want to have fun and participate in your party. Here is the formula: Select a theme. Find decorations, music and table ware that support the theme, decide the entrees and deserts that are theme related, invite guests that will excitedly take part and share in the success of the party with food, decorations, costumes etc. Add a surprise. This could include a photographer, a caricaturist, party games, karaoke, a singer, door prizes. Let your imagination run free.
C. Skiba, Miss Party Star, developed "12 Secrets to a Super EZ Party" from her years of experience as a party planner. She is the webmaster and co-owner of SUPERBIRTHDAYSUPPLY.COM and SUPERPARTYSUPPLY.COM

Chinese New Year Spectacular Showcases the Fashion of Ancient China

The NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular has entered its fourth season. Its theme of Myths and Legends weaves a tale of the proverbial battle between good and evil through theatre, music and dance.
The Spectacular has drawn a lot of attention in recent years for its theatrical costumes and themes revolving around ancient times; inspiring and impressing audiences of all ages with its natural style and bright presentation. Each character’s appearance is vividly portrayed and expressed through their costume.
Modern design has a theory for every detail, including color balancing and dynamics. Ancient people did not have such theories. Beauty and virtue were the general principles of their designs. As long as it looks comfortable and harmonious then it is acceptable. The design group for the NTDTV Spectacular applied modern esthetics to recover and recreate the history. They further emphasized the balancing of harmony and contrast based on beauty.
These costumes were designed strictly according to the records in ancient books and paintings to re-display the Chinese traditional clothing and culture as accurately as possible to the audience. One reference was The History of Chinese Clothing. The book was compiled from the research of archaeological findings by a group of senior scholars of Shanghai Universities and Colleges.
A more direct source of blueprints was the frescoes in the Dunhuang cave, a treasure house of Chinese culture. All the way from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty, paintings were added in each historical period and much of the clothing found on the characters was representative of the typical clothing in each time period. Besides Dunhuang, the designs were also referenced from sculptures, the jade carvings and household utensils from ancient times.
In the period just before the Tang Dynasty, people’s lives were very turbulent, most notably due to the wars during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. This is expressed through the flowers on the clothing, which looked relatively rough.
During the Tang Dynasty, the economy was good and society was stable. The flowers on the clothing were full, magnificent, and serene; the decorative patterns exuded elegance. Garments with big sleeves were most common during the Tang Dynasty. The outer garments were transparent, and the inner garments carried a low neckline. The hairstyles were varied; a woman’s hair could drag along the ground if not combed. The Tang Dynasty’s poetry and literature were full of imagination and the Chinese people were also very broadminded. Their clothing reflected this by being very open and broad. The clothing also absorbed elements from other cultures through frequent contact with the regions in the west, India and other Asian countries; Persian designs were also very popular.
Ancient clothing was not limited to only a few styles for each period. The big sleeves, for example, changed both in detail and color from the golden age of the Tang to the late Tang. The design must take into account the specific point in history. The size of the sleeve is also designed according to the era, with base colors designed from the most original findings.
The linings of the costumes were mostly from China in order to make things authentic, as one could tell with a glance that it was a foreign product if linings from other countries were used. The designers for the Spectacular are presenting the beauty of the Chinese traditional culture found within the Chinese traditional clothing.
The costume designers follow a principle: to make something responsible for and representative of society while respecting legitimate culture instead of something to stimulate the senses. Therefore, the designs must be in accordance with what is recorded from history. Everything from the hairstyles to the hats were all designed based on historical data throughout the entire artistic process.
Shi Wei is a Chinese History student living in the US. For more info about the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular in your city/area, please visit: http://shows.ntdtv.com http://www.ntdtv.com

Clothing of Asia

Asia is the largest continent of the world with its 17,300,000 sq. miles area. The continent comprises of a number of countries and each country varies from the other in terms of its culture, habits, tradition and fashion. It will be a Herculean task, rather an impossible one to bring Asia and its culture under one roof. It is so vast and variegated that all the words of expression would fall short for it. So it will be wise enough to concentrate on only one of the aspects at aimed, selecting only a few countries. When we think of Asia, the name of the countries lurk into our mind are Japan, India and China. So let us concentrate on the traditional attires of these countries and find out how these traditional wear are getting infiltrated into the modern fashion trend.
India: Being an Indian, I know Indian culture and tradition better than any other foreign country. So I would definitely like to talk about our traditional clothing first. India is a country with as many as 29 states and each state has its own way of robes. But as far as the national dress is concerned it is identified with 'sari'. It is attire for women only. A 'sari' is nothing but a long rectangular piece of cloth about 5 to 9m in length. It is worn without any fastening, pins or buttons. The tightly fitted blouse worn under sari is known as 'choli' and the final length of the saris hanging from the women's shoulder is called 'pallu'. The style, color, texture of a sari varies from one another. It may be printed, embroidered, stone and mirror embedded et al. The material of sari can be cotton, silk, synthetic or man many more things. Besides its color and design, the most striking and charming feature about the sari is that it is not cut or tailored for any particular size and can fit any women. There are several ways of wearing a sari; and its manner of draping as well as its color and texture indicate the status, age, occupation, region and religion of a woman.
Beside sari, there are many other dresses that are worn by Indian women like 'salwar kameez', 'lehanga', churidar etc. A 'kameez' is a long tunic worn over 'pyjama' which is like a loose fitted trousers. A tight-fitted pant is known as 'churidar'.A pleated skirt is called a 'lehanga'. Some traditional garments for men are 'kurta', 'lungi', 'dhoti' and 'pyjama'. 'kurta' is like a long top while 'lungi 'and 'dhoti' are apiece of cloth that is draped around the waist. 'pyjama'is the pants worn under the 'kurta'. A collarless khadi jacket is also popular among men. But most of the India men, unlike women, wear the conventional western clothes. A majority of women in India wear 'sari' though some urban women love and feel comfortable in western dresses.
Throughout the country there are many religious and regional variations in the costumes, such as Rajasthani women wear embroidered, mirrored and the tie-dye materials while in Arunachal Pradesh women are found draping home-spun long woolen skirts.
Indian dressing style is thus marked by many variations-both religious and regional; and one is likely to witness an abundance of colors, textures and style in garments of India.
Japan: The clothing of Edo period (1601-1867AD) comes into one's mind when asked about Japanese traditional clothing. This consists of the basic pieces like 'kimono', 'obi' and 'hakama'. The Japanese clothing is as simple as it is complex and elegant. The building block of Japanese traditional clothing begins with the "kimono'. During Edo period, this become an outer garment and was made up of all kinds fabrics. Before and during Edo period, fabric was class oriented, silk was reserved by the for the upper class people. All adult 'kimono' are cut into 8 pieces from 1 roll of cloth about 36cm, 14 inches wide and 11m long. The seams are cut straight and always the same width regardless of the wearer's size, so cloth is left over. Any extra length was tucked under or over the 'obi' depending on the gender. 'Kimono' is simple in design and there is no fasteners used to hold the 'kimono', close. 'Kimono' is designed according to age, social status and gender. Just as a married woman would wear a 'kimono' made out of darker fabrics and with shorter sleeves than a young unmarried girl. Under the 'kimono', the lighter 'kimono' is called 'Nagajuban'. An 'Han-eri'(a scarf like collar) is worn between kimono and neck. Some other dresses worn by them are 'Yukatabira'(light and loose fitting robes), 'Happi'( a short coat), 'Kamishino'(two piece costume), "Kataginu' etc. "Hakama' is like pants and has 7 folds that signifies 7 human qualities such as courage, humility, justice,chivalry, honesty, loyalty and prestige. During monsoon they wore jackets made up of straw. 'Cording', 'sashes' and 'obi' are used to close different types of jackets.
All Japanese clothes are wonderfully embroidered and crafted with beautiful fabric works. Clothes are highly decorative that includes family crests, animals, bamboo, flowers, branches etc.
China: The 'Pien-fu' is an ancient two piece ceremonial garment of a tunic like top extending to the kneesand a skirt or trousers extending to the ankles. In China, clothing indicated not only class gender difference but also ethnicity. Han Chinese and Manchu were two major ethnic groups in China who wore different cloths. The decorative band, appliquéd borders and richly variegated embellishment and embroidered design is one of the unique features of the traditional Chinese dress. 'He ch'ang-p'ao' is one-piece garment extending from the shoulders all the way to the heels. "Shen-I' is a cross between the 'pien-fu' and the 'ch'ang-p'ao'. It consists of a tunic and a skirt or trousers like the, 'pien-fu' but the tunic and the skirt are sewed together and essentially one piece like the 'ch'ang-pao' .Chinese clothing is not only an external expression but also an internal symbolism. Darker shades of color are preferred to lighter shades. Dresses with lighter color are worn by the people for daily use. Chinese associate few colors with seasons such as red stands for summer, black for winter, white for autumn and green for spring. They can be said to have fully developed a system of matching, coordinating and contrasting colors: and shades of light and dark in apparels.
Chinese clothing has a vitality of its own. It reflects a woman's modesty. Chinese traditional silk clothing almost varies with consistency which was roughly established by the era of the Yellow Emperor and the Emperor Yao and Shan. Remains of woven silk and hemp articles and ancient ceramic figures further demonstrate the sophistication and refinement of clothing in the Shan Dynasty. Orient dresses almost vary with a woman's figure. Mature women, in such attire can display their graceful and refined manner. In the 17thc in North China, a collarless tube shaped dresses were developed; they were the old ancestors of new dresses.
But this traditional Asian Clothing is seen slowly infiltrating into the modern and trendy fashion of the day. Various fashion designers have taken the approach of making dresses that people can wear everyday from the exotic treasures of Asian traditional attire.
'Saris', besides being the traditional attire of India, has become an inseparable part of today's fashion. Women worldwide now are experimenting by draping this elegant designer's creation of India. In many grand parties, women from other countries also, are seen wearing a gorgeous sari. Apparels like lehenga, choli, salwar kameez are already in the trend.
Black Japan printed floral Kimono wrap top, georgette geisha kimono, geisha blossom kimono top, Asia flutter top and so on are some of the other imports to modern fashion from Japan.
Clothing of Asia varies from one country to another. More importantly in a country from one region to other it varies significantly. But if you are closely following the trend across various Asian countries, you will find a certain pattern is followed everywhere. In one type of clothing a piece of cloth is draped which may be sari in India or kimono in Japan. The same trend is followed in Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and other Asian countries. In other trend a loose trouser like attire for lower limbs and a closed-chest coat like things for upper part are followed. Sometimes this top goes upto knee like kameez in India or ends at belly region. People who are near hilly region generally wear colorful and embroidered garments, while people in plain land prefer to remain simple. Asian clothing is wide, vast and has enormous ranges. Like the people of Asia these are colorful, smooth, silky and comfortable. And above all these are as attractive as Asian land.
Kanquona Bhattacharjee is a freelance writer and blogger. She has completed her post graduation in English from the University of Calcutta. She has some deep insight into social problems and often present these in front of the most strongest medium. Her personal website url is http://www.wertex.org/ She can be contacted at kanquona@wertex.org

Formal and Informal Clothing - Japan and China

Japanese clothing is worn more to suit the seasons, these also differ with the wearers age, marital status or social standing. During springtime, bright and floral patterned Kimonos and clothes are worn; while in autumn, clothing resembles fall patterns. When it is winters, clothes with bamboo, pine tree or plum blossom pattern and design are worn which bring good luck and prosperity. Summers are the time to wear cotton clothes and winter clothing's heavily lined and layered.
Informal Japanese clothing would include any clothing, which features woven patterns or dyed clothing or repetitive patterns. The traditional cotton yukata or the summer Kimono, the woven cotton haori or the short silk jacket and dyed ikat kimono would be all informal clothing. These informal Japanese clothes would customarily only be worn as daily wear, to a bathhouse or for informal friend and family visits. Formal Japanese clothing is rather contrasting, either very elaborate or a simple elegant design is considered formal. The Uchikake or the wedding kimono and other kimonos with elegant designs, subdued colors or solid patterns would classify as formal Japanese clothing. These should be worn for paying formal visits, funerals, or by married women for weddings and formal occasions.
Japanese clothing is also distinguished by marital status and unmarried women wear brightly colored and richly patterned Kimonos with long sleeves. Some of these sleeves can even be as long as the women's ankle! Girls, as young as 19, would begin wearing these vibrant Kimonos. With the increase in age or change in marital status, the sleeves of the kimono would continue to get shorter.
Hanfu or the Han dynasty clothing is the most widely known Chinese ancient clothing. Inseparable from silk and worn by the legendary yellow emperor, the Hanfu has a history of more than three millennia. Chinese ancient clothing consisted mainly of robes with pants for men and skirts for women under them. Modern Chinese clothing is a western and ancient combination of chic dressing and auspicious symbolism.
The informal Chinese clothing would include tops and bottoms and one piece robes that wrapped once or more around the body. A typical set of Hanfu is two or three layered where the first layer is the undergarments or Zhongyi in white cotton or silk. The second layer is front closed clothing and an optional third layer can be the Zhao Shan or an overcoat. This attire could be made 'semi-formal' by adding to it a pleated skirt (Chang), a cloth panel added to the waist belt and a formal hat (Guan). Meeting a guest or going to meetings or a cultural day would encourage you to make it 'semi-formal'.
Formal Chinese clothing is reserved for special occasions like an important sacrifice or other religious activities or by special people like Emperors and officials. This includes the Xuanduan, a dark robe equivalent to the western black tie and a priest's full ceremonial dress called a Fusha. A lanshan was worn as an official or academical dress.
Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences. One of his latest ongoing projects can be viewed at http://www.ancientchinaclothing.org

Are Chinese and Japanese Ancient Clothing Similar?

Ancient Japanese clothing is often mistaken as the 'Kimono'. The word kimono simply means 'thing to wear' and it is a modern term coined when Japan was pressurized to name a national costume. Though what is call a Kimono today is somewhat similar the clothing of ancient Japan. The long, narrow garment worn now tied with an Obi, or a Sash around the waist, was a look achieved around the Edo period (17th to 19th century).
Japan was a collection of loosely tied clans and while Japan aspired to become an Empire, it had increased trade with China. With the advent of trade, came Chinese dress materials and style of clothing. Ti will hence be safe to assume that ancient Japanese clothing was largely influenced by ancient Chinese clothing. By 718, the clothing codes had restrictions entirely influenced by china. The influence of china on ancient Japan was no less than a military siege! While wearing a robe, the Chinese considered wearing a robe form right to left barbaric since it was easy for right handed people. The code in Japan specified that robes had to be worn right over left and it became a convention of Kimono wearing in Japan ever since.
Chinese ancient clothing has been setting trends for centuries. Rules of dressing were followed religiously and most dress patterns and designs were influenced by religion. Ancient Chinese clothing was in warm tones with a lot of embroidery and silk sashes used to tie the robes instead of buttons. During the Zhou Dynasty, dragon robes were seen mostly worn by emperors. These were heavily embroidered with nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns. These were considered auspicious for the wearer and had a symbolic meaning. The nine and five combinations were calculated deliberately used while designing; this symbolized the dignity of the throne. Dragons were embroidered on the front and back of the robes, also the knee areas and even shoulders.
Ancient Chinese clothing for women was the Cheongsam which was a one piece suit consisting of a high neck with a closed collar and short or medium sleeves. The fitted waist and slits on the sides complimented women's figures well. The tunic suit dominated ancient Chinese clothing, known as the 'Zhongshan suit', had a turned down collar and 4 pockets. Animal print embroidery patches were used during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Beautiful in appearance and very intricate, these embroideries also symbolized the ranks of officers who wore them.
Both the ancient Chinese clothing and ancient Japanese clothing evolved over the centuries and during different dynasties ruled. The major differences in the designs and embroideries were that while the ancient Chinese clothing symbolized religion and auspicious symbolism; the ancient Japanese clothing was more colorful and used floral patterns without any symbolic meanings. Both the clothing styles however distinguished in social ranking, age, sex and other aspects. Clothes of a wearer explained their social status or their marital status where women were concerned.
Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences.
One of his latest ongoing projects can be viewed at http://www.ancientjapaneseclothing.org

Ancient Chinese Clothing - Styles and Fabric

The ancient Chinese clothing consisted mostly of robes. While the women wore lengthy tunics that reached the ground, the men wore tunics that reached their knees. The sleeves of the garments were wide, and loose fitting, with sashes being added as ornamentation. Darker shades were preferred over light ones. Lighter coloured clothing was worn more commonly by the common people. The original ancient Chinese clothing was referred to as the Han Chinese clothing. The outfit was called the Hanfu. With the coming of various dynasties, the hanfu underwent a lot of modifications.
Primarily, there were three variations of ancient Chinese garments
PIEN-FU
A 2 piece ceremonial costume, consisting of a tunic top extending to the knees, and worn with ankle length skirt or trousers.
CH'ANG P'AO
This is a one-piece ankle length tunic dress.
SHENYI
A combination of the first two, a shenyi is a 2 piece top and trouser/skirt outfit that has been sewn together to make a one-piece garment.
The earliest dynasty recorded, the Shang Dynasty (c.1600 BC-1000 BC), developed the fundamentals of the Hanfu; it was made up of a knee-length tunic tied with a sash, with narrow cuffs called yi, a narrow, ankle-length skirt, called shang. This was accompanied by a bixi, which was a length of fabric that reached the knees. Since technology was limited, the only colours that could be used were primary colors- red, blue , yellow and green. It was a unisex outfit worn by men and women alike. The higher strata of society of course had more elaborate work and motifs on it inspite of the limited colours available.
The following dynasty, the Western Zhou Dynasty managed to enforce a social system in the ancient Chinese clothing. This was displayed by the complexity in their outfits. The higher the rank, more flamboyant and ornate their attire. This included the length of a skirt, the wideness of a sleeve and the degree of ornamentation. Further, the Hanfu became looser. The sleeves were wider and the yi was fastened with a sash which was adorned with jade ornaments. Since left-handedness was looked down upon, the yi was essentially draped in a style known as jiaoling youren, or wrapping the right side over before the left.
The shenyi came into force under the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. It is a kind of a combination of a tunic and skirt where the upper and lower halves were cut separately but sewn into one piece. Another additional modification was that left end of the dress was reshaped into a kind of border which could be fastened in front on the chest. This modified dress was quickly adapted.
In the ancient Chinese clothing most of the traditional designs were unisex uncomplicatedly cut. However, as the dynasties changed, gender specificity came into the shenyi. The men typically wore pants and women, skirts. Each dynasty had their own styles of Hanfu as they evolved.
During the winter months in the ancient China, to keep them warm, people wore padded jackets over the tunics. Though it is considered very common in China, yet silk, as a fabric was restricted to the rich. The poor wore hemp or ramie.
Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences.
One of his latest ongoing projects can be viewed at http://www.ancientchinaclothing.org

Ancient Chinese Clothing - History of Fashion in China

The ancient Chinese people had very distinctive social classes. Each of these has specific styles and significance of dressing. Varied symbols are used on the clothing to distinguish between various strata of society. The ancient Chinese clothing has varied greatly throughout different periods of time. Each social or historical period brought about a new style.
During the Pre-Qing Dynasty (also known as the Manchu Dynasty was the last ruling dynasty of China from 1644 to 1912.); the prevalent ancient Chinese clothing was broadly referred to as hanfu with many variations such as traditional Chinese academic dress. Every individual stratum displayed a different fashion. In fact the military was totally distinctive in its appearance.
Chinese civil or military officials had an assortment of motifs to depict their rank and position. Hat knobs were used as an icon of their rank. There were nine types of color coded hat knobs that represented the nine distinctive ranks. Another popular insignia was the Mandarin square or rank badge.
The Chinese clothing known as the Hanfu (also referred to as guzhuang meaning "ancient clothing"), was the traditional dress of the Han Chinese folk. The term Hanfu has its organ in the Book of Han, which says, "then many came to the Court to pay homage and were delighted at the clothing style of the Han [Chinese]." It was fascinating for these visitors to see the characteristic outfit - like a kimono and sandals made out of rice reed. As you can see, the Hanfu has a colorful history dating back 3000 years and more. In fact the dress was even worn by the legendary Yellow Emperor. It was popular since long before the Qing Dynasty came into power in the mid seventeenth century. Since the material of this ancient Chinese clothing was always silk, supposedly discovered by the Yellow Emperor's consort, Leizu, the Hanfu was also called 'silk robes'.
The Hanfu now is worn only at special occasions which are mostly historical reenactment, hobby, coming of age/rite of passage ceremonies, ceremonial clothing worn by religious priests, or cultural exercise. However, there are attempts on to try and make it a part of more day to day wear or at least during Chinese celebrations and festivals especially in China as well as among the non resident community.
The Ancient Chinese clothing in its most traditional best can be explained as different parts of specific cloth that are draped in a special style. It would be totally different from the traditional garment of other ethnic groups in China like the Manchurian qipao. There is a great difference between the Han way of dressing and the Manchurian influence. It is as yet an unsolved problem which of the two would be the correct traditional costume of the ancient Chinese. Some costumes commonly thought of as typically Chinese, such as the qipao, are the result of influence by brutal laws (Queue Order) imposed by Manchurian rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and are regarded by some advocates as not being "traditionally" Han.
Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences.
One of his latest ongoing projects can be viewed at http://www.ancientchinaclothing.org