According to The Book of Rites: Suburban Sacrifice: “The inner garment is embroidered with vermilion and black.” Kong Yingda commented: “The inner garment refers to the plain undergarment worn inside the ceremonial robe.” Encounter Hanfu starting from the inner garment. The inner garment, also known as a lining or mid-layer, is a basic essential when wearing Hanfu. A layer of inner garment must be worn underneath formal attire, similar to a shirt under a suit. Ordinary daily wear can also be paired with an inner garment. When worn, the body and collar of the inner garment fit more closely than the outer garment, with the collar edge slightly higher.
The inner garment is worn between the underwear and the outer garment, serving a coordinating and supporting role. It is mostly white and includes types such as the mid-layer top, mid-layer skirt, mid-layer pants, and mid-layer single layer.
“A nation is called Huaxia because it has beautiful clothing and great etiquette.” The Chinese nation is one that never ceases to thrive, and Hanfu will surely return to our lives. Perhaps this is the charm of traditional national attire.
Let's start by understanding the inner garment~ Narrowly defined, the inner garment refers to the mid-layer top, while broadly defined, it includes narrow-sleeved inner garments, wide-sleeved inner garments, mid-layer skirts, and mid-layer single layers.
Below are some common types of inner garments:
Narrow-sleeved inner garment
Characteristics: Narrow sleeves, cross-collar, mostly white. Narrow-sleeved inner garments are generally paired with daily wear.
Characteristics: Wide sleeves, cross-collar, mostly white. Wide-sleeved inner garments are often paired with formal attire.
Since the Tang Dynasty, it has gradually become simpler, with its design modified. It has no seams at the waist and no divisions below, hence it is called a mid-layer single layer.
Common materials for inner garments include: cotton, linen-cotton blend, chiffon, and solid-colored satin. In terms of color, inner garments are usually white, but black can also be used for a cooler look. Boys should preferably wear white inner garments with round-neck shirts. Girls can choose colored fabrics (such as emerald green, light yellow, peach pink, purple-gray, etc.) when pairing with ruqun (upper and lower garments). For formal attire, red can be chosen for the inner garment.
The official order of dressing in Hanfu is to first put on the underwear, then the inner garment, and finally the outer garment. The inner garment should not be worn as an outer layer but can be used as loungewear or sleepwear.
Today, we will teach you how to make an inner garment. Those who enjoy hands-on activities can give it a try!
| Video: Making the Paper Pattern for an Inner Garment
1. Determine the length of the garment, the position of the bust, and add 10 cm to each measurement for ease. These adjusted measurements will be used, including the ease.
2. Determine the upper body length range.
3. Determine the back and front neckline. (Determine the point for the placket on the upper body line, draw a straight line, divide this line into three equal parts, and determine the point for the neckline arc at the 2/3 mark. The curvature can be adjusted as desired.)
4. Determine the armhole.
5. After determining the bust, upper body length, and armhole, the side seam at the waist and the hem can be determined. The hem should not be less than 1/4 of the hip circumference.
6. The hem should be slightly curved and perpendicular to the side seam at the waist.
Add 1 cm seam allowance to the completed pattern:
2. Method for making the collar
The shape shown in the diagram is 1/4 of the collar. In actual practice, cut four pieces of the same shape, join them in pairs, and sew the bottom edges of the collars marked ‘a' and ‘b' to the garment collar. This is an improved collar, where slight adjustments can be made to the excess at the collar. If you want a more traditional look, a straight collar can be used.
3. Method for making the lower garment
Principle: Take a rectangle (length equals the skirt length), draw 1/4 of the waist width on both sides, and draw diagonal lines. Cut out the trapezoidal skirt panels without any waste. Six panels are needed in total. The size of the skirt hem is determined by the width of the rectangle, which can be adjusted according to the fabric width.
“A collection of skirts forms a dress.” The method for making this inner garment can also be applied to making simple daily ruqun (upper and lower garments).
After reading this, do you understand? Find some time and give it a try!