Although in the early stages of the revival of Hanfu, many people directly used theatrical costumes as Hanfu and studio outfits as Hanfu. However, today, the research and production of Hanfu have reached a considerable level. These artistic performance Hanfu, which were initially used to replace real daily wear, should now be returned to their proper places. After all, they are not suitable for daily wear. Of course, we can remember them as part of the history of Hanfu's revival, but we must not consider them as the final form.
Although ancient costume styles are not very common in our daily lives today, there are still aspects worth learning from them. For example, braids are very versatile and can complement both ancient and modern outfits without any sense of incongruity. By making some minor adjustments based on the type of clothing, this hairstyle can effectively make one look younger. Zhou Xun's candy-colored outfit also has elements worth learning from; the delicate pink and sky blue create a classic pink-blue combination that is perfect for those who want to showcase their girlish charm.
Rong Yang, dressed in Hanfu, exudes a gentleness and tenderness that contrasts sharply with her usual fierce and dominant appearance in modern outfits. Under the orange hue, Rong Yang appears to transform into a gentle and adorable young girl, her slightly upturned lips filled with affection. It's fair to say that Rong Yang's ancient costume in this instance is truly stunning, as if she has shed the complexities of the world. This pure and innocent young girl in Hanfu seems to be the true Rong Yang, living a life of simplicity and cuteness that belies her age. Time has left no trace on her, and she seems more like a young lady.
The man in the image below is wearing a Magua (a traditional Manchu jacket), while the woman's attire is not Hanfu but a studio outfit. Due to a lack of knowledge, there are issues such as the wrong direction of the lapel (left over right) and an overly open neckline, which are typical characteristics of studio outfits and theatrical costumes. Additionally, many studio outfits and ancient costumes in period dramas are often inaccurate. For example, the high neckline in “Painted Skin” is incorrect. If you are interested in learning more, you will gradually understand these details. Lastly, here is a piece of advice: if you plan to visit a Hanfu forum, please read through the posts for a while before posting your own opinions. Avoid saying things like “Hanfu is just ancient costume” (Hanfu is a traditional ethnic costume), “Hanfu looks like Kimono or Hanbok” (the parent does not resemble the child), and “Hanfu needs to be modified to suit daily wear.”
To distinguish common studio outfits using keywords, besides terms like “fairy costume,” “scholar costume,” “emperor costume,” “noblewoman costume,” “ancient costume,” “studio,” “ancient style,” and “wide-sleeved fairy skirt,” there are other common keywords such as “ancient,” “non-ancient,” “fresh and elegant,” “female student,” “spring, summer, autumn, winter,” “modified,” “daily modified,” “princess,” “super fairy,” “fairy,” “Chinese style,” “couple outfits,” “same design for men and women,” “graduation photos,” “team uniforms,” “class uniforms,” “martial arts,” “lover's outfits,” “Mang costume,” “Jinyiwei,” “wide-sleeved fairy skirt,” “wide-sleeved fairy skirt,” “national style,” “intricate embroidery,” “lovers,” “6-meter train,” “high chest,” “high waist,” “Confucian skirt,” “ruched skirt,” “Xu Xian,” “Ning Caichen,” etc. On Taobao, items described with these keywords are likely to be various types of studio outfits (fairy costumes). During the development of Hanfu, many “original designs” that were once mistakenly considered Hanfu have emerged, such as early small-curved, short-curved, “straight skirt,” and recent “Wei-Jin style,” “bridal,” and “soft girl” styles, all of which belong to studio outfits. Studio outfits often label themselves as “orthodox,” “ancient costume,” “Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty,” “retro,” and even “Tang suit,” “Tang costume,” “Ming costume.” With the proliferation of fairy costumes, other common keywords have emerged, such as “super fairy,” “fresh and elegant,” “student Hanfu,” etc. In the Hanfu movement, it is generally understood that Hanfu merchants do not use these keywords. The typical naming convention is store name + [product code] + feature description + style description, for example: Wawa Hanfu [Qingqiu] Ming-style linen and cotton vertical-collar jacket.
OL style typically refers to business suits in daily life, which are professional and suitable for work environments. OL-style Hanfu, as the name suggests, is Hanfu designed for daily work wear. Some may wonder if Hanfu can be associated with daily work wear. We usually see Hanfu as complex or formal attire, so how can it become everyday work wear?
This set of Hanfu features exquisite embroidery that outlines graceful lines, making the wearer appear both charming and youthful. The design is both literary and lively, suitable for young girls. When it comes to hairstyles, there is no need to opt for traditional ancient hairstyles. In fact, intricate ancient hairstyles are not suitable for daily Hanfu wear. Instead, long wavy hair can better highlight a young girl's liveliness and charm, blending literary elegance with a youthful flair.
It looks unattractive because you haven't seen beautiful ones. Don't mistake studio outfits for Hanfu. Hanfu is a cultural heritage of the Chinese Han ethnicity that has been passed down for thousands of years. Can we stop forgetting our ancestors' legacy? Even if it is inconvenient to wear Hanfu daily, we can at least wear it during various festivals. Why can other 55 ethnic groups' traditional clothing be accepted, but the most populous Han ethnicity's traditional clothing is criticized by its own people? If you find Hanfu inconvenient, there are now various modified versions that are more suitable for daily wear. Finally, studio outfits are not equal to Hanfu! They lack the basic structure. Please understand this clearly before making such statements. Thank you.
Ancient costumes refer to clothing from before the Republic of China era and can represent various ethnic groups. Therefore, ancient costumes and Hanfu have significant overlap, but they are not the same. Clothing worn by Han people before the Qing Dynasty belongs to both ancient costumes and Hanfu. However, Manchu costumes and Tang suits are considered ancient costumes but not Hanfu. Han elements are derived from modifications of Hanfu and are more convenient for daily wear, but they are not considered ancient costumes.
With the passage of time, modern clothing has become the norm in people's daily lives, and few choose to wear traditional Hanfu due to various inconveniences. However, young girls still have a pursuit of beauty. We often see beautiful girls in Hanfu on the streets. Despite this, Hanfu has not become popular in China. The author provides their insights into the reasons behind this phenomenon.