Friday 20 April 2012

Cheongsam(Pipao) in chinese love films


No body could resist a great love film especially women,  here I want to share with you some of the chinese love films I like, most of them set around world war two era and of cause,  I got to mainly talk about the gorgeous chinese traditional dress Cheongsam worn by those sexy female characters.
In my pervious post Cheongsam with a big C, I talked about this chinese traditional dress, its origin, history etc. 

The world of Suzie Wong 1961

Robert Lomax tired of working in an office, wants to be an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting. Finding a cheap hotel he checks in, only to find it's used by prostitutes and their 'dates' who meet in the bar downstairs. Since he never picks up any of ladies, they all want to know more about him. Eventually he does hire one to model for him, but soon falls in love. But, since he's on a limited budget, he can't afford her exclusively, but doesn't want to 'share' her.

Director: Richard Quine
Writers: Paul Osborn (adaptation), Richard Mason (novel), and 1 more credit »


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In the mood for love 2000

A man and a woman move in to neighboring Hong Kong apartments and form a bond when they both suspect their spouses of extra-marital activities.


Director: Kar Wai Wong
Writer: Kar Wai Wong

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2046 2004

He was a writer. He thought he wrote about the future but it really was the past. In his novel, a mysterious train left for 2046 every once in a while. Everyone who went there had the same intention.....to recapture their lost memories. It was said that in 2046, nothing ever changed. Nobody knew for sure if it was true, because nobody who went there had ever come back- except for one. He was there. He chose to leave. He wanted to change.

Director: Kar Wai Wong
Writer: Kar Wai Wong (screenplay)


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lust caution 2007

An espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai, in which a young woman, Wang Jiazhi, gets swept up in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue with a powerful political figure, Mr. Yee.


Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Eileen Chang (story), James Schamus (scree)

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The flowers of the war 2011

A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.


Director: Yimou Zhang
Writers: Heng Liu (screenplay), Geling Yan (novel)

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I love the highly oriantal stylised scenes and extraordinary moving stories but feel a little disappointed that those are pretty much all of the main chinese films featuring chinese traditional dress cheongsam in the 21st century, all the films with their actress adorned in the gorgeous cheongsam needing to have a female role with troubled personal life who are very provocative but helpless. There is clearly a strong connection at the point of the subject matters. I am not judging a particular career at all since people meant to live their lives in different ways and we can not fit ourself in other’s shoes to know exactly how it feel to be anybody, why it is wrong to be somebody.  What I try to say is, that, 
I would love to see the cheongsam which associated with the chinese identity  to refer to a wider range of female characters in the future chinese film, since exotic is not the only attribute of the dress, it could represent a successful woman with its no-fuss clean cut style, an independent woman who chosen what she want to do and doing what she love with its high collar, confident bold pattern having a sense of pride and prejudice, she could be a writer, a great pianist, a single mum or,,, ( ok,,, I need to stop my daydreaming right here.)

Films, media and celebrity culture are playing such an important role to influence people’s perceptions.  I wish that for people not from China, interested in its rich culture could have a comprehensive view over this great traditional dress also the chinese women.

Posted via email from nainai-fashion

Thursday 19 April 2012

Cheongsam(Pipao) in chinese love films

No body could resist a great love film especially women,  here I want to share with you some of the chinese love films I like, most of them set around world war two era and of cause,  I got to mainly talk about the gorgeous chinese traditional dress Cheongsam worn by those sexy female characters.
In my pervious post Cheongsam with a big C, I talked about this chinese traditional dress, its origin, history etc. 

The world of Suzie Wong 1961

Robert Lomax tired of working in an office, wants to be an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting. Finding a cheap hotel he checks in, only to find it's used by prostitutes and their 'dates' who meet in the bar downstairs. Since he never picks up any of ladies, they all want to know more about him. Eventually he does hire one to model for him, but soon falls in love. But, since he's on a limited budget, he can't afford her exclusively, but doesn't want to 'share' her.

Director: Richard Quine
Writers: Paul Osborn (adaptation), Richard Mason (novel), and 1 more credit »


pastedGraphic.pdf Download this file

In the mood for love 2000

A man and a woman move in to neighboring Hong Kong apartments and form a bond when they both suspect their spouses of extra-marital activities.


Director: Kar Wai Wong
Writer: Kar Wai Wong

pastedGraphic.pdf Download this file

2046 2004

He was a writer. He thought he wrote about the future but it really was the past. In his novel, a mysterious train left for 2046 every once in a while. Everyone who went there had the same intention.....to recapture their lost memories. It was said that in 2046, nothing ever changed. Nobody knew for sure if it was true, because nobody who went there had ever come back- except for one. He was there. He chose to leave. He wanted to change.

Director: Kar Wai Wong
Writer: Kar Wai Wong (screenplay)


pastedGraphic.pdf Download this file

lust caution 2007

An espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai, in which a young woman, Wang Jiazhi, gets swept up in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue with a powerful political figure, Mr. Yee.


Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Eileen Chang (story), James Schamus (scree)

pastedGraphic.pdf Download this file

The flowers of the war 2011

A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.


Director: Yimou Zhang
Writers: Heng Liu (screenplay), Geling Yan (novel)

pastedGraphic.pdf Download this file

I love the highly oriantal stylised scenes and extraordinary moving stories but feel a little disappointed that those are pretty much all of the main chinese films featuring chinese traditional dress cheongsam in the 21st century, all the films with their actress adorned in the gorgeous cheongsam needing to have a female role with troubled personal life who are very provocative but helpless. There is clearly a strong connection at the point of the subject matters. I am not judging a particular career at all since people meant to live their lives in different ways and we can not fit ourself in other’s shoes to know exactly how it feel to be anybody, why it is wrong to be somebody.  What I try to say is, that, 
I would love to see the cheongsam which associated with the chinese identity  to refer to a wider range of female characters in the future chinese film, since exotic is not the only attribute of the dress, it could represent a successful woman with its no-fuss clean cut style, an independent woman who chosen what she want to do and doing what she love with its high collar, confident bold pattern having a sense of pride and prejudice, she could be a writer, a great pianist, a single mum or,,, ( ok,,, I need to stop my daydreaming right here.)

Films, media and celebrity culture are playing such an important role to influence people’s perceptions.  I wish that for people not from China, interested in its rich culture could have a comprehensive view over this great traditional dress also the chinese women.

Posted via email from nainai-fashion

Cheongsam with a big C

Quilt for scotland, sarong for Indonesia, saris for India, kimono for Japan, cheongsam to China.  It is a one-piece fitted dress with 2 sides splits, a high heart shaped collar buttoned up with chinese knots, elaborate bindings. Best Qipao require high quality textiles made of chinese silk, exquisite needle works such as embroidery and the perfect fit to compliment the female figure.  
It originated from the dress worn by Manchu women which is a voluminous floor-length gown with the similar collar and side opening.  here are some examples of the dress worn by manchu women.

The is a painting of a madom in high social position, wearing Cheongsam, enjoying privileged life in her garden. Date back to 17th century where camara was not born yet.  This pic represent the origins of the cheongsam. 
These 2 women are the wives of the last emperor Puyi wearing loose fitting floor length gown with,,, some quite nice stuff on the head,,,This picture should been taken  between 1908-1912 when their husband Puyi was the mighty emperor. 
My fav 1930's Shanghai look. The dress started to have a more defined shape to complimente the female figure, 

The dress was most popular in Qing Dynasty(1644-1912) and the first half of the 20th century.  Today in China, the main stream fashion trends are pretty much the same as west and almost the more westernised the better.  but I always have my little love affair with the old 30's Shanghai looks when women adorned themselves in those elegant gowns day and night.

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Monday 16 April 2012

2012 summer fashion trends-All about 50's

So, after all the expectations, those are the outcomes I styled for the 50's inspired fashion shoot.  I talked about working behind the scene in one of my earlier post. This project was set to featureing one of the summer fashion trends in  2012 which allow me the total freedom to hail to my fav summer trend to set the mood board, (all the freedom except the freedom of the wardrobe budget, of cause. ) So, I decided that I will land on my fav fashoin era the elegant, glamorous, playful and polished 50's.  Plus I've been told that the shoot will taken place at the grand hotel Crithian in Glasgow with all its chic furnishings, chandelier, marble floor, historical detailing, etc, thought the glam 50's look will fit well in the sofisticated interior.

There are plenty of designers taken inspiration from the 50's for their s/s 2012 collection such as D&G, Nina Richi, Prada, Miumiu, etc. and my fav look would be the combination of the little bandeaus and mid skirt,  embellished with playful pattern and embroidery wearing with gem stone earrings and cat eye glasses which is sexy but understated, playful but not out of place in Prada, hot and spicy printed in D&G, controlled and structured at Nina Richi, neat and proper in L&V...And of cause I would need to look back to the old classics for inspiration, such as the sophisticated Breakfast at the Tiffany look which featured in the last picture, and in 20's country, holding a lipstick is cooler than the cigarette, only in my opinion.  (Girls, smoking is bad for skin and will age us, spend more time on reapplying lipstick since model Stacy showed us how cool it looks to hold a red lipstick in the gloves hand.) There are plenty of celebrities have their soft spot for the 50's. such as One of my beloved musician Amy Winehouse, her look based on 50's essentials of cat-eye black eye liner, sensual red lip, dress featuring the feminine hour glass shape, finishing with her challenging eye, rebellion tattoo vulnerable mannerism, song Back to Black. 

All the clothing featured in the shoots are hand picked by me from the grand british high street such as River Island, Miss Selfridge, etc. plus some of my own stuff such as the red floral pattern top worn in the first picture, I am in fact especially pound of this one since it is actually a square fabric I brought back from China last summer, This fabric would be used in china as the beddings in a wedding day. Please refer to the working behind the scene if you want to find out where to get those clothes.  

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Saturday 14 April 2012

My shabby granny look

Just got those purple little shoes from my local charity shop today and I can not wait to share with you. They are only £6.99 with such a pretty lilac colour and cute buckles.  What a bargain!

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 “Dream no small dream; it lacks magic. Dream large. Then make the dream real.”Donald Wills Douglas

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Friday 13 April 2012

If only… m&m

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If only all london's guards were this serious…

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If only the 2012 London fashion week…

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If only the old fashioned advertising style remained…

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If only all films have such a great cast...

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If only m&m really were knights of the round table…

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If only m&m supported a football team…it will make for a very colourful crowd.

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If only all things cute could be this polite…ooooh,little gentleman, how much i want to eat you!

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If only i could have it all…

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If only all pajamas make you feel this good…


This was my trip to m&m world in london, I have never been anywhere so colourful and smelled like chocolate. If only i could stay...

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