How do you choose a cheongsam that suits your body type?
How do you choose a cheongsam that suits your body type?
While we appreciate the beauty of the Cheongsam, its appearance depends on women’s temperaments and figures to achieve it. A person’s temperament is shaped by her posture, vision, and mindset, whereas her figure is determined by her height, weight, and body shape. It takes time to cultivate the former, whereas you can improve the latter using certain methods. Therefore, East Qipao discusses how women’s body types relate to the qipao, describing the difficulties we often encounter when choosing a qipao: Which style suits me and is suitable? What will it look like on me?
- Typical body types
Identifying our body type is the first step. Is there a body type that fits you? It would be a good idea to measure yourself if you are uncertain. Generally, there are five body types: apple shape, strawberry shape, pear shape, and X shape.
H Shape—This body type looks straight up and down. Since there is no noticeable waist curve, the shoulders, waist, and hips are almost the same width.
Strawberry Shape – Also known as an inverted triangle or strawberry shape
. The top is wider and the bottom is narrower. In comparison to the hips, the shoulders are wider, as well as the legs are relatively long and slender, similar to a strawberry.
Pear Shape — This body type is the opposite of the apple shape. It starts with narrow shoulders, a slim waist, a small chest, and a thin back. The hips suddenly widen, accompanied by fuller thighs and fleshy calves. As a result, this gives the appearance of being narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, resembling the shape of a pear
X Shape — Also called the hourglass shape, this shape is considered the best and most attractive. It has broad shoulders, a slim waist, a full chest, and hips the same width as the shoulders. There is a good balance between the limbs, giving the body an X-shaped appearance.
Apple Shape — This body type is mainly about the upper body, with a fuller and rounder waist and abdomen. Hip circumference is smaller than waist circumference, like an apple
. Legs are very slender, which creates a stark contrast between the waist and abdomen.
2. Choose the right QIPAO for your body shape.
Qipao for H-shaped body
H-shaped bodies are concentrated around the waist, especially the straight up and down lines. Therefore, when choosing a QIPAO, we need to pay extra attention to the waist area. There are two main directions for selecting a QIPAO:
Either choose a qipao that shapes and accentuates the waistline. Alternatively, choose a loose-fitting style to hide your body shape problems.
It is very suitable to wear an A-line qipao dress if you opt for the former. The A-line Cheongsam dress, because of its flared design, gives the waist and hips a natural curve. Additionally, it exposes more leg lines, diverting attention from the waist.
If you prefer to conceal your waist, you can wear a loose-fitting qipao dress. It is most appropriate to choose an H-shaped style, as the stronger the vertical sense, the more elegant and taller it will appear.
Qipao for Strawberry-Shaped Body
If you have a strawberry-shaped body, your shoulders are broad and your chest is wide. The following two tips will help you select a QIPAO:
Simple is best for the upper part. Qipaos with plain upper halves will draw attention away from your shoulders. Wearing short sleeves with clean lines and dark colors can reduce your shoulders’ visibility.
You can also add sexy elements to shift attention, such as water drop necklines, bamboo leaf necklines, and V-necks. It is also suitable to wear sleeveless designs since they show fewer shoulders, which makes them appear thinner.
For the lower body, do the opposite. Styles with prints or fuller designs will add volume to your hips and waist. By doing this, you’ll balance your body proportions, making your shoulders look narrower, your waist slimmer, and your hips fuller, giving you an X-shaped body.
Qipao for Pear-Shaped Body
People with pear-shaped bodies have narrow shoulders and wide hips, as well as thick thighs. These tips can help you choose a QIPAO:
For the upper body, choose a qipao with wide shoulder designs like puff sleeves, petal sleeves, or padded shoulders. This balances your shoulders and hips width, making your proportions even. Halter neck designs are also suitable because they show more shoulders, making them appear wider, and drawing attention away from the lower body.
For the lower body, wear simple and clean designs to minimize your hips and thighs. Alternatively, choose an A-line qipao that highlights your slim waist and flares out to hide the lower body.
Qipao for X-shaped Body
The following characteristics describe an X-shaped body (hourglass shape):
An attractive body shape with pronounced curves, particularly around the chest.
When choosing a cheongsam, you should pay attention to the following points:
Highlighting curves:
Choose a cheongsam with a simple, elegant style that fits well. Fabrics that are soft and stretchy highlight the figure. Don’t wear stiff, loose cheongsams because they hide your curves and make your chest look broader and the body look fatter.
Neckline considerations:
High necklines look heavy and tight on people with full chests.
If you want your chest to appear lighter, choose a cheongsam with a low neck or a V-neck. The neckline can reduce chest fullness and make the neck look longer.
Qipao for Apple-Shaped Body
Apple-shaped bodies have most of their weight around the chest and waist, especially the waist area larger than the hips. When choosing a Qipao, paying attention to the waist is important.
Choose a simple, loose qipao. Avoid complex patterns and fabrics that make you look more expansive. Thin, soft, and flowy fabrics will make the qipao look more vertical and slimming. It’s advisable to choose a style that shows your legs. If the qipao covers everything, it might feel stuffy. A mid-length qipao that shows your calves is ideal.
Choose a design that emphasizes the waistline. A loose waist with a defined waistline will give you a better shape. Look for loose designs around the waist but visual waist-cinching effects. For example, a qipao with a belt is great because it allows you to adjust the waist to your liking.
A wide waist belt can also work well, but it should be firm to create a defined waist shape and hide belly fat.
Similarly, a qipao with pleats around the waist can hide your waist shape, giving a relaxed and elegant look.
