If you’re planning on celebrating Chinese New Year, there’s a good chance you’re trying to figure out what to wear on this special occasion – especially if it’s the first time you’re celebrating it! Chinese New Year is known to be an auspicious holiday that revolves around good luck and positive vibes. To maximize your good luck, then, there are a few fashion tips you should follow, and we put them together for you! Here are some traditional fashion rules to bring you good luck on Chinese New Year, sprinkled with a pinch of our own style – make sure to follow them for the best Chinese New Year look possible!
As the Chinese tradition has it, a new year means new beginnings and it calls for new clothes. Get ready for some nice, rewarding shopping and get rid of those old clothes you don’t wear anymore – it will only bring you good luck! And what’s more, new clothes will protect you from evil spirits according to the Chinese tradition.
A piece of advice coming directly from Chinese people is that of keeping your family with you through an heirloom on Chinese New Year. The reason behind this is that Chinese culture sees family as central in one’s life and on a lucky day like this one, it is important to celebrate family and wish it good luck too.
A necklace, a ring, or even a pin a family member gave you works perfectly for this occasion – and you can use it to give your Chinese New Year look a vintage fashion vibe, too.
On Chinese New Year, you should totally go for red. It’s the Chinese lucky color per excellence and it’s a must-have on the holidays, especially on this day. Even though red is a lucky color for everybody, for some people it’s even luckier. According to the year in which you were born and to your subsequent Chinese zodiac sign – which you can calculate here, you’re welcome -, red might be one of your lucky colors all-year round.
If you’re an all-black outfit supporter, though, you need to watch out: black and white are negative and unlucky colors according to tradition, so keep your Chinese New Year look clear of those!
Sneakerheads will be happy to hear that brands like Nike and Adidas are big about limited edition holiday-themed shoes, and they often release steaming-hot pieces in occasion of Chinese New Year. This year’s designs featuring meticulous embroidery and multiple shades of vivid red are surely worth a look – and possibly, a buy.
In the past, Chinese men and women would follow the trends of the time and dress up accordingly on Chinese New Year, and the rule is still valid nowadays, so feel free to wear anything that’s in fashion now! Yet, if you really want to follow tradition – or if you want to draw some inspiration from it – feel free to do so by wearing some authentic pieces of clothing that are extremely popular on this day.
The Tang suit comes from the Tang dynasty and nowadays, it refers to a hybrid jacket that blends the Man riding jacket from the Qing dynasty together with the Western suit. Collarless or high collar, the Tang suit presents a sharp cut and is mostly worn by men, but women shouldn’t feel discouraged to flaunt it and should feel welcome to wear it, too!
The qipao is the more feminine alternative to the Tang suit, as it is a typically traditional Chinese dress. It comes from the Qing dynasty and originally, it was characterized by straight and loose cuts embellished by intricate embroidery. After colonization, though, the qipao underwent some modifications towards more Western fits and appearance. Nevertheless, it is still considered a pillar among the traditional Chinese garments, and it is perfectly appropriate to wear it on Chinese New Year.
Lately, designers have been proposing a lot of Orient-inspired clothes, and revised versions of the qipao are part of their collections, so make sure to check out your favorite brands if you’re looking for a modernized Chinese dress!
The majority of the native Chinese people you’ll meet will be honored and delighted to see you wearing traditional clothing, especially on important occasions like that of Chinese New Year. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that many Chinese people that have moved to other countries are not comfortable with this.
If you’re attending a party hosted by or with Chinese people, remember to ask beforehand if you wish to dress up following tradition in order to avoid unpleasant arguments!
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