You typed "Chinese clothes" into a search bar, and the results probably split two ways: a red embroidered cheongsam on one side, and on the other, a black mesh mini dress with a mandarin collar that looks built for a gallery opening. Both answers are right. Here is which one you want, what to buy in each category, and the two things, sizing and fabric, that trip up first-time buyers.
The two things "Chinese clothes" means
The first is traditional dress. The silhouette most people picture is the qipao, also called the cheongsam: a close-fitting dress with a high mandarin collar, often fastened with knotted pankou buttons and finished with embroidery. The stand collar, the knot closure, the dragon, the floral motif: that is the vocabulary of traditional Chinese clothing.
The second is the modern Chinese designer scene, meaning independent labels designing for a young, fashion-literate customer. Much of what they make has nothing obviously "Chinese" about it. Think low-rise flared jeans, cropped knits, tailored wool coats. For a wider map of who those labels are, our roundup of the best Chinese clothing brands is the place to go.
Where the two now overlap
The most interesting work sits between those camps. BUM STUDIO's Chinese Embroidered Cheongsam Dress keeps the mandarin collar and turns everything else into a bodycon mini, with a sheer mesh upper, cap sleeves and contrasting satin bust cups. It is a cheongsam the way a remix is a song: the source is unmistakable, the result is entirely new. The rest of the label's range, heavy on low-rise denim and flares, is in the BUM STUDIO collection.
BLOOD SUPPLY pushes further. Its Washed Denim Dragon Qipao Dress is cut from soft washed cotton stretch denim, reworks the qipao silhouette through what the label describes as a light punk lens, and adds a dragon-pattern jacquard, with an X-shaped construction to define the waist. This is the piece I would hand a skeptic, because it shows traditional Chinese clothing can work as a summer dress you wear with sneakers. The full line is at BLOOD SUPPLY.
Dresses at full formality
If you want the traditional silhouette at its most formal, Selene Chow is the label to know. Its cheongsam-style gowns are made for galas, weddings and evening events. The Crimson Embroidered Illusion Back Cheongsam Dress pairs a high neckline and floral motifs with an illusion back panel, tonal embroidery and button accents; the Mint Green Embroidered Halter Cheongsam adds a high side slit and a detachable feather-trimmed shawl. These are occasion pieces; the full range is in the Selene Chow collection. For styling ideas, see our modern qipao styling guide.
Outerwear
For coats, look at SRYS AME. Its outerwear is built around wool: a Tie-Belt Long Wool Coat, a Double-Faced Wool Cape Jacket with a poncho-inspired cut, and a Plaid Stand-Collar Double-Faced Wool Coat whose stand collar reads as a subtle nod to the mandarin line. My pick is the Hand-Sewn Belted Wool Coat in coffee, offered long or mid-length, in a 70% wool blend with a structured, non-stretch hand and a relaxed silhouette. Note that these coats come in S and M only. See the full SRYS AME collection, or browse all coats.
Skirts
Two skirts near the top of our bestseller list show the range. 1JINN STUDIO's Structured A-Line Mini Skirt has a mid-low waist and a side structured pleat that gives it a sculpted, one-piece look; it is a polyester, lyocell and cotton blend, and it is offered alongside a matching top and jacket if you want the full set. BUM STUDIO's Low-Rise Buckle Mini Skirt is slimmer and sharper, with a front slit for movement. Both are in our skirts collection, and the 1JINN STUDIO line has more.
Bags
The item at the very top of our bestseller list is not clothing at all. 2th Desire's Vintage Woven Shoulder Bag is soft-structured and roomy, and its adjustable strap lets you wear it crossbody, on the shoulder or tucked under the arm. It comes in red, white and brown; the red is 50% PU and 50% viscose, the other colors 45% PU and 55% viscose. If you are unsure about sizing, this is the easiest way in. See more from 2th Desire.
How to buy Chinese clothing: sizing and fabric
Chinese sizing runs differently from US sizing, and the gap matters most on fitted pieces, which is exactly the qipao, corset and bodycon territory that defines this category. An M from one label is not an M from another, and some lines stop at M. Measure your bust, waist and hips, then compare those numbers with each product's chart using our Chinese clothing size guide. For a close-fitting cheongsam, bust and waist decide everything; for a relaxed coat, check shoulders and length.
Then read the fabric line, which tells you how a piece will behave. The BUM STUDIO cheongsam is a nylon-spandex blend, so it has stretch. The SRYS AME coat is described as non-stretch, so your measurements need to be right. Cotton stretch denim, as in BLOOD SUPPLY's qipao, sits in between: some give, with a firmer hand than mesh.
Where to start
If you want one garment that answers "what are Chinese clothes" on its own, start with the denim dragon qipao: traditional silhouette, modern fabric, wearable on an ordinary Tuesday. If you want modern Chinese design without the cultural references, start with an SRYS AME coat or a 1JINN STUDIO skirt. If fit makes you nervous, start with the woven bag and work up from there. For the latest pieces, browse our new arrivals.
