Amber Zhang

    CHEONGSAM, the classic dress for Chinese women, combines the elaborate elegance of Chinese tradition with individual style elements, creating a look that’s a wonderful flower in China’s colorful fashion scene.

    “Owning a tailor-made cheongsam that displays your modesty, feminity and beauty is a modern lifestyle,” said Lin Xiping, who owns many cheongsam and believes the style is the most wisely designed dress in the country.

    The high-necked, closed-collar cheongsam, with a loose chest, fitting waist and attractive slits, is a versatile garment. Custom-made cheongsam can be long or short and have full, half-length or short sleeves, or even no sleeves at all. The dress can suit different occasions, changing weather and individual tastes. It can be made of various materials and worn on formal or casual occasions.

    The price of a custom-made cheongsam depends largely on its material and embroidery. A simple cheongsam for daily use might cost several hundred yuan, while a cheongsam with elaborate and elegant embroidery can be priced in the thousands.

    A tailored, bridal cheongsam decorated with motifs of golden dragons and phoenixes, for example, will be expensive, said a Luohu District tailor surnamed Chen.

    The best tailored cheongsam shops offer customers a lot of variety. Customers first choose fabrics, colors and patterns. Additional choices can include different kinds of buttons, buttonhole-loops and colors; variously colored hems; sleeve-lengths, slit lengths, slit position — on the side, front or back — and number of slits. Finally, customers are measured to get an absolutely individual, custom-fitting cheongsam.

    Taking measurements is a very important step in the process. Customers should wear close-fitting underwear and keep an upright, natural standing position while being measured, without any unnecessary movements. When the tailor measures the girth of some parts of the body, make sure the measuring tape is held horizontally, neither too loosely nor too tightly.

    An experienced tailor will measure the length of the gown, shoulder width, bust, waist, hip girth, neck circumference, sleeve length, arm circumference and height, and write down detailed size specifications. After the cheongsam is made, customers should return to the tailor for a final fitting and to make any necessary small adjustments.

    A tailor can take a month to make a custom cheongsam, or even longer in particularly complicated cases.

    Communicating well with the tailor is crucial, to let the tailor know about specific needs and requirements.

    Shanghai tailors are famous for making cheongsam. Some well-known Shanghai tailor shops also offer custom services online. Customers can measure themselves and ask tailors to make a cheongsam according to its size. Tailors will send a cheongsam made from simple cloth for the customer to try on and check the fit. Various fabrics and cheongsam samples are displayed in many online shops. After confirming the fit of the sample cheongsam, customers can select final materials, buttons and accessories.