I’ve mentioned the Chinese Qípáo before (also called cheongsam), in our Guild meetings and on this site. However, I’ve been “Anglicizing” the pronunciation incorrectly to call it “Kee pow”. The correction pronunciation is actually more like “Chsee Pao?”, with intonation to raise your voice on the second syllable like asking a question, as shown in the beautiful below about the nature and brief history of the Qípáo.

This is supposedly part of a series of 100 words that “represent the essence of traditional Chinese culture, reflect its extensive and profound nature from different angles, and help people overseas better understand China and Chinese culture.”

To think, of all the words they could have chosen for their 100 words, Qípáo was one of them! That makes me all the more excited to be making one in October!

Btw, notice the 26 measurements they require to make one of these things. That’s crazy craftsmanship. The measurements sheet I recently posted seem pretty lame in light of this! I need to learn more about this. For now, though, I’ll have to settle for making the “Anglicized” version of the Qípáo from the Folkwear pattern 122. I’ll learn the details when I find someone who knows the details.

You can see more Qípáo here on my Fashion Pinterest board dedicated to modern Chinese culture. There are some seriously stunning garments here!