Hi, on your timeline post (/post/137919488747/nannaia-evolution-of-chinese-clothing-and7), what would you call the top in figure 17? Thank you.
Hi! Thanks for the question, and sorry for taking ages to reply!
In the post you're referring to here, the top in figure 17 is an "ao/袄", which is a Chinese term for a lined upper garment. Garments referred to as ao were worn throughout Chinese history, although they varied in appearance and construction during different time periods. The figure depicts ao in the style of the 1920s, aka early Minguo/Republican era. Below - painting and photo of young women in 1920s China:
If you want to be more specific, this particular top is a waist-length "duan ao/短袄" (short ao), as opposed to a "chang ao/长袄" (long ao) that can go past the knees. It has a particular sleeve shape popular during 1920s Minguo China called "daodaxiu/倒大袖", lit. “reverse wide sleeves”, referring to half length or shorter sleeves that become wider at the bottom. Below - 1920s daodaxiu ao from Suzhou (1/2):
Daodaxiu ao were worn with qun/skirts (aoqun/袄裙) or ku/pants (aoku/袄裤). @audreydoeskaren discusses the history and development of daodaxiu in her post on 1920s Chinese fashion here. Below - 1920s-style daodaxiu aoqun outfits (x):
Qipao could also have daodaxiu sleeves. Below - 1920s-style daodaxiu qipao outfits (x):
For more in-depth analysis, please check out this post by @audreydoeskaren reviewing several of the outfits depicted in the fashion timeline, including this one. For more references on daodaxiu ao, please check out my daodaxiu and minguo aoqun tags.
Finally, below are a few daodaxiu aoqun from various shops that I particularly like (1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8):
Hope this helps! ^^
