Chinese Fashion: 10 Epic Fails
One of the things I like about Chinese people is that they have a very peculiar style and are not afraid of displaying it in public. I have seen people wearing very flashy clothes or impossible hairdos and no one ever bats an eyelid. In contrast, when I was 16 and still in Spain, I dyed my hair red. A random old man on the street told me my hair was ugly. Thanks for the unsolicited opinion, sir. However, if I had bright red hair in China, no one would even look at me. Well, they would because I am a foreigner, but they wouldn’t give a crap about the red hair. In fact, it seems the latest fashion in Shanghai and Suzhou is dying your hair blue, purple or green. Not only alternative young women do this, I have also seen it in middle aged women!
Perhaps this post’s title should be: Some quirks of Chinese fashion, but epic fails sounds more… epic, right? So, without further ado, let’s check the list I prepared. For a post of this kind, pictures are absolutely necessary, but unfortunately I didn’t have my own pictures so I got them from Baidu, the Chinese Google. I have always wanted to take a picture of the guy walking the dog in his pajamas or the lady with Marge Simpson’s hair, but I am too shy.
1. People going out in their pajamas
This a classic in Shanghai and nearby areas. You suddenly realized you are out of salt and have to go to the supermarket downstairs? Uhm, it truly is a waste of time changing to your street clothes just for that… And I can kind of understand that, but what I can’t understand is when I see a couple spending the afternoon in the mall in their pajamas (I really should have taken that picture).
There are two types of pajamas: the summer ones and the winter ones.
Summer pajamas.
Winter pajamas.
I have to confess that I might have walked the dog in my pajamas more than once… ok, more than 50 times probably. But it is not the same pajamas I use for sleeping! It is the “stay at home” pajamas.
2. Weird and shiny patterns
Going to a Chinese shop to buy clothes can be hard. You see a blouse that looks nice, but when you look at the front it has an ugly frill. Or a Playboy bunny made with fake diamonds (Playboy is actually a clothes brand in here). There is always something not ok on Chinese clothes. Also, some patterns can be too risky for more moderate tastes. Sometimes I see some ladies on the street and I wonder if they don’t have a mirror at home!
3. Glasses… without glass
A few years ago I started to notice this trend of wearing frames without lenses. As wearing glasses has always been considered totally uncool, I couldn’t understand it at first. But then I thought: Well, I like wearing glasses. Maybe if I didn’t need them I would like to wear them sometimes, the same way I can wear a necklace or a pair of earrings. I remember I read Spanish forums and people were heavily bashing on this trend. Hey, let people wear whatever they want! I would also wear this super cute Hello Kitty frames without lenses:
I have actually tried these glasses on. Too big and round for my small face, bwaaaah!
4. Scary contact lenses
Many Chinese girls wear a strange kind of contact lenses that make their eyes look bigger. It is very scary because they look extremely unnatural, but they seem to like it and it is very common. Take a look around when you are riding the subway and you will see it for sure.
And look at this: I have actually never seen this live, but I found the picture when I was looking for the Hello Kitty glasses. Oh. My. God.
Notice also the fake eyelashes and the sticker to make a double lid. Also very popular.
5. Tracksuit and high heels
This is becoming quite rare, thank God I haven’t seen it in years. A tracksuit. Preferably a plush one, Juicy Couture kind of thing. With a fake Chanel bag. And high heels. I fail to guess what those women were thinking when they decided to combine these 3 things.
6. Sports pants and formal shirt
This is the male version of the tracksuit and high heels, and unfortunately quite common, particularly in the countryside. Imagine: a formal shirt or a woolen jumper, with sports pants and sport shoes. The definition of pure horror. The guy who proposed to me once in Beijing used to dress like this.
There is also another version of the masculine fashion epic fail: too baggy (because the wearer is very skinny) pleated trousers with the usual horrible fake leather shoes that countryside men nomally wear, white socks and a sports jacket. Kill me, please. If you have never been to China and can’t picture what I’m talking about, it’s better for you. (Sorry, I couldn’t find a picture, I don’t know what to write to find it!). If you have been to China, I’m sure you have in your mind the image of a man, dressed as I just described, squatting and smoking a cigarette. It’s a Chinese classic.
7. Pants up to your armpits
This a must among elder Chinese men. Members of the government seem to be big fans too. One of the most iconic representatives of this trend is the ex president Jiang Zemin, who never misses a chance of sporting this look.
I am not going to tell you which one is Jiang Zemin. There’s no need, you will just know.
8. Sandals with socks
This is a must among Chinese ladies. It seems they are scared to wear sandals without anything interfering between the shoe and their skin. Are they afraid that their feet will catch a cold? Or is it just that the awful quality of Chinese cheap shoes forces them to wear socks if they don’t want to be skinned alive?
9. Facekini
This always causes a stir on the internet but to be honest I have never seen it in real life. I don’t really go to Chinese beaches, maybe that’s why. What it is fairly common in cities is Chinese ladies riding a scooter and wearing a kind of black screen that covers their face and long gloves up to their shoulders. Being tanned is not glorious. The whiter you are, the better.
The swimsuits are also very beautiful, right? I’ve even written a post about swimwear before!
10. Children’s clothes
Children’s clothes are usually super cute, right? Well… not in China. The poor kids are stuck with pretty ugly garments. For the girls, pink chifon and princess dresses abound. In winter, the “must” is a kind of super thick coat that makes the poor baby look like a starfish and they can’t even move. Obviously, under the super thick coat they are still wearing 28 other clothes, because God forbids the kid gets a cold. Chinese kids could incubate chicks inside their clothes! Have you ever noticed that they are always sweating and have very red cheeks?
And, of course, we can’t fail to mention the split pants. You haven’t been to China if you have never seen a baby’s ass between the two sides of a split pant!
I can’t imagine what this poor baby has to wear when he is OUTSIDE the house. He’s inside and all bundled up…
Well, old men and pants up to their arm pits is also a fashion trend here. I think the Chinese copied it.
American men with shorts, black socks, and sandals have an ugliness edge on your white-socked Chinese, I think.
Yesterday I noticed a middle school boy with blue hair and a furry panda backpack, so you should look for men with weird hair next.
The Koreans and Chinese around here wear the massive combination face shield/ visor, but I have never seen the beach ski mask before! So perhaps China beats LA for weird fashion after all.
True, old men wear pants up to their armpits in many other places xD But I think Jiang Zemin deserves some recognition… the man is trying hard to be up there!
Socks with sandals is also a classic among European tourists visiting Spain, hehe.
Oh, in the list I forgot to mention boots with plush bears attached! I found them in Taobao (https://gd4.alicdn.com/bao/uploaded/i4/TB1p0LjGpXXXXanXVXXXXXXXXXX_!!0-item_pic.jpg).
Okay. Boots with plush bears for the win.
This is street fashion! One can dare to be different.
Is it true that one can only get big pants in China?
When I was in Dubai, I was horrified to see a child in her PJ in a fairly central part of the city. It was just not the done thing in the City of Bling.
The Omanis, the Ladies of Oman are in a different league……Their abayas are a class of its own with lovely details and finesse. The traditional Omani coat comes in a jewel of colours.
Spanish fashion, I Love it. It’s very different from English fashion. The latter can be classic and timeless pieces depending on the make, it’s all Good but Spanish fashion, the ones I have, comes with an added twist; interesting use of mixed fabric, texture and techniques.
Do Spanish wear flip flogs when they are up and about in the summer?
I think you can get pants in all sizes! And it should be fairly easy to find small ones, bigger ones can be difficult. Why do men always get their pants too big? In preparation for their bellies? xD
Yes, Spanish people wear flip flops in the summer, specially if it is a beach town. It is not considered good taste to wear them for work though. And clubs surely won’t allow guys wearing flip flops.
Got to love the Chinese fashion :D
I think I should take next time some pictures of people wearing their pj’s outside.
This time in China we will meet many people with their babies, lets see what they will think of Nathan just wearing shorts and a t-shirt…
You will surely get scolded for exposing your poor kid to the unbearable cold, haha.
Please take some pics!!
Yeah he might freeze to death with only 32 degrees…sometimes I really don’t understand Chinese people :)
Hahaha, some of the above are true and acceptable, Eg, 1(out of salt or something like this), 2, 3 and10.
Yep, I might have been to the supermarket downstairs in my bunny faces pajama pants xD
This is a brilliant list and China fashion is just so creative and bold. Pants up to the armpits – the pants waists must be rather narrow for those who have slim bodies :D The contact lens one – I have never seen that before too. Don’t know if I’d want to try it!
I think Chinese people are still exploring all the clothing extremes, because during the Mao era they could only wear gray and blue cotton :P
Well, I have to say, I do wear my PJs to the mall too, but then my PJs = my stay at home clothes = t-shirt and shorts so I guess it is okay LOL! :D
And what are you talking about glasses? Girls wearing glasses are cute! And being too big and round is exactly the point of those fake glasses! :D
Dunno, when I was younger, wearing glasses was considered not cute. At least in Spain. Glasses = good student. Good students are not popular at all in Spain, that might be a big difference with Asia xD
Real glasses = good student, fake glasses = fake good student = cute.
Haha, there were no fake glasses when I was a student.
The facekini is by far my favorite. And the glassless glasses! Fashion in China definitely is a different world compared to the West!
Totally haha! I feel there is more freedom in here, in that sense xD
Reblogged this on My L(e)onely Planet and commented:
Can’t wait to see some of these again.
Great post!! The tracksuit with high heels made me giggle 😂💕
Can it be considered smart casual? Smart for the heels and casual for the tracksuit? xD
Many, if not all, of these fashion faux pas run amok in SE Asia. I was just thinking the other day of taking pictures of all the silk pajamas I see in Cambodia. In Thailand they wear the ones like the Chinese, but in Cambo it’s like the American or English dad pajama, but in silk! I’m thinking they must be damn comfortable in this heat.
My Thai students used to ask me if I wore the “big eye” contacts. I guess they thought my eyes were unnatural looking :P Errr, thanks…I think.
BTW, I had a pair of those glasses…loved them. Hahahhaa.
Oooh, yesterday in Suzhou I saw a kid wearing a silk pajamas, haha. So fancy!
I think some of these relate to Taiwan as well. I just don’t get the point about wearing ‘fake glasses,’ but I guess it is all for the love of fashion.
Yeah, at first I didn’t get it either. But then… those Hello Kitty glasses are really cute! :D
Hahaha so so true
I’d like to add one – the lack of any concept regarding what’s “age appropriate.” I’m a fan of the whole “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” mindset but I have to wonder if people here aren’t confused about their age sometimes. There are way too many 20-something girls running around dressed like toddlers in their Sunday best and way too many old ladies in leopard print leggings. It really makes me wonder what Chinese people think about how foreigners dress. I suppose they think we’re boring.
Hahaha, I might be a little guilty of this myself… 31 and I am in the office with a Bat Girl t-shirt xDD I’m lucky I’ve never been required to dress as an “adult” for work!
Had waay too much of a giggle with this one! Those scary big eyes with odd colours or shapes… I’ve seen (shudder!)… including with massive false eye lashes (double shudder!!)…
Yes! I wore fake eyelashes once, for a wedding… I wonder how someone can wear them on a regular basis xD My eyes felt so heavy!
Never tried… can’t see myself ever trying… but one should never say never!! ;-)
Oh man, good post. I was cracking up all the way down the list. My favorite (and sadly in decline) is the fat man summer time shirt bikini. The very best ones sport shiny slacks pulled up to at least the belly button, a wife beater tank top with the bottom pulled through the neck hole. And they must be smoking and smacking their bellies from time to time. Pure sex appeal.
Haha, I think that look is more common in Beijing, I haven’t seen it around here so much. The perfect complements are a straw fan and half a watermelon xD
Hahaha this is hilarious!!! The facekini is so frightening!! I haven’t seen that one in person..
I can’t stand the eyeglasses without lens, it looks SO HORRIBLE! It’s something I’ll never understand..
Dont’ even get me started on the freaky contact lenses.
Haha, I’m fine with the glasses without lens. The contact lenses, on the other hand… brrrr!
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I love this post Marta! While I don’t live in China my Chinese fiance and I live in a suburb with a lot of Chinese people and I have seen a lot of the outfits you mention above (tracksuit with high heels is one of my favourites!!). It’s funny how it rubs off on you – I had to briefly go outside the other day and I didn’t want to take my socks off or put proper shoes on so I went out in the fashion crime of socks and sandals! People genuinely don’t care what you wear and I am embracing that!
Haha yes, it is pretty refreshing that you can go out in whatever rags and no one will care!
Great post. We live in Guangzhou and can relate to a lot of what you said. Glasses without lenses is simply stupid, nobody that needs glasses wears them for fun! And I also cannot begin to understand people out and about in their pyjamas
Thanks for your comment! :) Maybe I have been in China for too long, or I like glasses too much, because if I didn’t need them (I’m short sighted) I would totally consider wearing the Hello Kitty frames, haha. I am also guilty of going out in my pyjamas… but only to walk the dog inside our compound, I would never go to the mall in my pyjamas!
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Haha I’m guilty of wearing glasses without lens even though I wear glasses on a normal basis haha! I actually don’t know where I got that idea from during high school. It may have came through the Korean wave? idk.