History

• Historically, the ethnicity of the government in dynastic China influenced the clothing style of the Chinese people, according to University of Southern California, Los Angeles. One example: When the Manchurians conquered China, they introduced the well-known, mandarin-style dress, the "qipao."
  
  

Textiles Used

• Cotton and silk are major commodities in China and are typically used for clothing; however, modern clothing is made with fabric also used in the West, such as tweed, polyester and denim.
  
  

Modern

• A Chinese model wearing a modern dress.chinese girl image by chinatiger from Fotolia.com
  
  In the 21st century, most Chinese wear Western-style clothing. Western designers, such as Armani and Gucci, are popular in China. Chinese sports brand Li Ning designs Western-style athletic-wear and was a major sponsor of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
  
  

Traditional

• Traditional clothing is often worn in very rural parts of China, and the style varies according to ethnicity. People in urban areas will sometimes don traditional dress on holidays or for events such as weddings.
  
  

Shoes

• A woman wearing a modern variation of traditional silk shoes.chinese dress, image by Gunsel Yildirim from Fotolia.com
  
  Chinese shoes were historically made using silk, cotton, straw, leather or wood. Now, most Chinese wear Western-style footwear, with the exception of Buddhist and Taoist clergy, who still wear traditional shoes.