IN THE MOOD FOR CHEONGSAM

Snapshots from the Singpore National Museum's current exhibit: In the Mood for Cheongsam. If you're in the area, I highly suggest you go visit. Not only is it informative, it's pure visual delight too. The above pictures should be testament to that. ;) The exhibit was a marriage of two of my favorite things: fashion and history. It turns out that the Cheongsam actually has its roots in menswear and how women wanted to adapt this as a symbol of modernity after the 1911 Revolution. It became the norm from the 50s-70s but took a backseat when massproduced garments entered the market. Yet up to now, it's still the garment of choice in formal events and it's influence can still be felt even on global scope (Louis Vuitton Spring 2011, anyone?).

This exhibit made me appreciate how fashion can also tell the tale of the times. How the hemlines, the cinch of the waist, and the cut can describe what the social climate was, whether women were getting more rights or the west having more influence - these style nuances didn't just pop out of nowhere.

See the exhibit for yourself and join me in fashion history appreciation. ;) Oh, and did I mention you can get in for free? ;)

xx
Reg
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