(Left) Green Polka-Dot Silk Qipao

Made in Shanghai, Republic Period, circa 1937–1945

Material: Silk

Approximate Measurements: Shoulders: 15 3/4 inches (40 cm), Length (Collar to Hem): 46 inches (117 cm), Bust: 30 3/4 inches (78 cm), Waist: 27 1/2 inches (70 cm).

This qipao is fashioned from silk in a vibrant green-blue tone ranging between jade green, teal, and peacock green. While brighter than the darker hues commonly associated with wartime dress, the color remains restrained and elegant rather than ostentatious. The silk possesses a soft, luminous sheen that shifts subtly with changing light, creating a refined and understated visual richness.

The garment embodies the mature Shanghai qipao style of the late Republican period, featuring a high standing collar, asymmetrical right-front closure, and a long, body-skimming silhouette. Its beauty lies not in elaborate ornamentation but in the precision of its tailoring and the graceful flow of its lines. This aesthetic reflects the changing social conditions of the War of Resistance period. As wartime shortages intensified and public attitudes shifted away from the extravagance of the early 1930s, women's fashion increasingly emphasized practicality, restraint, and durability while preserving elegance and dignity.

The most distinctive feature of the fabric is its all-over pattern of tiny white polka dots. Neatly arranged and evenly spaced, the dots create a subtle decorative rhythm. From a distance the dress appears nearly monochromatic, while closer inspection reveals the delicate pattern across the entire surface. This restrained decoration retains a sense of modern urban fashion without appearing overly conspicuous, reflecting the wartime preference for moderation and understated refinement.

The collar and front opening retain their original hand-crafted silk frog closures. Executed in matching green silk cord, the knots are small, elegant, and perfectly integrated into the overall design. Matching silk piping outlines the collar, front edge, sleeves, hem, and side slits, creating a harmonious and unified appearance. Though simple in conception, the workmanship demonstrates the attention to detail characteristic of traditional Chinese tailoring.

The side slits and interior lining are likewise executed in green silk, maintaining a consistent color scheme throughout the garment. The elongated slits not only facilitate movement but also lend the dress a sense of fluidity and grace. As the wearer walks, the changing reflections on the silk animate the otherwise restrained design with quiet sophistication.

As an important example of Shanghai qipao fashion during the War of Resistance period, this garment illustrates the transformation of Chinese women's dress under extraordinary historical circumstances. Rather than relying on vivid colors or elaborate embroidery, it expresses feminine elegance through refined materials, careful tailoring, and thoughtful craftsmanship. The luminous green silk and delicate polka-dot pattern create a mood that is both calm and resilient, preserving a record of how Chinese women maintained grace, dignity, and composure amid the uncertainties of a turbulent era.

(左边）：

绿色波点丝绸旗袍

民国时期，上海，约1937–1945年

材质：丝绸

尺寸：肩宽40厘米；衣长117厘米；胸围78厘米；腰围70厘米。

本件旗袍以翠绿色至蓝绿色调丝绸制成，色彩介于翡翠绿、孔雀绿与湖水绿之间。虽然较抗战时期常见的深色服饰略显明亮，但整体并不张扬，而是呈现出一种沉静含蓄的气质。丝绸表面光泽柔和细腻，随着光线变化产生丰富而微妙的层次感，使整件作品散发出温润典雅的韵味。

旗袍采用民国后期上海流行的成熟式样，高立领、右衽斜襟及修长贴体的轮廓完整保留。整体设计强调流畅的线条与合体的剪裁，通过简洁而精准的结构塑造女性优雅的身形，而非依赖繁复装饰来吸引目光。这种设计倾向与抗战时期的社会环境密切相关。随着战争持续与物资供应日趋紧张，三十年代初期盛行的奢华时尚逐渐让位于更加务实、节制的审美观念，服饰在保持优雅风度的同时，也更加注重实用与耐穿。

面料最具特色之处在于满地均匀分布的白色细小圆点纹样。波点排列整齐细密，装饰效果克制而含蓄，远观近乎素色，近看则呈现出丰富而有节奏的视觉变化。这样的纹饰设计既保留了现代都市服装的时尚感，又避免过于醒目的视觉效果，反映出战时社会环境下对于适度与内敛之美的追求。

领口与前襟处保存完整的手工盘扣，以同色丝线盘结而成，造型小巧精致，与衣身色彩浑然一体。领缘、襟缘、袖缘及下摆均采用同色丝质滚边收饰，使整体设计更加统一协调。工艺虽不繁复，却充分体现出传统中式服装制作对于细节与品质的重视。

侧开衩与内层衬里同样采用绿色丝绸制作，与外层色调保持一致。修长的开衩设计不仅方便行动，也赋予裙身更多流动感与轻盈感。随着步履移动，丝绸表面的光泽不断变化，使原本简洁的设计呈现出含蓄而丰富的美感。

作为抗战时期上海旗袍的重要实例，本件作品展现了特殊历史背景下中国女性服饰审美的转变。它没有浓艳色彩，也不见繁缛刺绣，而是通过素雅的色调、简洁的纹饰、得体的剪裁与精致的工艺展现女性风采。翠绿色丝绸与细密波点共同营造出一种宁静而坚定的气质，记录了那个动荡年代中中国女性在艰难现实面前依然保持优雅、尊严与从容的生活态度。

(Right):

Blue Silk Crepe Qipao with Asymmetrical Brocade Design

Made in Shanghai, Republic Period, circa 1937–1945

Material: Silk Crepe with Brocade Decoration

Approximate Measurements: Shoulders: 16 1/2 inches (42 cm), Length (Collar to Hem): 40 1/2 inches (103 cm), Bust: 31 1/2 inches (80 cm), Waist: 27 1/2 inches (70 cm).

This qipao is fashioned from rich cobalt-blue silk crepe, a fabric prized for its soft texture, fluid drape, and subtle luster. The vibrant blue ground provides a striking backdrop for the garment’s most distinctive feature: an asymmetrical decorative design executed in silver and rose-red brocade. Elegant yet restrained, the dress exemplifies the sophisticated fusion of traditional Chinese tailoring and modern Shanghai fashion during the late Republican period.

The garment follows the mature Shanghai qipao silhouette of the late 1930s and 1940s, featuring a high standing collar, asymmetrical closure, and a slender, body-skimming form. The overall design relies upon clean lines and careful tailoring rather than elaborate embellishment. Slightly shorter than many earlier floor-length examples, it reflects the gradual shift toward greater practicality and ease of movement that characterized wartime fashion.

The most remarkable aspect of the design is the bold asymmetrical brocade motif extending diagonally across the lower section of the garment. Composed of alternating bands of silver and rose-red ornament against the deep blue ground, the pattern incorporates stylized geometric forms and decorative floral elements. Its sweeping diagonal composition breaks with the symmetry traditionally associated with Chinese dress and demonstrates the growing influence of modern design principles and Art Deco aesthetics on Shanghai fashion during the Republican era.

Rather than relying on embroidery, the decoration is achieved through the use of contrasting woven brocade fabrics integrated directly into the garment. The interplay of blue, silver, and rose-red creates a strong visual rhythm while preserving the overall elegance and balance of the composition. The result is decorative yet refined, modern yet distinctly Chinese.

The collar is executed in a simple, streamlined manner, with the front closure discreetly incorporated into the garment’s structure. Unlike many qipao that emphasize elaborate frog closures as their primary decorative feature, this example shifts attention to the dramatic diagonal ornamentation across the skirt, revealing an increasingly modern approach to dress design.

As an important example of wartime Shanghai fashion, this qipao reflects both continuity and change in Chinese women's dress. While retaining the graceful silhouette and craftsmanship of the traditional qipao, it embraces innovative decorative concepts inspired by international modernism. The luminous blue silk crepe, combined with the striking silver and rose-red brocade design, creates a garment that is both elegant and visually dynamic. It stands as a testament to the creativity of Shanghai fashion during a period of profound social and historical transformation, when women continued to express refinement, confidence, and individuality despite the uncertainties of wartime life.

(右边):

蓝地织锦纹丝绉旗袍

民国时期，上海，约1937–1945年

材质：丝绉与织锦装饰面料

尺寸：肩宽42厘米；衣长103厘米；胸围80厘米；腰围70厘米。

本件旗袍以宝蓝色丝绉制成，色彩浓郁明快而不失典雅。丝绉面料质地轻柔细腻，表面具有柔和光泽，在光线照射下呈现出丰富的层次变化。与同时期常见的素色旗袍相比，本件作品最引人注目之处在于大胆运用了不对称装饰设计，使整体造型兼具现代时尚感与装饰艺术风格。

旗袍采用民国后期上海流行的成熟样式，高立领、斜襟开合以及修长贴体的轮廓完整保留。整体结构简洁流畅，没有繁复刺绣或过多装饰，而是通过面料对比与图案布局形成视觉焦点。衣长较一般三十年代长款旗袍略短，体现出四十年代上海女性服饰逐渐趋向轻便与实用的发展趋势。

整件作品最具特色之处在于自左下方向右上方延伸的不对称织锦纹饰。纹饰以银白色与玫瑰红色织锦构成，形成一条斜向贯穿裙身的装饰带。图案内部可见几何纹与变形花卉纹样相互交织，在宝蓝色地色映衬下格外醒目。这种大面积斜向构图突破了传统旗袍对称布局的惯例，具有明显的现代设计意识，也反映出二十世纪三四十年代上海时装受到国际装饰艺术（Art Deco）风格影响后的创新尝试。

值得注意的是，这组织锦纹饰并非附加刺绣，而是直接利用不同材质与色彩面料拼接形成装饰效果。银白与玫瑰红两种色彩在蓝色背景上形成鲜明对比，使原本简洁的裙身获得强烈而富有节奏感的视觉表现，同时保持整体设计的清爽与克制。

领口采用简洁的高领设计，前襟开合隐藏于肩部斜线结构之中，使整体外观更加现代。与此前许多依赖盘扣作为装饰重点的旗袍不同，本件作品将视觉重心转移至裙身大面积的不对称纹饰之上，展现出上海高级时装设计日益现代化的发展方向。

作为抗战时期上海旗袍的重要实例，本件作品既保留了传统旗袍优雅修长的基本特征，又融入了现代都市时装的设计理念。宝蓝色丝绉、银红相间的织锦纹饰以及大胆的不对称构图，共同构成极具时代特色的视觉语言。在战争与社会变迁的背景下，它展现出中国女性对于美感与时尚的持续追求，也记录了上海作为远东时尚中心所孕育出的独特创造力与现代精神。

Size Small. For condition report, please contact the Asian Art Department.