Peking Opera Bridal Costume NYC 2002

Peking Opera Bridal Costume in Flushing, New York City Studio, May 2002

In Peking Operas (Beijing Operas) this is what a bride would look like.

I really liked the hat, and noticed it in a portfolio of samples. So, I specifically booked the photo shoot so we could have that hat.

It looks really great in the photos, but it's totally made of plastic, felt, and metal springs.

Here's one in black & white. They used about 5 cameras at a time for the photo shoot, and each on different settings, with different lenses.

There were 2 directors, and a few extra photographers.

There were 3 makeup artists. And, my makeup took 3 hours, which they changed on-the-fly between shoots which went quicker than the 1st sitting to have my face done.

I only had 2 Chinese themed shoots. You had a choice between any 2 Asian themes, and had everything from Korean, to Japanese, to Filipino, Tibet, Mongolia, modern, period, fantasy, and these guys were VERY artsy-farsty. So, I just let them do their thing. It's a NYC thing.

I own the negatives to these, since we purchased the premium largest package you could buy. I also own the rights to these.

They were worth every penny we spent on them.

But, we sat through several kinds of photo shoots with different themes, makeup, and clothes, the entire day, and even went out into a nearby park & shot outside.

Chinese Qipao Glam NYC 2002

Another costume from the Bridal photo shoot in Flushing New York, in the studio.

These are Ming-Guo Shanghai throw-back inspired.

Qipao originally come from Shanghai, but sometimes people call them a "Mandarin Dress", but it's NOT from the North where mandarins come from.

I think the reason they call them "Mandarin" is because in the South they called these dresses the "Changshan" which is actually a dress worn by a Mandarin man.

Why did ladies wear these? Everyone disagrees, but I think it dates back to the Salt Traders of Shanghai & Hangzhou which were very wealthy. Their daughters became very independent, highly educated, and began to exercise the same rights & privileges as men. Perhaps that is why they made a feminine version of a Changshan.

During the Ming Guo period, much literature & culture began seeping into China from Western Culture, and in The West women began to wear shorter skirts to show their legs below thier knees, and wore red lipstick because of the Flapper Movement. Women wanted to be reccognized for their intelligence, strength, and also to openly express their sexuality through their feminiity, but also to do things before only reserved for men.

Much of this cultural materials, music, songs, literature, was mass consumed in the Hangzhou/Shanghai area, and spread throughout China.

But, who can say the exact, specific reason why they wore them?  Now, they are common throughout Asia, and often worn as formal wear for business, weddings, and special events.

Shanhai, today, is still known for being run by powerful women, business women, and so on. 
I actually have 2 Qipao, but this one here is NOT mine. It was the Studio's.

Glam Photos NYC 2002

Glam photos shot for a bridal shoot in May 2002 in Flushing, New York City.

I own the negatives & the rights to these.

A very long & exhausting shoot. I did the whole photoshoot without eating or drinking until almost 7PM.

I was so tired when these last frames were shot.