旗袍是我国特有的一种传统女装，富有浓郁的民族韵味。旗袍始于清代，清太祖努尔哈赤领军南征北战，统一了关外女真族各部。设立了清军中的红、蓝、黄、白四正旗。入关后又增添镶黄、镶红、镶蓝、镶白四镶旗，以此来区分、统驭所属军民，称做"八旗"。八旗所属臣民的妇女习惯穿长袍，是满族妇女的土著服装，故此而得名。

旗袍的设计构思甚为巧妙，结构十分严谨，造型质朴而大方，线条简练而优美。旗袍自上至下由整块衣料裁剪而成，各部位的衣料没有重叠之处，整件旗袍上没有不必要的带、绊、袋等装饰，能充分体现妇女形态、产生女性人体曲线的自然美。旗袍卡腰、门襟、领等款式，妩媚而婀娜多姿。由于较贴身，使富于青春美的三围曲线隐约可见，下摆侧开叉，不仅行走方便，而且行走时给人以轻快、活泼之感。每当微风袭来或随步移动时，轻盈飘拂。柔和飘逸，舒适典雅。紧扣的高领，使人感到雅致。庄重；束紧的腰部，穿在身上合体服贴。因此，旗袍深受我国各族妇女的青睐，国外的妇女也竞相仿效或穿用。

旗袍是清宫相沿袭的服制，经过多次改进而演变成今天的各种款式。自清皇室逊位后，旗袍开始由宫廷传人民间，首先是北京、天津一带的妇女，竞相穿用。其后逐渐在南方妇女中流行。最初的旗袍，下摆不过脚，只有姑娘出嫁时穿的婚礼服才过脚。由于贵族女子和宫廷里的嫔妃都穿鞋底中间有三寸多高的呈喇叭形的高底鞋，所以她们穿的旗袍也过脚，以掩住脚而不让人看见。在清末至辛亥革命期间，满族旗女穿的旗袍式样仍十分保守，腰身宽松、平直、袖长至腕，衣长至踝，而所选用的衣料大都是绣花红缎，在旗袍的领、襟、袖的边沿部位都采用宽图案花边镶滚。20年代初，旗袍开始在全国普及，起初的式样与清末没有多少差别，旗袍上身适中，袖长过肘，袖口宽大。但不久，由于受到欧美服式的影响，袖口缩小，滚边改窄，衣长仅过膝，比以前更称身合体了。1929年，当时的国民政府颁布服制的条例，规定旗袍为"齐领，前襟右掩，长至膝与踝中点，与裤下端齐，袖长至肘与手脉之中点，色蓝，纽扣六"。这是典型的旗袍式样。30年代，旗袍盛行，在款式上也有变化，开始流行高领，领子越高越时髦，即使是在炎热的夏天，也是配以高耸及耳的硬领，不久又盛行低领，领子越低越摩登，即使是在寒冬之日，亦仅缀一道狭边。袖子也是如此，时而兴长，长过手腕；时而又兴短，短至露肘。同时，衣长的变化也是一个时期流行长，长到下摆曳地数寸；一个时期又兴短，短者下不过膝盖。两边的衩开得很高，里面衬马甲，腰身变得很窄，称身贴体，显示出女性的曲线美。到了40年代，旗袍的款式又有重大变化，袍身再度缩短，袖子缩短直至全部取消，同时领高减低，使旗袍更加简洁、轻便和适体。近些年来，旗袍款式又有了新的改革，出现了众多的款式，例如，适宜于青年妇女穿的有前胸缉塔克短袖旗袍、鸡心领旗袍、露臂式旗袍、女式三角西服领短袖长旗袍、小方反领短袖长旗袍、小露肩方形领短袖长旗袍、扣边圆形领短袖长旗袍等；适宜于中年妇女穿的旗袍有中(短)袖旗袍、仿古女旗袍等；中青年妇女皆适宜的旗袍有方驳领短袖旗袍，对门襟长旗袍、尖角驳领短袖长旗袍等；适宜于孕妇或家庭便服的有长方领旗袍。旗袍面料的选择很有考究，不同质地的面料做成的旗袍其风格和韵味是截然不同的。深色的高级丝绒或羊绒面料做成的旗袍能显示雍容雅致的气质；采用织锦缎制作的旗袍则透露出典雅迷人的东方情调；用优质丝绸缝制的旗袍有大家闺秀温文尔雅的韵味。特别是作为礼服和节日服的旗袍，其色泽与面料要求艳丽而不轻浮，漂亮而不失庄重。给人以典雅、名贵、高级之感。

旗袍深受国内外女性的喜爱，优点甚多，理应广被寰宇，但由于制作方法必须度身缝制，服装厂无法大量制售。同时，缝制一件合身适体的旗袍，费时较多，手工费较贵，因此，在一定程度上影响到它的推广与普及。

Cheongsam is a traditional country-specific women's, full of strong ethnic flavor. Cheongsam began in the Qing Dynasty, Nuerhachi leading Civil war, the unification of the relevant ministries of foreign Jurchen. The establishment of the Qing in the red, blue, yellow, white four are flag. Entering then added Xiang Huang, inserts, red, with blue and gilded four Xiang white flag, in order to distinguish the exercise was their soldiers, called "the Eight Banners." Manchu women used to wear their subjects robe, the Manchu women are indigenous clothing, thus the name.

Cheongsam design concept is very clever, very strict structure, style simple but elegant, concise and beautiful lines. Cheongsam from top to bottom cut by a single piece of cloth made of different parts of the cloth do not overlap, the whole cheongsam with no unnecessary, trip, bags and other decorative and can fully reflect the shape of women to produce the natural female body curves the United States. Cheongsam card waist, placket, collar and other styles, charming and graceful. As more personal, so that rich young beauty measurements curve looming, hem side slit, not only convenient for walking, but walking gives a light and lively feeling. Whenever the breeze hit or move with the step, the light Fimbristylis. Soft and elegant, comfortable and elegant. Closely linked to the high collar, people feel elegant. Solemn; tighten the waist, wearing clothes fit the body paste. Therefore, the cheongsam for women of all ethnic groups favor of popular, foreign women and follow suit, or wear.

Cheongsam is curettage followed the service with the system, after many improvements evolved into today's various styles. Since the Qing royal family to abdicate, the cheongsam began to transmission by the Civil Court, First of all, Beijing and Tianjin area of women, race wear. Women in the South was increasingly popular. The original qipao, hem foot, but only married the girl wearing a wedding dress for just over feet. As the noble woman, and the Palace of the concubines wear shoes how much was the middle of a silver trumpet in the high-soled shoes, so they wear costumes and have had foot to cover your feet and not be seen. In the late Qing period to the 1911 Revolution, the Manchu women wore cheongsam style flag is still very conservative, loose waist, straight, Sleeve to wrist to ankle length garment, while the selected embroidery red satin cloth mostly in cheongsam collar lapel, sleeve edge parts of both designs with wide lace Xiang roll. 20 early, cheongsam began to spread across the country, initially in the style of the Qing Dynasty is not much difference between the upper moderate cheongsam, Sleeve over the elbow, wide cuff. But soon, due to the impact of European-style clothing, cuffs narrow, narrow piping changed, only the knees long clothing, more fit than ever fit the. In 1929, when the national government enacted legislation service system to provide cheongsam for the "Let's lead, his breast the right cover, knee and ankle length to mid-point, with the pants bottom of the Qi, Sleeve to elbow with the wrist into points, the color blue , button 6. " This is a typical style of cheongsam. 30's, cheongsam popular, there are changes in style, became popular with high collar, the higher the more fashionable collar, even in the hot summer, also accompanied by high-rise collar and ears, soon after the low prevalence of lead, collar, the lower the more Modern, even in cold winter day, has only augmented a narrow margin. Sleeves, too, sometimes Hing Cheung, longer than the wrist; Hing short time, but, short elbow to the dew. At the same time, changes in clothing is a long period of popular long, long drag to the number of inches to the hem; a short period, he Hing, the shorter the next, but the knee. The panties were very high on both sides, which lined vest, become very narrow waist, fit body-fitted, showing that women's curves. To 40 years, there are significant changes in cheongsam style, gown body can be further reduced, until the complete abolition of the sleeves shortened, while the high collar to reduce the so cheongsam more concise, portable, and fit. In recent years, the cheongsam has a new style of reform, there have been many styles, for example, suitable for young women wear short sleeve cheongsam with chest Ji-Tucker, Ji Xinling qipao, cheongsam exposed arm, women's Suit Triangle Long cheongsam collar short sleeve, long sleeve mini cheongsam collar side against the small strapless square collar short sleeve length cheongsam, round collar short sleeve button side long cheongsam, etc.; suitable for middle-aged women wearing traditional costumes and there in the (short) sleeve qipao, cheongsam and other antique women; young women were suitable for the well-collar short sleeve cheongsam qipao, cheongsam on the placket length, angular collar short sleeve length cheongsam, etc.; suitable for pregnant women and families in civilian clothes, with rectangular collar cheongsam. The choice of fabric is very elegant cheongsam, made of different fabric texture of its style and charm cheongsam is totally different. Senior dark velvet or cashmere fabrics made cheongsam to show grace and elegant temperament; with brocade cheongsam is made of elegant and charming chinoiserie revealed; with high-quality silk sewing costumes and there are all feminist gentle charm. Especially as cheongsam dresses and holiday clothing, color and fabric requirements of its beautiful but not frivolous, beautiful and dignified. Gives an elegant, expensive, high-level feeling.

Cheongsam loved by domestic and foreign women, the advantages are many, should be widely Universe, but production methods must be tailor sewing, garment factories can not be a large number of manufacturing and selling. At the same time, a fit and proper body sewing cheongsam, time-consuming and more expensive manual costs, therefore, to some extent affect the promotion and popularization of it.