Miao Clothes

Women of the Miao ethnic group pay much attention to the design, color and style of their costume. They often wear collarless gowns buttoned down the front or on the right and embroidered with pattern of flowers. Girls and unmarried women usually wear blue clothes, while middle- and old-aged women usually wear black clothes with white and blue waistbands.

In some places, women wear leggings, adorn their chest with a silver badge, wear earrings and earbobs, and a wooden flowery cap in the shape of a round plate and inlaid with silver flowers. The Miaos often use homespun flax to make clothes. They embroider various patterns on the flax and attach much importance to symmetry and layout. Generally, shirts made of flax reach the insteps. In some places, shirts are short and only reach the knees. The typical costume of the Miao is a hair bun tied with a red silk ribbon or batik or embroidered angular kerchief; a collarless blue jacket buttoned down the right with a red silk waistband, a short skirt and leggings in various styles, and elaborate silver adornments.

Most Miao men wear a short gown buttoned down the front and a large bamboo hat, or wrap the head with black cloth. In some places, men wear a high-collared linen long gown buttoned down the right or a collarless long gown buttoned down the front and embroidered with colorful designs on the cuffs. In some places, men wear a collarless long gown buttoned down the front without colorful patterns around the cuffs, white waistcloth and white or blue trousers. In some areas, the Miao people fall into several subgroups. Men's costumes are similar among these subgroups, and the only difference lies in the layout of buttons. Nowadays, most men wear new-style costume.