Naxi Clothes

Naxi women living in Lijiang area typically dress in a wide-sleeved loose gown topped with a waistcoat, trousers, a pleated apron and a pair of boat-shaped embroidered shoes. Their clothes are mostly in blue, white or black, and embroidered with flower patterns on the collar, sleeves, and front. They often wear a sheep skin stole over the shoulder where seven round patterns representing seven stars are embroidered, symbolizing the remarkable capacity and the hardworking spirit of the Naxi women. Married women comb their hair into a bun and wear a round-shaped yarn cap. Unmarried women coil the plaits on the back of the head, and wear a kerchief or a black velvet cap.

In the northern areas, Naxi men generally wear Tibetan-style costume and adornments such as big copper or silver earbobs and bracelets. Women arrange their hair into big plaits intermingled with feather of yak tails, coil the plaits on the top of the head and wrap the head with a black or blue kerchief. They wear red, blue or purple jackets laced with colorful cloth stripes and sewn with two rows of buttons, a double-layer plaited skirt with light blue surface and white linings, a red or yellow waistband, and embroidered shoes made of blue cloth. The skirt reaches the insteps and is embroidered with a circle of lace with five-color silk threads.