In the Mood for Love's QiPao Dresses

I have been doing a lot of rewatching some of my favourite movies.

I watched the movie, In The Mood For Love directed by Wong Car Wai and the extraordinarily beautiful cinematography shot by Christopher Doyle.

The traditional dresses that the actress Maggie Cheung wore were so beautiful and so telegenic.

They were a certain type of cheongsam - traditional Chinese dress.

This was the more casual version of the qi pao( another word for Cheongsam).

I was so entranced by it that I took a picture of every dress she wore through the film!

If you aren't into moody and cinematic mid life crisis-esque love stories, then this isn't for you.

But perhaps the wardrobe might keep you entertained?

The movie is set in 1960's Hong Kong so the dresses aren't Halloween or brothel related as these dresses now tend to viewed in the west. In Asia, it seems dresses such as these are related to holidays and once again...brothels!

But Maggie not only wears it as part of her daily wear but with such grace.

The design as illustrated here works with so many different fabrics and slight variations of the neck, sleeve and button placement.

From quotidian to evening wear.

When I first watched the film when it was released 17 years ago, Mad Men was not even created.

But Maggie plays very much the Hong Kong version of a Joan character as she is a secretary who is visually distracting and used a typewriter.

I was taken aback at how elegant but simulateneously sexy she looked.

Which was confusing because there was no cleavage nor legs on display.

I thought she could be the poster girl for teenagers to demonstrate you don't need to go naked to be viewed as attractive.

The silhouette of the neckline beguiled me throughout.

The dresses seem to have no bad angle either unlike Oscar runway dresses that have just that one angle that will grab headlines.

I loved the versatility of the format to be playful with a daffodil or stern with dark stripes as above and below pics.

This anti cleavage is so refreshing.

I also rewatched it to see the two actors and their chemistry on film.

The couple have had an on and off tryst for years until Tony Leung's wife banned him from even seeing her again.

Which only intensifies the plot when you realise this fact.

I wish I could wear this - apart from any fitting issues - but it would look too costumey.

One of my favourite looks is when blondes wear the cheongsam.

Very Jessica Rabbit in 1920's Shanghai look - one for Halloween?

Visually the movie is shot like  French or Italian Vogue shoot before it was the norm to do so.

Other actresses have tried to mimic the success and the standard that Maggie set with her wardrobe but each time it fails as a third rate imitation.

I miss the old telephone for its dramatic foil.

One had to go to the phone and slamming it had much more impact than pressing a button on your iPhone.

I might have to watch the movie again just to concentrate more on other aspects of the film as I kept stopping it to take pictures.

I only regret that Maggie didn't have more dresses.

I know it won't happen but I am hoping for a sequel to this movie but am afraid the real life relations prevent this from ever happening...