Song style

Song-style hanfu is the slim, quiet one: a long open beizi over a soft pleated skirt.

Song style
EraSong, 960 to 1279
Key pieceBeizi, an open coat
SkirtsBaidie and liangpian
ColorsPale, muted, plain

Layer a Song outfit in three pieces

1

Start with the songmo

A simple chest wrap goes underneath. For daily wear, a plain camisole in a soft color does the same job.

2

Tie on the skirt

A baidie skirt is a long strip of fine pleats wrapped around the body. A liangpian is two panels that overlap at the sides.

3

Let the beizi hang

The beizi has a straight front, usually left open, and high side slits. Let it hang. That one long line is the whole look.

Song dress wins with one long line and one quiet color.

What makes it Song

选Light fabric that drapes, such as silk gauze, fine cotton or linen.
选A narrow, straight cut. A wide, stiff beizi loses the Song line.
选A lingmo: the narrow printed or embroidered band along the front edge.
选Soft grays, greens and ivory. High-shine satin looks wrong for Song.

Song style

Hand-picked pieces are on the way.

Good to know

What did women wear in the Song dynasty?

Song women commonly wore a slim beizi coat over a chest wrap, with a pleated skirt or trousers. Silk clothes from the Southern Song tomb of Huang Sheng in Fuzhou show the look well.

What is a beizi?

A beizi is a long coat with a straight open front and high side slits. Women and men both wore it in the Song dynasty, and it stayed in use through the Ming.

Is Song hanfu good for everyday wear?

Yes, many people find it the easiest hanfu to wear daily. The cut is slim, the skirt is light, and a beizi works over a T-shirt and jeans.

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