Success of the movie could have been in part, to the design of Nancy Kwan's on-screen cheongsam with the side slits to reveal the curve of the female thigh, coupled with the wearing of high heel shoes to elongate the legs and give a sleek look.
The cheongsam dresses worn by the young ladies in the movie go up to the neck and cover the chest and in that regard the dresses are decent because no cleavage shows. But the long side slits, which I assume are designed to make it easier to walk and sit down in, is also a tease.
This whole image of young and pretty nubile woman "Suzie Wong" was something different in 1960 when the movie came out; a new sexy look that had not been seen in the West before (it was a change from the European leggy blonde look).
Yes, thanks IDJ, this photo is the perfect example of how the whole image of a figure-hugging cheongsam with long side slits for the tease factor, worn by a pretty lady with high heel shoes on, has, if you will, sex appeal.
I assume the dancer in the photo wore a cheongsam designed with no cover on the shoulders so that she could lift her arms up unhindered, for dance moves.
Her high heel shoes have a strap around the ankle to keep them in place and if this dancer did lots of dance moves in the show, then her shoes might have been ladies' Latin dance shoes which have a suede sole (no synthetic sole) so that the dancer can glide smoothly across the dance floor but still have grip. Like ballet shoes which are precision shoes, Latin dance shoes are also precision shoes.
(Latin dancing is the sexy version of ballroom dancing.)
The above link is an interesting article from the South China Morning Post about the cheongsam, with photos including a different photo of the same dancers in the ballet production shown at:
The beloved cheongsam, or qipao in Mandarin, traces back to the Qing dynasty but evolved to become a chic dress worn by film stars and socialites
Tailored to tightly hug a woman’s figure, the cheongsam is often characterised by a high, starched mandarin collar and asymmetrically fastened at the chest by a series of pankou (knotted buttons)
From the 1940s onwards, however, revised cheongsam designs saw the pankou become a merely decorative feature while a back zip secured the dress for the sake of convenience.
Lengthwise, history has seen the cheongsam range from floor-length to below the knee, and given the narrow, fitted nature of the garment, side slits were essential to allowing a degree of movement while flashing a bit of skin.
...and most famously, Nancy Kwan Ka-shen in The World of Suzie Wong. The cheongsam had undeniably become synonymous with Hong Kong fashion.
“The [cheongsam] will never go out of style. People will always wear it, because it’s precious. Nothing else can take its place.”
I have heard women say that they do not want to be seen as being a 'Suzie Wong' dressed in a cheongsam because according to feministic views, it unfairly gives the wrong impression of Asian women as being demure and subservient.
But as the above article states about the cheongsam, Nothing else can take its place.
Comments
Success of the movie could…
Success of the movie could have been in part, to the design of Nancy Kwan's on-screen cheongsam with the side slits to reveal the curve of the female thigh, coupled with the wearing of high heel shoes to elongate the legs and give a sleek look.
The cheongsam dresses worn by the young ladies in the movie go up to the neck and cover the chest and in that regard the dresses are decent because no cleavage shows. But the long side slits, which I assume are designed to make it easier to walk and sit down in, is also a tease.
This whole image of young and pretty nubile woman "Suzie Wong" was something different in 1960 when the movie came out; a new sexy look that had not been seen in the West before (it was a change from the European leggy blonde look).
It's a good painting, by the way.
Suzie Wong ballet
aagg
Is this what you meant?
Advertising image for the HK Ballet Company’s Suzie Wong themed production about 20 years ago.
Performed in high heels no less, rather than ballet footwear apparently!
That must have hurt?
Yes, thanks IDJ, this photo…
Yes, thanks IDJ, this photo is the perfect example of how the whole image of a figure-hugging cheongsam with long side slits for the tease factor, worn by a pretty lady with high heel shoes on, has, if you will, sex appeal.
I assume the dancer in the photo wore a cheongsam designed with no cover on the shoulders so that she could lift her arms up unhindered, for dance moves.
Her high heel shoes have a strap around the ankle to keep them in place and if this dancer did lots of dance moves in the show, then her shoes might have been ladies' Latin dance shoes which have a suede sole (no synthetic sole) so that the dancer can glide smoothly across the dance floor but still have grip. Like ballet shoes which are precision shoes, Latin dance shoes are also precision shoes.
(Latin dancing is the sexy version of ballroom dancing.)
Hong Kong should be proud of the cheongsam
The evolution of the cheongsam: from Suzie Wong to Maggie Cheung, it’s a Hong Kong fashion symbol | South China Morning Post
The above link is an interesting article from the South China Morning Post about the cheongsam, with photos including a different photo of the same dancers in the ballet production shown at:
Hong Kong ballet production The World of Suzie Wong-2006 | Gwulo
The beloved cheongsam, or qipao in Mandarin, traces back to the Qing dynasty but evolved to become a chic dress worn by film stars and socialites
Tailored to tightly hug a woman’s figure, the cheongsam is often characterised by a high, starched mandarin collar and asymmetrically fastened at the chest by a series of pankou (knotted buttons)
From the 1940s onwards, however, revised cheongsam designs saw the pankou become a merely decorative feature while a back zip secured the dress for the sake of convenience.
Lengthwise, history has seen the cheongsam range from floor-length to below the knee, and given the narrow, fitted nature of the garment, side slits were essential to allowing a degree of movement while flashing a bit of skin.
...and most famously, Nancy Kwan Ka-shen in The World of Suzie Wong. The cheongsam had undeniably become synonymous with Hong Kong fashion.
“The [cheongsam] will never go out of style. People will always wear it, because it’s precious. Nothing else can take its place.”
I have heard women say that…
I have heard women say that they do not want to be seen as being a 'Suzie Wong' dressed in a cheongsam because according to feministic views, it unfairly gives the wrong impression of Asian women as being demure and subservient.
But as the above article states about the cheongsam, Nothing else can take its place.
I think the cheongsam is here to stay.