I could be Chinese...

In a seemingly chaotic world, there is always one thing a girl can be sure will never change -- a qí páo and it's colours. Sure, the styles may come and go but this classic dress should be apart of every women's wardrobe. In fact you should treat yourself to various colours and designs so that you have a suitable qí páo for the various occasions you will most certainly be invited to over the course of your stay in China (ie. a wedding in Shanghai in September).

For example, a plain white qí páo is never good for anything. Basically, its a death wish on yourself or anyone else if you turn up to the party dressed like that. (Ok that's fine because I don't really look good in pale colours anyway and if I didn't even wear white to my own wedding then I most certainly don't intend...)

However gold is a wonderful colour for any occasion -- especially if you are a foreigner and have light coloured skin. It will bring you good luck and you can choose a type of fabric with many sequins to enhance your natural beauty. (Ah, no. I will not be wearing gold -- over my dead body. Well, that means that while I'm alive I won't be caught dead in that colour. Well, that means, oh forget it. NO GOLD. I was thinking red...)

Red is only for brides. (That's ok I'm sure my friend won't mind...ok, how about black then?)

Black?! I don't think so. Black is for the lady who stands in the corner. She is thinking "Ooh, I'm the sexy lady, I want to steal your husband." (So I can't have a black qí páo.)

No. (Ok...well...how about bright blue or bright pink? Maybe a turquoise?)

I think maybe a light pink. That would make you younger and more innocent. (I don't need to look younger and more innocent. What about something a little brighter...like turquoise?)

This bright blue will make you look like you are here to have fun and not be serious though. (And that's obviously a bad thing...)

Light blue however makes you look more formal. (ok, ok, is there possibly another colour I could look at with the exception of green???)

Do you like this purple? Purple is very elegant. You can wear this colour to many occasions. And it's my favourite colour. (At this point, I'm almost ready to say yes to anything...I had no idea choosing a fabric for a qí páo was going to be this difficult and have this many rules! Ok the purple is fine, lets just get the heck out of this place...) (I said it a lot nicer than that I promise.)

So I spent the next 8 days freaking out about this dress that was in a colour that I don't have in my wardrobe already cause I'm not really a pastelly type of person. Getting measured was a whole other story -- I about fell over backwards when I told the tailor I wanted it knee length and no halter neck and then the girl helping me choose (or choosing for me, whatever floats your boat) said (and I quote): "But why you want it so short? We need to make it short so you will be more sexy!" You're kidding me right? Then I might as well go back and get the !@#$ black fabric!!! But I bit my tongue...and this is the result:

Not too shabby, eh? Ok I know the shoes are probably a bit too dark but believe it or not I don't have a cupboard full off high heels so I guess I'll still have to remedy that one (my friend will be glad to take me shoe shopping and tell me all the rules about the shoes you should wear I'm sure). And the back-ground's not ideal but if you've ever been to our apartment, you'll know there's not much in the way of wall space (or any type of space for that matter)!

Oh and yeah, I can't put on a single bit of weight in, like, forever if I ever want to wear this thing again. Maybe, just maybe (with the help of Photoshop), I could be Chinese too, couldn't I?

Rachel - 18th of August, 2009