Ming style & horse-face skirts
The mamianqun, or horse-face skirt, is the Ming piece many people now wear every day.
Wear a horse-face skirt in three steps
Find the flat panels
One waistband carries two overlapping skirt pieces. They make a flat face front and back, with pleats at both hips. Center one face on your body.
Wrap and tie high
Wrap the band around you, bring the ties round and knot them above the navel. The hem should just clear your shoes.
Add the right top
Try a stand-collar ao jacket in cool weather or a plain shirt in summer. Wide pipa sleeves and a long pifeng coat dress it up.
Flat in front, pleated at the sides, alive when you walk.
What to look for
Ming style & horse-face skirts
Hand-picked pieces are on the way.
Good to know
What is a horse-face skirt (mamianqun)?
A mamianqun is a Chinese horse-face skirt from the Ming dynasty, with flat panels front and back and pleats at the sides. Mamian, horse face, is the old name for the flat panel.
Why was the Dior horse-face skirt controversial?
In 2022 a Dior skirt looked very close to a mamianqun, and Chinese students protested in Paris over how it was presented. The dispute brought the skirt wide attention abroad.
Can you wear a mamianqun every day?
Yes. Many people pair one with a T-shirt or sweater. Pick lighter fabric for daily wear, since brocade is warm and heavy, and steam the pleats rather than pressing them.
