Whether you’re someone who wears Hanfu or just an onlooker, you might have noticed this. In Hanfu – related events, nine out of ten participants are usually women, with far fewer men. For example, in areas like Luoyang and Xi’an, where Hanfu culture thrives in China, when you look around at Hanfu – themed cultural scenic spots, you’ll see a sea of female Hanfu enthusiasts in gorgeous outfits. The proportion of men is much smaller. Maybe there’s only one or two men wearing Hanfu in a group. In fact, there are quite a few male Hanfu lovers, but it does seem that more women are seen wearing it in public. So, why is this the case? Today, let’s briefly explore this question.

Reason

The main reason that 80% of men don’t wear Hanfu is that they don’t think it suits them well (largely due to a lack of understanding).

1. It has to do with the overall appearance. Generally speaking, in people’s fixed perception, Hanfu goes better with long hair (although there are trendy short – hair styles with Hanfu, but they are too demanding for the average person). Nowadays, most men rarely tie up their hair. So, when they put on Hanfu, it may seem “odd” in terms of visual harmony. Also, some Hanfu styles are more suitable for men with beards. According to some common customs in ancient China, men might think that not having a beard while wearing Hanfu makes them look like eunuchs in the imperial court (eunuchs in ancient times didn’t have beards as they lost their male characteristics to better serve the rulers. The picture of the eunuch cosplay below is from the blogger “一头活猪“).  

2. Generally, women are more sensitive when it comes to dressing up. Unique or niche styles are often an option for them. However, men’s clothing choices, whether it’s modern fashion, traditional Hanfu, or niche outfits, are somewhat limited and follow certain patterns. So, generally speaking, their requirements aren’t that high. As long as it’s suitable for daily wear, it’s fine. If they spend too much time on dressing up, they tend to think that such elaborate grooming has nothing to do with their career development.

3. In terms of the proportion of Hanfu’s target audience, it’s true that women make up the majority. As a result, there are more comprehensive market support services catering to this group. However, there are fewer Hanfu options and accessories available for men. It’s a bit like the chicken – and – egg situation, and it still needs to be tested by market consumption. In fact, in the entire clothing industry, men don’t have as many clothing choices as women. Women’s fashion styles emerge in an endless stream every year. Even men who are interested in clothing often find the options within a certain range too limited, so they give up wearing Hanfu.

4. Society’s acceptance of men wearing skirts (including dresses and long gowns) isn’t very high. Although in some places like Scotland around the world, men do wear skirts, skirts have long been associated with women. So, when men wear skirts, they may be seen as lacking masculinity.

5. The overall style of Hanfu designed for men leans more towards formal wear, which is too grand to wear in daily life. For the few stores that offer Hanfu as daily – wear, there may be problems such as poor – quality fabrics and lack of breathability. There aren’t many stores left that have both good quality and excellent design.

For men, wearing Hanfu doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect from the start:

1. When choosing Hanfu, it’s crucial to figure out your own style in advance. Do you prefer a more masculine style (like the Feiyu robe or Tang – style round – collared robe), an elegant and refined one (such as long gowns, Daoist robes, or straight – lapel robes), or a more delicate and feminine look (similar to the wide – sleeved trousers and pleated robes of the Wei and Jin Dynasties)? This can help you gain a deeper understanding of Hanfu matching.

2. You can start with Han – style elements or Hanfu – inspired fashion. Short – style items like cross – collared, stand – collared, or front – opening shirts are more like shirts, T – shirts, or jackets in modern fashion. They are relatively simple and easy to wear, and you won’t go too far off – track.

3. If you’re not sure how to style your hair when wearing traditional Hanfu, you can use hats, hairnets, etc. to cover up the drawback of not tying your hair. For example, even with short hair, in daily life scenarios, you can match it with low – key and calm blue – gray – colored clothing. After all, cultural confidence is also a kind of charm.

4. In Hanfu outfits, apart from the hairstyle, the most important thing is the eyebrow shape! Many men go out with unkempt eyebrows. In fact, slightly shaping them into versatile sword – shaped eyebrows can greatly enhance the overall temperament. If it’s inconvenient for men to shape their eyebrows themselves, they can drop by a beauty salon when they go shopping in the supermarket every month. It only takes a few minutes.

Summary

In fact, in the big Hanfu community, there aren’t so many “must – dos” and “must – not – dos.” We all wear Hanfu because of our love for it. Friends from all over the place gather together because of this love, which is already a very celebratory thing. Whether you’re a man or a woman, choosing the clothing you like is the best choice.