In the movie Nezha 2, when Nezha entered the Jade Void Palace, he accidentally stepped on the skirt of a crane maid, and the attendant almost exposed himself. Some netizens questioned, “Did ancient people only use a single belt to tie their skirts? Isn’t that extremely risky?” If you’ve had this thought, congratulations! You’re as curious as everyone else. Let’s continue reading this informative article to find out the structure of the Chinese dress worn by ancient Chinese people.

Let’s start with the conclusion. In the past, whether people wore long robe – style skirts or segmented lower skirts, they always wore a base layer. The innermost layer was always long trousers. So, from a logical dressing perspective, it’s unlikely that the crane maid would expose his calves just because his skirt was stepped on, and it’s also improbable that the character played by Zhao Liying would cause someone to expose themselves just by pulling the belt of a lotus – spirit’s skirt. Now, let’s have a light – hearted discussion about why a girl’s skirt might be stepped off.

Ⅰ. Incorrect Wearing Method

Ultimately, the problem of skirts easily falling off or being stepped on doesn’t lie with the skirts themselves. It’s all about the wearing method, and yes, it’s still about the wearing method. For example, most people simply wrap the skirt belt around their waists and tie a bow in the front, and that’s it. At most, they might pull it a bit tighter. They think they’ve done a perfect job, but as they walk, the fabric’s inertia causes the belt to loosen. So, if you’ve been using a bow to tie your Hanfu, it might be a good idea to consider trying a different method.

Actually, there’s a certain art to tying the belts. Simply tying a basic knot can easily lead to the belt coming undone. For instance, tying a double – loop knot or a toggle knot can increase the frictional and cushioning forces.

• A double – loop knot (双耳结) involves first twisting the two belts around each other multiple times in the front, then tying knots on both sides without fully pulling out the fabric strips on the two sides. Since the knot looks like two ears after it’s tied, it’s called a double – loop knot.

• A toggle knot (绊结) is tied by first folding one belt in half to form a loop as the “toggle”. Then, pass the other belt through this loop and tie a knot at the other end. Both the double – loop knot and the toggle knot work on the same principle. The idea is that instead of having all the stress concentrated in the middle where the belts are initially tied, these methods distribute the load to both sides.

II. The Fabric and Length of the Skirt

However, the problem might also lie with the skirt itself. For example, if the fabric of the skirt waistband or the tying belt is too slippery or too light, and the fabric of the skirt body is too heavy, with insufficient friction, the belt won’t be able to hold the skirt in place. Over time, the skirt will slide down on its own. So, I generally advise people not to buy skirts with silk waistbands and silk tying belts. Chinese silk outfit wears out easily over time. Cotton, linen or chemical fibers are all good choices. Silk is really not durable.

Many Hanfu enthusiasts have reported that they often feel their skirts slipping when walking, but the fabric and tying method seem fine. In this case, it’s possible that your skirt is too long. After all, it’s quite common to trip over or step on your own skirt. In this situation, if you’re wearing the skirt for daily outings, it’s more appropriate to choose a length that reaches the ankles.

If you’re still worried about the skirt falling, it’s advisable to add suspenders or buttons to the skirt. After all, the ancients learned to add suspenders to skirts a long time ago. Different styles of suspender skirts, and even suspender trousers, appeared in the Tang Dynasty. This way, you don’t have to worry about a high – waisted skirt slipping down easily.

Summary

Moreover, even if the skirt does fall, you won’t expose yourself. It will only affect your demeanor. After all, we know that crotch trousers date back to the Western Zhou Dynasty. Although only a small number of such trousers have been found, it shows that their structure is actually quite similar to the trousers we wear today.

Wearing trousers under the skirt has been an essential dressing process consistently followed throughout different dynasties in Chinese history.

However, the scenes in some TV dramas and movies where characters easily expose their thighs are rather unconventional. Regarding the incident of the crane maid skirt in the story, some people think it symbolizes Nezha’s attempt to break the old – fashioned rules. Stepping on the skirt is like tearing off the false mask. Others believe it serves as a foreshadowing for Nezha’s subsequent prank of urinating into the crane maid’s master’s drink, or it’s just added to the plot for a bit of comic relief. There are various interpretations.

Anyway, there are many ways to prevent hanfu dress from falling off. It’s best to choose the method that suits you.