Qipao Love/LookS: Part 11 ~ The 1930s inspired Shanghai girl....in a 1970s Qipao!

As promised, it is now time to reveal (drum-roll)....the 1930s inspired Shanghai look I created for the Chap magazine's 5th Anarcho-Dandyist Ball, and the special collaboration with my utterly talented new friend at Caroline Opacic Photography! I must say I was so excited to work with Caroline after seeing her brilliant work on wedding photography...which is beautifully natural, romantic and captivating in detail. [Take a peek at Caroline's beautiful work 'here'] Always happy to collaborate with creative and talented professionals, I have learned to understand how each photographer has their own way of working and seeking inspiration to create a piece of art in their own right. With Caroline there was just something magically effortless....at no point in time did I feel like I was working on a photoshoot, but rather it felt like two friends just taking a walk through Bethnal Green park (London) and snapping away having a giggle or laugh in between...which I am sure you will be able to feel from the photos!

[Find Caroline Opacic Photography at: carolineopacicphotography.com]

Laughing away as I walk through Bethnal Green park (East London) with Caroline....

My lovely vintage fabric bag with needlepoint work decorating the front and a gorgeous top opening clasp....suspect it might be 1930s to 1950s....found at Retitled (near Brick Lane).

Pearl necklace with small silver beads that I got for my birthday....and a vintage-styled brooch (eBay find)....

Happy smiles in the park!  ^_^

My Vintage Qipao (Cheongsam)....probably 1970-1980s...with one single side slit!

My 1930s inspired golden Shanghai girl look in a Vintage Qipao (Cheongsam)!

We were lucky....as though it was cold there was some natural sunlight making the day seem less grey, and the colours of final autumnal leaves made a beautiful landscape of a sacred forest patch surrounded by noisy traffic that we barely heard. Wearing a lightly textured silk-mix ankle length Vintage Qipao or Cheongsam in a pale greenish turquoise....with only one simple and high side slit....I really did enjoy our stroll through the park. What is interesting about this Qipao is the lovely handmade quality from a tailor that seems to be either trained in Western styles or has simplified the complex techniques used by traditional Qipao tailors, and created something unique through a simply unfussy high side slit. There are also hidden small shoulder pads, slightly modern back zip, simple un-functional but decorative knotted buttons....definitely tailor made and likely from the 1970s to early 1980s.

Matching it with my beloved silver bead pearl necklace, crystal pearl earrings, a Vintage fabric needle point decorated purse probably 1950s (from a vintage shop called Retitled) and a Western influenced faux fur wrap held together by a vintage styled brooch....it was my way of nodding towards the golden era of 1930s Shanghai. A glamorously dangerous period of gangsters as well as warlords protecting territories over a flashing night club dance scene, and exquisite high society parties filled with gentle ladies clad in long Qipao (Cheongsam) dresses matched with expensive Western imports to flaunt their wealthy status. Of course the Western finger waved (Marcel) hairstyle from the roaring 1920s was the most fashionable for ladies throughout the 1930s in Shanghai, before the devastating war had got to China.    

Probably the clearest photograph of my soft ridged finger waves created through a night of wet-setting lotion...

Love how the dragonfly looks as though it is skipping on the soft ridged finger wave surface!

Close up of the hair and make-up....a little Egyptian inspired navy blue flick of eyeliner and red lips from Clinique's chubby stick!

Another look at the 1930s inspired hairstyle.....finger waves, pin-curls and a simple bun at the nape of the neck...

Fluffy faux fur coat back on to fight the chilliness of December!

Dress: Vintage Qipao (Cheongsam)

Handbag: Vintage purse from Retitled

Coat: Faux fur coat from BooHoo (several past seasons)

Accessories: My own....pearl necklace, pearl earrings, faux fur wrap and vintage-styled brooch (eBay)

Make-up: Clinique quickliner for eyes in midnight and chubby stick intense in mightiest moraschino 

The whole complete look...and ready to skip to the Chap's Ball!

By Bethnal Green station......London Underground!

Gazing at the street lamp and trying to spot the sunset....

[Follow Caroline Opacic Photography on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolineOpacicPhotography]

Our fun photoshoot was over before we knew it and I was a little sad to say goodbye to the lovely Caroline, but it has definitely made me excited to plan our next collaboration together and I practically could not wait to see the photos! I am sure you darlings will agree that Caroline has done an amazing job and truly is talented in creating such very lovely photos....that really does seem to be able to tell a story of each moment in time. Thank you so much Caroline! Also coming up very soon in the following posts will be a special wedding linked review of the newly designed modern lace Cheongsam I was sent by the 'Our Bitsy Prints' blogshop, and a tell all of what happened at the Chap magazine's Anarcho-Dandyist Ball 2013. Until then, have a fabulous weekend my darling readers!

Until the next time,

♥ May xx

PS: Don't forget there is still 5 days left to enter the 1920s inspired GIVEAWAY on 'Walking In May' [here], which ends on Christmas day...good luck darlings!

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THANK YOU so so much! ♥