Jessie Lau thought dress hunting would be straightforward. But her anxieties became less about the look itself, and more ...

Meticulously hand-stitched with threads of gold and silver, her long silk qipao, a traditional Chinese dress dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), is adorned with delicate floral patterns ...

The cheongsam is an evolution of the qipao, a Chinese dress dating back to the Han Dynasty, writes Vogue. It used to lack shape but became more form-fitting over the last century, the magazine said.

For years, qipao-inspired dresses were the go-to choice for Chinese actresses making their first forays into the world film scene at major festivals, including those of Cannes and Venice.

As soon as I started looking online, I became overwhelmed. My searching prompted a barrage of questions: Should I wear a Chinese cheongsam (qipao) or a white wedding dress? How about both, or neither?