We’ve talked about Hanfu and cheongsam, but it seems we haven’t discussed the mamian skirt on its own yet. It appears that more and more people in China are wearing mamian skirts, especially in cities like Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Xi’an, and Kaifeng. Whether they’re office workers, children, or elderly folks, people across different age groups are becoming increasingly accepting of the mamian skirt.

I. The Ultimate Answer to Versatility

1. Dignified and Graceful in Front of Elders

The mamian skirt has a total of four skirt panels, with two pairs overlapping each other. Pleats are added on the sides, and the smooth surface formed by the overlapping central panels is called the “ma mian” (horse face). The flat, rectangular front and back panels have an inherent leg-lengthening effect, making anyone who wears it look upright and poised. The pleats on the sides fan out when the wearer moves, allowing for ease of movement—after all, the mamian skirt was originally designed to facilitate activities like riding donkeys and horses.

Even though we don’t ride horses much during Chinese New Year, just walking in it creates a flowing aesthetic. This often earns high praise from aunts and uncles, who consider it the epitome of elegance. Many elders, encouraged by their children, have also started wearing mamian skirts and look absolutely stunning in them.

2. Exuding Outstanding Charisma in Front of the Youths

When it comes to being around the younger folks, the mamian skirt can definitely make you feel like the protagonist of an idol drama stepping into reality. During the Spring Festival, a friend of mine said that she wore a mamian skirt with a red base and gold-weaving patterns.

According to her, when she went back to her hometown wearing this outfit, she established “supreme prestige” among the children. She didn’t even need to hand out red envelopes, and the kids were scrambling to offer their precious toys to someone who looked like an “elder sister resembling an ancient princess.” Even when she encountered the five-year-old daughter of her cousin who was wearing the same style of skirt, she still maintained an ethereal and fairy-like image.  

3. Suitable for Wearing in Winter

Even when it’s freezing cold upon returning home during the Spring Festival, you can still wear long johns, fleece-lined pants or thermal trousers underneath. Just look at that long skirt hem. Not only does it cover everything up, but it’s so roomy that you can wear whatever you like, even pajama pants and cotton slippers, and still look good. The mamian skirt is so versatile that you can pair it with almost anything!  

4. At the Wedding Scene

As a “light formal dress”, the mamian skirt is grand, yet it still retains a sense of “laid-backness”. It’s retro, and at the same time, it’s innovative. With its ethnic style, it stands out uniquely.

If a bride doesn’t want to wear a huge, puffy wedding dress that’s all about the volume, many are now choosing to wear a mamian skirt for their weddings.

When it comes to guests, they often have a hard time picking out a skirt that doesn’t steal the show but still makes a bit of a statement. Wearing a mamian skirt to a wedding reception is a great option. Just go for a low-key color scheme with a Morandi-style palette, and you’ll be good to go.

5. Graduation Ceremony

On the graduation ceremony, a day that holds great significance as a milestone, the mamian skirt is being chosen more and more often. If wearing the mamian skirt for paying New Year’s calls or for weddings mainly presents a traditional Chinese style, then at the graduation ceremony, the mamian skirt showcases its flexibility in matching.

When paired with the bachelor’s gown, the combination of Chinese and Western styles is so striking that even Harry Potter would be momentarily confused and think that the wearer is a Chinese exchange student from Hogwarts.

6. Traveling

Even more people are wearing the mamian skirt when traveling and taking photos at tourist attractions. When in Paris, pairing it with a strapless top can give the fashion capital a little taste of traditional Hanfu. When in London, matching it with a trench coat, or in New York, teaming it up with a camisole.

When traveling, the mamian skirt can attract even more attention than the scenic spots themselves. Sometimes, the person wearing it might even be mistaken for an NPC at the scenic spot, and others would ask to take photos with them.

7. For Commuting to Work

Nowadays, many people reserve this hanfu dress for special ceremonies, while others have turned wearing the mamian skirt into a small ritual in their daily lives. Quite a number of office workers have adopted the mamian skirt as their “battle robe” for work.

8. Taking Photos at Disney

Many “princesses” who visit Shanghai Disneyland, their happy home away from home, have taken to wearing mamian skirts. Perhaps for many Chinese girls, the mamian skirt is the “princess dress” that suits them better.

II. Does the Mamian Skirt Have No Flaws at All?

The inherent glamorous charm of the mamian skirt makes those who want to wear it as casual daily attire hesitate. A colleague’s comment like “Isn’t it a bit too formal?” and the requirement of behaving in a proper manner, such as standing upright and sitting properly, can make you shine at a ceremony. However, it can also make office workers, who are already suffering from the pain of sitting for long hours in their daily lives, feel deeply exhausted.

It’s not just the visual appearance that needs to be considered. The wearing experience of the mamian skirt isn’t exactly convenient either.

To wear it, you first need to do some research. Traditional mamian skirts are tied around the waist. To ensure that the skirt panels are facing the right way, the waistband is smooth, the hem of the skirt is even, and the sash looks nice, you inevitably have to play video tutorials at half speed and learn repeatedly. And after wearing it, you have to endure the sash pressing against your stomach.

Also, the mamian skirt doesn’t have a closed design, and the skirt panels can open up. On a windy day, people wearing it would be in a situation similar to Marilyn Monroe’s famous scene. They have to hold down the skirt while walking. So, you may need to wear a petticoat or underpants inside, or use anti-exposure stickers and magnetic buttons on the front and back skirt panels.

Besides, the skirt hem is too long. Either you’ll step on it yourself or others will. You might find that the skirt gets lower and lower as you walk, and in a crowded place, the skirt could get stepped on by countless shoe soles, creating new “patterns” on it.

Going to the bathroom is also a challenge. After all, it’s a skirt that’s larger, longer, and heavier. Some people even suggest buying a “bride’s companion cover” to make it easier to hold the skirt when using the toilet.

Sure, now that the mamian skirt has become popular, buying one is both easier and harder. The quality varies wildly, prices differ dramatically, there’s a flood of styles, and the market is full of both good and bad shops. Even after reading tons of buying guides, you might still be lost on how to choose. With so many gorgeous mamian skirts out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and end up not picking anything at all. Does that sound like your shopping experience?

Buying a mamian skirt isn’t just about getting the skirt itself—you also need to figure out the perfect outfit. While it’s super versatile and can be paired with both Chinese and Western, traditional and modern pieces, real life often throws a curveball. You might have your ideal shirt-skirt combo planned, but then the weather forces you to wear a bulky down jacket instead.

And once you finally put it on, you may face another mystery: Why does it look so different from the product photos?

III. Some Positive Phenomena

However, there’s no need to be overly pessimistic. Many mamian skirt manufacturers nowadays have realized people’s confusion and have made a lot of “daily-wear” adaptations.

Style modifications are a must: Since the laces are too troublesome, they’ve been replaced with leather buttons. The lack of pockets is a major drawback, so two pockets have been added. If the skirt is too long and keeps getting stepped on, then a “three-quarter-length mamian skirt” has been created. To prevent accidental exposure, sewing the skirt shut is also an option.

There have also been technological improvements. For example, Xie Linglong, the founder of Zhizao Si (a mamian skirt manufacturer), once said that after using new technologies to replicate ancient craftsmanship and achieve industrialized operation, the delivery rate has significantly increased, with a 48-hour delivery rate as high as 70%.

Many consumers have also said that the mamian skirts they bought in 2020 were expensive and of poor quality, while the current mamian skirts are both exquisite and affordable, which can be considered a “benefit” for consumers.

While suits are becoming more “casual and comfortable”, it’s inevitable that mamian skirts will undergo various modifications. Since the mamian skirt incident involving the Dior brand in 2022, the mamian skirt has completely gained widespread attention. Many people believe that “the best way to protect it is to wear it out“. Many people have made the mamian skirt more practical and suitable for daily wear, thus showing everyone that the mamian skirt belongs to China and the whole world.

Summary

The main reason why young people can’t get enough of the mamian skirt is that it looks great and is extremely “versatile“. Whether it’s paired with a common white shirt, a cardigan, a blazer, or a coat, the mamian skirt can fit perfectly without much risk of looking bad. Moreover, “In this era when everyone values cost-effectiveness, if you can buy a mamian skirt with brocade or gold-thread patterns at the same price as a simple, good-quality T-shirt that costs over 100 yuan, don’t you think it’s a great deal?” In this era that emphasizes “cost-effectiveness“, the mamian skirt has become a choice that young people are willing to give a try.

Many people initially thought that the popularity of the mamian skirt would fade away soon. However, it seems that the mamian skirt is becoming more and more integrated into people’s daily lives. Many of my male and female friends will spontaneously wear mamian skirts when they go out and have fun. Guys look handsome, and girls look cool and dashing. 😎

As for the reason, it might be a way to show cultural identity or simply out of love for traditional culture. But the most important thing is that it all boils down to our pursuit of “beautiful things”. We hope that the popularity of the mamian skirt will continue to spread and become popular all over the world.