The Chupallas

China

Three main types of traditional Chinese clothing are the pienfu, the changpao, and the shenyi.

· The pienfu is an ancient two-piece ceremonial costume of a tunic-like top extending to the knees and a skirt or trousers extending to the ankles.

· The changpao is a one-piece garment extending from the shoulders all the way to the heels.

· The shenyi is a cross between the pienfu and the changpao; it consists of a tunic and a skirt or trousers like the pienfu, but the tunic and the skirt are sewed together and essentially one piece like the changpao. Consequently, the shenyi was the most widely worn of the three types. Three types of clothing were wide and voluminous sleeves and a very loose fit. Tunic and trousers or tunic and skirt, utilized a very minimum number of stitches for the amount of cloth used.

CHILE

The Chamanto

The Chamanto is quite a difficult garment to produce. This is because it involves exquisite weaving skills for wool and silk along with which it has an intricate design based on crossed threading. The Chamanto is often adorned with various prints including the national flower, barley, wheat ears, bunches of grapes, pansies, fuchsias and birds.

The Chupallas

This is yet another traditional Chilean clothing accessory. The Chupallas is a typical horseman’s hat made out of straw. It is common to see general people sporting the Chupallas in rural areas. The Chupallas can also be seen sported by those dancing the cueca, a Chilean folk dance. But naturally it is a common feature of Chilean rodeos as well.

CUBA