Typical Manchu clothing style reflected a specific range of technical, cultural, and historic factors within East Asian garments.  These factors imparted particular characteristics and shapes to garments.  Tapered sleeves, flared cuffs, curved-front overlaps, skirt vents, or loop and toggle fastenings were used by the Manchu to emphasize their ethnic separation from, and control over, the Chinese empire.

    The garments worn by the Manchu were very functional garments, and thus, they contrasted sharply with voluminous coats of the Han Chinese.

• The basic Chinese upper garment was a long coat which was either calf-length or full-length, and was constructed from narrow widths of fabric.  It had a center back seam and wide sleeves which were made from additional widths of cloth joined to the sides at the shoulders.  This design reflects the rectilinear properties of woven cloth, as well as concerns for fabric economy.  Weaving technology in East Asia was based on the back strap loom that originally produced widths of cloth insufficient to cover the body.  As a result, upper body garments had a center back seam where two lengths of cloth brought over the shoulder were joined.  The front was left open for easy removal, but kept closed by a belt, or later, by pairs of ties.  To this basic shape, sleeves of any length or width could be added, as well as extensions at the sides to increase the width of the garment.  Additional fabric sewn to the front edges provided overlap for more secure closure.

   To the Han Chinese,  woven cloth was valued and symbolized wealth.  Weaving was a time consuming process, and silk weaving was very important to the Han Chinese economy.  Silk was both a source of revenue and a reward for government service.  Han garment construction methods reflected these economic concerns by minimizing the amount of cutting needed as well as fabric wastage.  Han Chinese used excess fabric to indicate wealth and prestige.  This would be symbolized by garments that used abundant quantities of cloth either through length and width, or through excessively long and full sleeves.  The Han conveyed status by wearing larger and larger garments one over another which gradually immobilized the wearer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•     On the other hand, when Manchu   garments began to be made of fabric, Han Chinese economic principles and methods of fabric utilization were ignored in order to continue utilizing the shape and structure that had once dictated survival in the forests and grasslands of North Asia.  Rectangles of cloth were literally cut down to conform to the shapes of animal skins, and the excess fabric simply eliminated from the construction.

    The basic Manchu garment was a long coat  split in the center front and sides for ease in riding.  Narrower sleeves ended with a horse shoe cuff which could be folded back.  Necklines were rounded and a front right overlap extended to the sideseam.