Horse-face skirt is one of the main styles of ancient Chinese women’s skirts, which consists of a horse face and pleats. Horse-face skirt has four glossy sides (skirt gates), which are pleated on both sides of the skirt gates. This special structure is similar to the “horse-face” structure of city walls. The history of the Ma-mian skirt dates back to the Song Dynasty, and it evolved from the twirling skirt, which became the main style of women’s skirts during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its style has gone through a series of changes from the freshness and elegance of the Ming Dynasty to the splendour and opulence of the Qing Dynasty, and then to the beauty and simplicity of the Republic of China, but its “horse-face” structure has always been deeply rooted.
Today’s popular horse-face skirts have retained their unique design features while incorporating modern fashion elements, from traditional silk to modern synthetic fibres, from bright shades to fashionable neutrals and darker tones, and the lengths of the skirts and the scenarios in which they can be used have been enriched to better suit the needs and aesthetics of modern women.
It is worth mentioning that among the various popular Hanbok items, the Horse Face Skirt is the “newbie-friendly” and versatile item with the lowest threshold for entry. It can be worn not only with a Chinese shirt, jacket or coat, but also with a modern shirt, a small suit or even a leather jacket.