Xiaozha – Nansai

With most of the men out at sea during the fishing season or playing mahjong to rest when not at sea, the Hui’An woman run and build the town. They are mothers, grandparents, seemstresses, cooks, butchers, construction workers, business owners. I wonder what demands they would make in a feminist equal opportunities movement…

Meet one great Hui’An lady who looked after me for the day.
Mother, Shop owner, Seamstress，My stylist (who had to keep readjusting my wonky headscarf everytime I returned!)

Having purchased randomly a top, trouser and headscarf, I luckily stumbled into the shop of this Hui’An mother in search of a belt. With the help of her daughter, I was promptly refitted with a trendy cropped top in a lighter shade of purple, and properly matching headscarf . The difference was immense! The cutting, colour shade, matching of patterns to suit the overall outfit and the person wearing it are all important rules of fashion. It was niave to think that I did not need to apply these rules when selecting their traditional dress, and could do it with an untrained eye just by choosing the right size.