Flaunting and Consumption: Women’s Headdress in the Ming Dynasty of China

Abstract

The Ming Dynasty of China was the ruling dynasty from 1368 to 1644. Wearing hair ornaments as a fashion statement has been an important lasting tradition in Chinese costume history. This article analyzes the political and cultural connotations of women’s headdress throughout the social hierarchy of the Ming Dynasty. During those flourishing cultural and economic times, both the aristocracy and commoners used headdresses to pursue custom trends and to display their ability to consume material wealth. Fashion was a means of distinguishing social classes from one another–the aristocracy could flaunt their prestige by acquiring elaborate and costly hair ornaments, while the commoners intended to break class barriers by emulating the elite styles. The evolution of fashion throughout history reflects the social and esthetic rules of the time. The unique silhouettes, choices of materials, and design features of these headdresses took on different forms as social and cultural norms shifted. Women’s headdress from the Ming Dynasty were metaphors that signified impactful expressions of fashion and consumption throughout social ladders, which is still an influential cultural phenomenon that persists in today’s society.