Cheongsam In The Works

Cheongsam In The Works

May 22nd, 2007 @ 4:42 pm by Mrs. Bluebell

For our actual wedding, I will be wearing only my white Western wedding dress.

But…for our Chinese wedding banquet one month later, I get to rock out!

Last weekend, we went to Flushing Mall to get me fitted for Dress #2 (of 3) - my cheongsam! I realize now that I have absolutely no idea what the name of the tailor shop we went to is, but it was recommended to Mr. Bluebell’s mom, which is why we chose it.

Mr. Bluebell’s aunt gave me several pieces of fabric to see if I liked any, so we wouldn’t have to buy fabric there when we had my dress made. One was just perfect! A deep burgundy wine color with gold/yellow/black/baby blue floral circles. (Haha, that makes no sense. You’ll see pictures later though!) The style we’re having made is just a very traditional collar with short sleeves; no frogs or embroidery other than that which is already on the fabric, just piping along the edges and the diagonal bit from neck to armpit. I asked if we could do gold piping and he brought out two pieces of fabric - a shimmery yellow and a full on gold metallic - both of which matched parts of the pattern on the fabric. I was sliiiightly leaning towards the yellow but Mr. Bluebell’s mom said in this sweet quiet little voice…”but this one’s so shiny!” and I had to give in.

Then the tailor took literally EIGHT MILLION different measurements (seriously, I have never seeeeen that many numbers), declared something in Mandarin to which both he and Mr. Bluebell’s mom giggled and she translated as “he says your back is funny shaped” (???), and then left! It will be ready for my fitting just after the wedding, with nearly a month to go before the banquet (much of which we’ll be gone on our honeymoon).

So, other than the funny shaped comment (she swears he meant it as an “it’s good you went custom” thing, not an insult, but still!!) it was quite a nice little visit! I can’t wait to see my dress!!

Is anyone else having a dress custom made for their wedding? Has anyone called you funny shaped?

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12 Responses to “Cheongsam In The Works”

Guest

melissa

every time I read about one of these I misread it as a ‘cheongasm’ which sounds like a pretty sexy outfit, I must say.

5/22/07 @ 4:51 pm (reply)

Guest

Miss Popcorn

both my white wedding gown and my cheongsam are being custom made for the wedding (though not the full couture treatment with muslin sample or anything) and the asymmetry of my boobies and slight difference in nipple height was noted both times. not that I didn’t already know.

5/22/07 @ 4:53 pm (reply)

Guest

Tanya

I, too, have suffered through the unique experience that is the Asian seamstress taking millions of measurements and making comments in a language I can’t understand!

I’m only half-Vietnamese, so my mother literally had to haggle the price down before they saw me, or they’d try to increase the price because I’m “so tall!” Come on, at 5′6″ I’m not any taller than Vietnamese girls in their platform heels. And yes, I have a chest, and shoulders, but come on, a little sensitivity here!

5/22/07 @ 4:54 pm (reply)

Guest

Miss Kiwi

Awww, you’re not funny shaped, you’re SPECIAL. Hehehehe.

Can’t wait to see this dress, it sounds lovely!!

5/22/07 @ 4:54 pm (reply)

Guest

sally

lol, at least he did not comment on your chest or something horrible and creepy like that? Or what about Friends when Joey’s taylor cups him. lol

5/22/07 @ 4:56 pm (reply)

Guest

Miss Bell Pepper

I think we have the same dress tailor, he said that my upper back had an unusual shape. I think he’s just teasing us around..

5/22/07 @ 5:00 pm (reply)

Guest

Miss Bluebell

Haha Miss Bell Pepper that’s so funny!! But he definitely wasn’t teasing me since he knew I had no idea what he was saying and addressed it directly to Mr. Bluebell’s mom, in a rather serious tone. It wasn’t until she started laughing that he cracked a smile and then Mr. Bluebell asked her (in Cantonese) what he’d said (in Mandarin) and eventually it got translated for me, but the tailor never even looked at me during the entire exchange.

5/22/07 @ 5:04 pm (reply)

Guest

Miss Snow Pea

Aww Miss Bluebell, I am sure he meant no harm. It’s funny the way Chinese people say things. I always have to explain to my friends that my mom is not yelling, that’s just how she talks and that Cantonese translated into English is very literal, which may be taken as being rude sometimes but it’s really not. I too, dread the chinese tailors. I have always been plump for a chinese girl so I always get fat comments from them.

My white wedding dress maker was very nice and only said she would “release” certain areas around my belly so I won’t get that belly button line showing. My mom stopped making fat comments about me when I threatened to have my cheongsam altered and CUT it with a scissor (re: my “sneak peak” post) ahahhaha I am evil daughter.

5/22/07 @ 5:35 pm (reply)

Guest

Tammy

a couple of them said i am pretty big on the top for an asian girl…i learned to ignore them and go somewhere else for my business .. got a perfect fit outfits for less than half the price =) i felt way better at the end

5/22/07 @ 6:21 pm (reply)

10.

Guest

I got my chi pao made in China. All the dressmakers I saw commented on how tall I was. The dressmaker I finally chose said my chi pao was the longest she had ever made for someone. I’m only 5′6!

5/23/07 @ 5:44 am (reply)

11.

Guest

Red

Everytime I see old relatives of my mom’s, they make casual comments like, “Wow, you’ve gotten fatter!” I’ve learned a long time ago that it’s just considered conversation to the older Chinese generation - like “Oh, you’ve cut your hair” so don’t be offended.

5/23/07 @ 7:49 pm (reply)

12.

Guest

The Bluebells’ Banquet… 1.5 Years Later… » Weddingbee » The Wedding Blog

[...] As dinner was being served, I slipped away to change into my cheongsam. [...]

6/11/09 @ 1:40 pm (reply)