As a little girl growing up, I saw my beloved mother wearing pretty, high-collared traditional Chinese costumes, or cheongsams, made of beautiful silk brocade. To me, she was the epitome of elegance. Coupled with the fact that her favorite actresses, such as screen goddess Lin Dai, also looked unbelievably glamorous and feminine in these exquisite dresses, I thus became captivated by the beauty of the cheongsam.
Thereafter, as a young lady, I purchased my first traditional cheongsam during an overseas trip. I recalled that as I tried on that dress for the first time, it made me feel graceful and beautiful; totally woman.
Being raised in British and international schools during most of my childhood and not having mandarin as an option at my schools, wearing a cheongsam is a way for me to connect with my Asian roots. I also went beyond the cheongsam and donned other traditional Asian costumes such as the sari.
More significantly, the cheongsam holds a deeper meaning for me. I recalled that in the final framed photo of my mother, she was dressed in a stunning black cheongsam with an exquisite design; the very same outfit which she had worn in my university graduation family portrait. I will always remember her in that dress, looking breathtaking with her hair in a perfect updo and her eyes sparkling with happiness. Her smile lit up her face. She was a classic beauty in every sense of the word.
I dedicate this love for the cheongsam to my mother, the pearl in my lifetime.