#sol koroleva

sol koroleva

“hanfu” refers to articles of cultural dress worn by the han people of china (there are 55 other ethnic minorities in the country). the word is a bit of an umbrella term, encompassing several different styles that evolved over 3,000+ years, numerous dynasties & their ever-shifting trends.

alina’s hanfu here is in the qixiong ruqun style that was popular during the tang dynasty. it’s composed of a short blouse (ru), a long skirt tied high on the chest (qun) & a long, wide-sleeved robe (dá xiù shān). other accessories include the hē zi (a strapless garment tied across the chest & over the skirt) & pī bó (a long scarf draped over the arms).

the huadian is an element of traditional makeup that was most frequently worn during the tang & song dynasties. there are a few stories of its origin, one of the most popular of which is an attribution to princess shouyang of the southern dynasty. according to legend, a plum blossom drifted from a tree as the princess was lounging outdoors. it stayed fixed to her forehead for 3 days, after which it was washed away, the petals leaving a stain. other palace women found the mark endearing & so incorporated the flowers into their own beauty routines. these purely decorative designs are typically floral & either painted or pasted on with stickers, though materials such as fish scales, gold foil, feathers & jewels have also been used.

some creative liberties were taken with untraditional patterning on the hanfu & deciding to exchange huadian’s common botanical motif for a little sun.

the lovely @mayannecosplay ’s photos inspired this doodle & the specific style of hanfu drawn. do check out her stunning content!

alina starkov belongs to leigh bardugo.
please do not repost or edit this caption.
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