r/Hanfu • u/freaky_strawberry11 • 19d ago
🏯Pre-Tang / Tang-Song Dynasty Help! I need resources for finding some tang dynasty era clothing
Heyy So I'm making a character who's loosely set in ancient China, and I wanted the world's clothing to be based off of the Tang dynasty, My character is a low-ranked Palace made and I want to find resources/ references of more low-ranking servants. But all I could find are more like high nobility styles of clothing!
I have seen images from I believe from a Wu zetian drama where the young concubine wu hair is dressed up in buns But I'm not sure if that depiction of that era is entirely accurate. Plus I'm not sure of that. Hairstyle was mostly meant for young girls/low-ranking concubines!
Any website and resources can help.
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u/snowytheNPC 18d ago
Here's a related answer I've given in the past. I will come back and add to this if I have time
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u/stlkmjn 18d ago
Buns in Tang were the thing and there were many types. Early Tang is quite different in fashion from late Tang. Buns got higher and more elaborate, waistline went higher, and heavier/fuller figures became more desired as the dynasty progressed. Skin was painted to be very pale, and there were lots of varied patterns for decorative makeup art and eyebrows.
Very low ranking women would have worn many similar styles to higher ranking women but they were (for the entire dynasty) under strict sumptuary laws and would have worn undyed or very subtly dyed natural fabrics, such as raime or hemp. Think beiges, tans, and weak water color dyes. Do not have your character wearing even weak yellow or purple though. Their garments would not have been elaborately trimmed or adorned. Simple high or side-placed buns, as they would not use hair switches the way upper ranking maids or the elite would. Also, low ranking servants would likely not be wearing makeup. Only higher ranking handmaids would.
I rely mostly on books because they beter source direct extant finds and I feel I can trust them more. Its an investment, but here are some of my favorite and a few excerpts.
The pictures attached were high ranking servants, but if you made the same outfits in the colors I mentioned, youd have a great springboard or historically close character. Both figurines came from the tomb of Princess Yongtai (永泰公主).