As cultural exchange brings the cultural prosperity, western clothes, such as suits and jeans, arein worldwide at the moment.
One of the reasons why people prefer western-style clothing is because Western countriesboast a strong capability of promoting cultures. Various mediums can be utilized for those countries to spread their cultural practices, including clothing. For example, jeans, to some extent, can be noted globally through Hollywood movies, especially the western ones, and various fashion weeks are held with the aim of driving a new round of fashion trend. Another reason is from the perspective of practicality. Relatively, traditional clothing, such as “Hanfu”, a conventional type of clothes flourishing in China’s history, is not very suitable for modern people's work and life because of its loose and flowing design. While the design of western clothing is more in line with the requirements of modern life.
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Both the advantages and disadvantages of this trend are distinct. Negatively, the existence of traditional clothing will be greatly threatened. Clothing is an important expression of culture, and it is a testimony of the changes in aesthetics and production techniques. If traditional costume is not protected and promoted, people's perception of these changes of a specific historical period will be fractured. An illustration is that people can have a deeper understanding of the customs and cultures of the Han and Qing dynasties by comparing the “Hanfu” and the "Manchu clothes". While positively, the prevalence of western clothing also provides an opportunity for cultural exchange between the traditional one. Modern clothing-making techniques can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to retain their historical features while reflecting the pace of the times. The Chinese cheongsamand the Chinese tunic suit are examples of this.
In general, media propaganda and changes in contemporary life are the main causes of this phenomenon. The demerits and merits are both prominent and deserve a more in-depth and professional discussion.