摘 要:服饰是人类特有的劳动成果，是人类创造的物质财富和精神财富。由于历史条件、思想观念、文化观念等的差别，中美两国在历史发展过程中逐渐形成了自己的服饰风格，构成了其独特的服饰文化。本文将从服饰文化的角度出发，研究和解读中美文化的差异。在简单介绍服饰及服饰文化的基础上，本文对中美两国的代表性服饰、传统服饰以及现代服饰进行对比分析，进而指出中美两国在着装观念、服饰消费观念、服饰功能等方面存在着差异。希望本文能更好地促进两国的跨文化交流。

关键词：服饰;中美文化;差异

Abstract:Clothing is a unique achievement of human labor and the creation of human material wealth and spiritual wealth. Due to historical conditions, ideas, cultural concepts and so on, China and the United Stated, in the course of historical development, has gradually formed their own clothing styles, which constitutes its unique clothing culture. The author will study and interpret the cultural differences between China and the United State from the perspective of two countries’ clothing cultures. On the basis of brief introduction of clothing and clothing culture, this paper will compare and analyze the two countries’ representative clothing, traditional clothing and modern clothing. Then it will point out that there are significant differences in dress sense, clothing consumption, clothing function and so on. I hope this paper can better promote the cross-culture communication between the two countries.

Key words: clothing; Chinese and American culture; differences

摘 要 i

Abstract ii

I. Introduction 1

II. Brief Introduction to Clothing and Clothing Culture 2

2.1 The Definitions of Clothing and Clothing Culture 2

2.2 The Development History of Chinese and American Clothing 3

III. Contrast Between Chinese and American Clothing Culture 5

3.1 Contrast Between Chinese and American Typical Clothing 5

3.2 Contrast Between Chinese and American Traditional Clothing 7

3.3 Contrast Between Chinese and American Modern Clothing 9

IV. Cultural Differences Between China and America from the Perspective of Clothing Culture 10

4.1 Different Dress Sense 10

4.2 Different Clothing Consumption 11

4.3 Different Clothing Function 12

4.4 The Culture Differences on Fashion innovation 13

V. Conclusion 13

Bibliography 15

Acknowledgements 16

On Cultural Differences Between China and America from the Perspective of Clothing Culture

I. Introduction

Costume is a minor of the times and a symbol of culture. Different nations have their own languages and cultures. Clothing may be a kind of language, which can show people’s different values and views on life. Clothing is also a culture, and it reflects a nation’s artistic appreciation, spiritual civilization and the process of material civilization development. Different cultures have different costumes, which may be a sign of a nation and may reflect a nation’s way of life. China has a long history more than five thousand years, and the United States claims to be a democratic country with a short history. The two countries have different cultures, which reflect different values and ways of thinking. Since clothing reflects the different national cultures, researchers should be engaged in culture studies, especially in cross-cultural researches.

Since 1990s, the comparative study of cultural differences between China and the United States has been developing. In fact, different levels and angles of the clothing researches are constantly deep. In recent years, many scholars in our country have done a lot of researches on the study of the cultural differences between China and America from the perspective of clothing culture, and have achieved certain results. Some scholars, Laurel Thatcher and Zhan Kongjian, have paid attention to the process of the two countries’ clothing development, some scholars have studied the two countries’ traditional clothing. In addition the scholars also make a study of fashion clothing, clothing brank, clothing styles and fabrics. As a result, we can find the different clothing cultures, reflecting the two countries’ cultures. After the reform and opening up, great changes have taken place in Chinese clothing. With the entry of WTO, China has accelerated her economic growth, and also promoted the development of garment industry. As far as the United States, many races are mixed, forming perse cultures. Because of this, a great persity of American clothing has formed, and there are some fancy dresses that have attracted people’s attention, however, people in fancy dresses, are not surprised. Clothing cultural interaction between China and the United States has produced many new clothing. But, the clothing cultures are still different. Researches on the cultural differences between China and America from the perspective of clothing culture are increasing. In other words, the Chinese and American clothing cultures play an important role in the development of the two countries.