Beijing 'Gege' Glam: Your Guide to Avoiding the Costume Catastrophe!
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Alright, everyone, after a long wait, I have finally had the chance to head to Beijing and experience what it feels like to be a "Princess" (from the Qing Dynasty)!
In fact, experiencing the life of a Qing Dynasty princess was not originally on my travel itinerary. However, after visiting the Forbidden City (an ancient imperial palace with great fame), I found the palace scenery so beautiful that I couldn't help but want to dress up and take some pictures. By asking around from other beautiful "princesses" who were already dressed up and by visiting a few shops myself, I summarized a super-comprehensive strategy for avoiding pitfalls in the hair and makeup as well as costume design of a "Qing Princess." It is hoped that this will be helpful for everyone!
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The World of Wangfu (Wángfǔ Shìjì)
- This building comprises almost all of the Qing Princess-related dress-up shops.
- Conveniently located near the Forbidden City, it is indeed convenient.
- You may encounter shopkeepers trying to entice customers (which we refer to as inviting). Don't reject their attempts outright; they may guide you through several stores. However, remember to negotiate prices!
Mini Tip: If coming through the main entrance, you can only access floor B1 through the staircase. To reach upper floors, enter through another door.
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Time Scheduling and Recommendations
- The dress-up shops at World of Wangfu usually open at 7AM.
- Major Reminder: Make sure to arrive early! Doing so allows you more variety in your choice of costumes, and there are shorter lines!
- Some establishments provide till late evening even up until the following morning for return of rented outfits. Thus, if you have a packed itinerary, it’s best to pick a place that allows late returns!
- Having compared a few spots in Beijing, the Forbidden City and the "Princess" photo set look most harmonious together. Set your costuming to coincide with a trip to the forbidden city!
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Outfit Selection （To Avoid Mistakes / Pitfalls）
- Reiterating again, arrive early and aim to visit multiple stores! Plenty of styles would be gone before you know it!
- Heading to Beijing in winter? You might opt for styles adorned with fur borders, paired with capes and scarves - these would be pretty and protective against the cold!
- If you are one who shivers easily, wear thermal tops or thin sweaters beneath, and if possible, apply heating patches to keep up the warmth. But never put on too many layers - it'll make you look bloated!
- Short sisters, roughly 1.5 meters tall needn't worry - sizes suitable for your height exist!
- Designs cater to virtually every age group, both male and female.
- For footwear, suggest wearing light-colored shoes, despite the option to use provided store shoes, personal comfort is always first choice.
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Regarding the Hair-do and Makeup （To Avoid Mistakes / Pitfalls）
Don’t paint yourself into too striking a “red carpet" face! Such makeup style doesn’t suit ancient costume.- Communicate regularly with the makeup artist to express your ideas. You better speak out more to avoid common “assembly line” makeup if you don’t like it!
- It would be best to bring your own eyelashes! Styles available may not be desirable.
- For "Empress", generally, decorations such as large bun or big wings (both traditional decorations for Qing-era women hairstyle) which look luxurious and noble are recommended.
- On “Princess” hairstyles: If you possess an oval-face or square-jawed face, avoid small or completely flat buns since they accentuate facial features!
- Don’t forget to get props and accessories like fans and hankies from the store when shooting!
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Photography Tips:
- Ancient costume fits greatly with camera lenses – this costume suits anyone!
- Playing a "princess" could have playful or slightly comical poses to match the innocent spirit.
- Playing an "Empress" should appear elegantly calm. Graceful positions highlight noble character and charm!
- Pay attention to ensure that your shoes and fringes of your hair-dos remain neat in pictures!
To anyone I met who asked me about this, I just answered here: the Qing Costume customization at World of Wangfu is somewhat "assembly line," thus with lower end experience. Later, I went to another studio called "Floral Story Ancient Costumes (HuaYuJi GuZhuang)," and it was a much better experience! A trip to Beijing is precious, leave the most lovely memories behind!
I am back from Beijing, feel free to ask questions anytime!
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️ I’m @YanSiSi, thank you very much 
and 
(like, follow)
………………ᵕ̈ Until next time, bye! ᵕ̈……………… -
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So beautiful, sis! Please share the details!
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My friend isn't the best at taking photos, but I'm really satisfied with this makeup.
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It really does look good!
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280 for two people, and overall I'm quite satisfied. Make sure to haggle over the price.
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How do you bargain? Do you just directly ask if they can make it a bit cheaper?
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Lucky me, the clothes were new, and the makeup artist (sis) also happened to be the best one.
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I've discovered that bangs really add a lot to the look; it's beautiful.
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Mine was 198.
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Which place?
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How to find it?
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Beijing attraction booking info and food guide updated on my homepage!
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Our prices are a bit on the higher side, but you can have a trial makeup session and only pay if you're satisfied.
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How much?
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Hi, I was wondering, what do you wear under the skirt?
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I wore jeans.