In recent years, hanfu rental services for tourists have become very popular. Although the hanfu is a traditional Chinese dress, in modern-day, it is worn not only on special occasions but also as a part of daily life.
An appropriate style and color of hanfu are to be worn depending on the occasion and the person’s age and marital status. If you are the first time try hanfu, it’s better to find a hanfu rental store, and they’ll give you some nice advice so that you don’t need to cost too much money to buy a new one.
Of course, there are so many hanfu rental shops in China’s major cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing & Chengdu. The big question is which store do you choose?
This being China, no matter which you pick, you’re sure to get excellent service, but if the price is a consideration, you might following the below guide before you make a decision.
1. The Price of Hanfu Rental
The rental rate is mainly based around your hanfu outfit selection, accessories, hours of rental. So once you know your priorities, you can get the best option.
There are a few things to keep in mind when renting a hanfu or other style ancient clothing.
A. Rent Hanfu Set
Hanfu rental almost always comes with a fitting included in the price and consists of the necessary items like under hanfu shirt, pants, jacket, belt, shoes, socks, and more.
And they tend to offer popular packages at better prices. Depending on what you finally choose, the price usually ranges from 15-30 Yuan (about $2-4) per hour.
Jewelry items like hair accessories or hair styling often require additional cost.
B. Cash Deposit
Leaving your original clothes or belongings is a sort of deposit guaranteeing that you’ll return, but some shops do also request a cash deposit (about RMB 200=30 US dollar) or personal ID card, which can be used if you don’t return, or if your hanfu is damaged (beyond a little reasonable wear and tear).
C. Make an appointment
If you visit China during the height of Spring/Autumn Season, which is one of the busiest times of the year for every city. To save time and avoid the crowds, you can book your hanfu experience in advance online.
Reservations offer not only a guaranteed slot but often discounts too, so we recommend you make one and avoid being late.
2. Rent Female Style Hanfu or Male Style
Many hanfu styles are unisex, and most men’s hanfu can be worn by women.
A. Male Hanfu
Shenyi hanfu, Ming-style round collar robe, and Jin & Wei Dynasty ruqun style are all great choices, cool and handsome.
Male hanfu usually has more subdued colors (red & black) and are made typically from durable, not too soft fabrics.
B. Female hanfu
Compared to the dull men’s hanfu, the women’s style and color matching can be called a work of art. The female hanfu is traditionally made of silk, but these days they are also made of chiffon and polyester. Decoration techniques include delicate floral embroidery patterns, mountain, river painting, and dyeing.
It can be a joy to look at just as one might appreciate a piece of art. If you have interests, there are some art museums where you can see valuable hanfu as exhibits or learn about the hanfu sewing techniques used to make and decorate them.
And for females, Qiyao & Qixiong Ruqun and Ming dynasty Aoqun set are both excellent, beautiful, elegant and full of Luxury.
3. Rent Hanfu online
If you know some Mandarin Chinese and can read it properly, and at the same time you don’t have a hanfu rental shop near where you live, and you don’t have much time to search for one that is far away from you. Then, renting a hanfu online is also an option.
A. Map Search
You can search for a hanfu rental shop on Google Maps or Baidu Maps, and then contact them according to the phone number above; usually they will add your WeChat friends, and then send you their photos and videos of hanfu, and after you confirm the payment, they will deliver the hanfu to you as soon as possible, normally the next day you will receive the package.
The great thing about this method is that they are a real hanfu rental shop, and you can always go to their shop to return your hanfu when you have time.
B. Taobao Hanfu
You can look for a Hanfu rental seller on Taobao. The advantage of this is that you can find a wide variety of sellers and a wide range of styles. The disadvantage is that you need to be very patient to identify the quality and price because their stores are virtual and do not have an actual store.
Renting a hanfu directly online will indeed save you time, but there are many problems, such as the size is not right, or when you wear it and it does not look as good as the picture.
Therefore, you can buy Chinese dresses on Taobao, but rent hanfu online can only be an alternate solution.
4. Other Services
You may have noticed that we mentioned hairstyling above. Yes, the hair service was so worth it!
A. Hanfu Hairstyle & Makeup
They offer different hairstyles and hanfu hairpins that look lovely with the hanfu on. So in most cases, you’re good to go with the basic hanfu rental set and hairstyling!
The male hanfu setup process is much easier and without too much makeup. You pretty much just put your hanfu on and choose what color belt, bag, sandal, and jacket you want. Super fast and easy! 🙂
B. Hanfu Photograph
There are also some VIP packages that include photo sessions. This is an excellent option if you aren’t a photographer and want some quality shots of yourselves. Since your friend is a perfect photographer, you didn’t need this option, but definitely consider it if you need one.
Where to go for your hanfu shots?
If you travel to Beijing, have a walking plan, you will want to make the most of your time and hit up all the best spots. To start with, here are the top places to visit in the city, including the famous Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City. If you have a couple of days, then be sure to visit the great wall.
Now, you had such a fantastic time in hanfu outfits and will definitely get so many compliments from the locals! We hope you enjoy your time in China with or without the costumes!
5. Send Back Hanfu
Finally, remember to return the rented hanfu on time when your trip comes to an end. You can contact them in advance, especially if you have questions.
Of course, if your travel schedule changes temporarily and you plan to stay for a few more days, you can also renew your hanfu rental for the same price, sometimes even at a discount.