Clothes and Heritage: Chinese American Clothes from the Virginia Lee Mead Collection - About the Collection
The Lee family wore these objects of clothing between 1881 and 1945 which Lee’s youngest daughter, Virginia Lee Mead, donated to NMAH. The family imported many articles of clothing from China that were worn on special occasions; otherwise, the children and businessman Lee dressed in Western-style attire for daily wear. The mother of the family continued to wear traditional Chinese dress most of her life. Their clothing reflects diverse Chinese and American cultural traditions.
The Lee family, c. 1920. The donor, Virginia Lee, was not yet born.
"Clothes and Heritage: Chinese American Clothes from the Virginia Lee Mead Collection - About the Collection" showing 5 items.
1900 - 1910 Chinese American Woman's Blouse
- Description (Brief)
- In America, Mrs. Lee wore this tunic-length satin blouse with side buttons made from 1890 Hong Kong coins. The generously cut blouse or sam, often reaching the calf, was worn over trousers.
- Mrs. Lee wore traditional Chinese clothes when she occasionally accompanied her children to the local movie houses. According to her daughter Grace, since she did not understand English she made up her own storyline to accompany the films’ images.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1905
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1992.0620.08
- catalog number
- 1992.0620.08
- accession number
- 1992.0620
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1895 - 1905 Chinese American Woman's Skirt
- Description (Brief)
- Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr. Lee in New York City in 1906.
- The pleated skirt was often worn with a rectangular apron or wei chu’u over a pair of matching trousers.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1900
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1992.0620.20
- accession number
- 1992.0620
- catalog number
- 1992.0620.20
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1895 - 1905 Chinese American Woman's Trousers
- Description (Brief)
- Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr. Lee in New York City in 1906.
- The pair of matching trousers was often worn under the pleated skirt with a rectangular apron or wei chu’u.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1900
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1992.0620.21
- catalog number
- 1992.0620.21
- accession number
- 1992.0620
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Circa 1930 Women's Gown (cheong sam)
- Description
- The donor, Virginia Lee, posed in a similar cheong sam for a US World War II poster and for the "Miss China" contest in New York. Also known as a qu pao, the Chinese traditional loose dress shape was modified by Western designers in the 1920's to be more close-fitting to accentuate a woman's figure. The altered dress form became broadly popular in the United States as evening wear in the late 1950's and 1960's.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1930
- user
- Mead, Virginia Lee
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1992.0620.16
- catalog number
- 1992.0620.16
- accession number
- 1992.0620
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1925 - 1930 Chinese American Woman's Skirt
- Description (Brief)
- Mrs. Lee ordered this skirt from China to wear on formal occasions, such as weddings. The waistband, of a different fabric, was covered by a blouse.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1930
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2000.0274.02
- accession number
- 2000.0274
- catalog number
- 2000.0274.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center