Cantonese opera costume blouse. Yellow blouse of a shiny satin-like fabric, with a small rounded neck. Blouse opens to the back with 5 hidden metal snaps for closure. A square stamp enclosing Chinese characters can be found in two places on the blouse. (Also see cuffs, parts b-c).

Coral coloured blouse. A blouse of pale orange synthetic fabric lined with white synthetic fabric with long, wide sleeves that are trimmed with light and dark pink sequins sewn in a zig zag pattern around the sleeve openings. The blouse fastens with six metal snaps sewn down the back, and there is a square stamp in blue ink with Chinese characters on the inside lining.

Woman's opera costume blouse (worn with 2967/4-5). Light green women's blouse with sequin design. The blouse has large scoop-shaped sleeves, very wide at the cuff, more fitted at the shoulder. The body is straight, of green material on each side, with white cotton panel down centre of front and back. Snap closure at front. Neck is round. The sequin design sits on sleeve top at both front and back and is a blue flower surrounded by silver and gold curls. A blue, silver and gold key pattern edges the cuff.

Woman's opera costume blouse (worn with 2967/4 and 2967/6). Light green shirt, lined fully inside in white fabric, closure up the back with snaps. Neck hole is very small and round. Each cuff has a large removable snap-on decoration (parts b and c) in the shape of flowers and foliage made of gold and silver sequins and transparent tube beads. In blue ink on the inside back of the shirt is a stamp with 3 rows of Chinese characters.

Woman’s lavender coloured blouse (part of costume 2967/1a-b and 2967/3). Blouse is short, to waist, with a small round neck edged in a satiny fabric. Garment opens down the back with a snap closure. Arms are full length, and heavily decorated with gold and yellow sequins in a flower and foliage pattern, with edging along the cuff. The exterior fabric is a thin crepe, while the inside is a shiny synthetic, both in the same shade of lavender. A round stamp with Chinese characters is on the inside bottom of the blouse.

Short sleeve, backless embroidered blouse with long front panel. Predominantly bright pink with multi-coloured embroidery, the central embroidered designs on the blouse are in the shape of cowrie shells. There are two square designs embroidered over the breasts. Within the square designs are smaller embroidered squares and appliqué circular mirrors. There are also cotton puffs with beads on the top in both of the squares, as well as throughout the entire design. The bottom half of the blouse has a ‘U’ shape embroidered design which includes the cowrie shell technique, rectangles with appliqué mirrors in the centre and cotton puffs. There is also a flower motif embroidered on the inside edge of the ‘U’ shape. On the sleeves of the blouse there is a shield pattern with a flower whorl embroidered in the centre of the shield. Around the shield are several cotton puffs also with beads on top. Around the outer edge of the blouse there is a coloured pattern that includes triangles embroidered from both coloured cotton thread and gold thread. To finish off the edge of the blouse there is a multi-coloured stripe. On the bottom of the blouse, in both corners and in the centre, are small tassels with shells and a cotton puff. On the back of the sleeves there is a darker multi-coloured material.

Short sleeve, backless embroidered blouse with long front panel. Strings attached at the neck and the midriff tie up at the back of the blouse. The pattern on the main fabric of the blouse is horizontal stripes in a colour pattern of brown, black, green, and yellow. On both shoulders and over each breast there is an embroidered flower motif with two circles of appliqué mirrors, one around the outside edge and a smaller circle on the inside. Down the centre and along the sleeves of the blouse is an intricately embroidered ‘tab’ which also contains an appliqué mirror border and a single line of appliqué mirrors in the centre of the ‘tab’. There are also three fully represented and two half represented ‘chicken’ pattern designs. Around the bottom edges of the blouse and on the cuffs of the sleeves there is a yellow material with red dots. On either side of the blouse there is the same material but in red with a green border. The tie at the top of the blouse is black.

Gift of Esther Pasztory

Black square shaped blouse with slit arm holes and neck line. Arms and neck have off-white trim with string tassles. Bottom half of blouse has red, yellow, and orange embroidery embellished with long tube shaped white beads made of Job's tears seeds. Bottom sides and centre have tassles, predominantly red.

Black square shaped blouse with slit arm holes and neck line. Arms and neck have off-white trim with string tassles. Entire blouse is has red border with green and yellow stitching. Bottom half of blouse has red and yellow embroidery embellished with long tube shaped white beads made of seeds. Bottom sides and centre have wool tassles, predominantly red in colour.