What to Wear for Chinese New Year 2027: 10 Traditional Outfit Ideas

Chinese New Year 2027 lands on Saturday, February 6, 2027, and it opens the Year of the Fire Goat (you'll also see it called the Year of the Sheep or Ram). Celebrations traditionally run for fifteen days, ending with the Lantern Festival on February 20, 2027.

New clothes are part of the holiday itself: wearing something new on the first day symbolises a fresh start, and the colour you pick is said to set the tone for the year. Below are ten outfit ideas, from easy modern pieces to full traditional looks, and the few rules worth knowing before you choose.

The colour rules (in 30 seconds)

• Red is the classic. It stands for luck and joy, and in folklore it scares off Nian, the beast that was said to come out at New Year.
• Gold and yellow suggest wealth and prosperity. Red-and-gold is the most festive pairing there is.
• Pink, orange, purple and jewel greens all read as happy and celebratory.
• Avoid head-to-toe black or white. Both are linked with mourning in Chinese tradition. A black tang suit with red accents is fine; an all-white outfit for a family visit is best skipped.

Is 2027 your benmingnian? If you were born in a Goat year — 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 or 2015 — 2027 is your zodiac year. Tradition says it's a year to be careful, and the classic remedy is wearing red, often a red string bracelet or red underwear, ideally gifted by someone else.

1. A red or brocade qipao

The qipao (also called cheongsam) is the most recognisable Chinese New Year outfit for women. It took its modern, fitted shape in 1920s–30s Shanghai and has been a festive favourite ever since. Red silk with gold embroidery is the classic choice, but velvet and brocade in jewel tones look just as celebratory.

Tip: pick a length you can sit and eat in. Reunion dinners are long.

More fabrics, colours and 1930s Shanghai backdrops are on our qipao portrait page. Wondering about the name? See qipao vs cheongsam.

2. The tang suit (tangzhuang)

The tang suit is the mandarin-collar jacket with knotted pankou buttons. Despite the name, it isn't from the Tang dynasty; "Tang" here is an old word for Chinese people, and the design is early twentieth century. It works for men and women, and it's the easiest traditional piece to wear with ordinary trousers or a skirt.

Red, burgundy and gold are the New Year colours. If you prefer black or navy brocade, add something red: a pocket square, a knot bracelet or a red inner layer.

See red silk, brocade and men's and women's versions on our tang suit page.

3. Ming dynasty mamianqun (horse-face skirt)

The mamianqun is a pleated wrap skirt from the Ming dynasty, with flat panels front and back and gold-woven bands along the hem — dragons, clouds and flowers are common. Paired with a fitted aoqun top, it's one of the most popular hanfu looks today, and red-and-gold versions are made for New Year.

Men aren't left out: Ming-style robes and skirts with woven hems are worn by men in the hanfu community, usually with a topknot crown or a scholar's cap.

Browse hair ornaments, colours and men's Ming looks on our Ming horse-face skirt page, or read the full mamianqun guide.

4. Song dynasty beizi layers

If red-and-gold feels too loud, Song dynasty style is the quiet alternative: a long, open beizi jacket over a wrapped skirt, in soft blush, celadon or apricot. It photographs beautifully at a temple fair or in a garden, and a pink beizi still counts as festive.

See more soft Song palettes, gardens and scholar looks for men on our Song dynasty hanfu page.

5. The Xunpu flower crown (zanhua)

From Xunpu, a fishing village in Quanzhou, Fujian, comes the zanhuawei — a ring of fresh flowers pinned around a low bun. Many local women still wear it daily, and it has become one of China's most photographed festival looks. A crown of red, pink and gold flowers with a red or orange outfit is pure New Year energy.

Want the full story behind the crown? Read our guide to the Xunpu flower crown.

6. Changshan and magua for men

The long changshan gown, worn alone or under a short magua jacket, is the men's counterpart to the qipao. Grey, navy or ivory gowns with a darker jacket look sharp at a family dinner. Add round glasses and a felt fedora if you want the full 1930s look.

7. A modern qipao-inspired dress

Not ready for a full qipao? Look for a mandarin collar, a side opening or frog buttons on an otherwise modern dress. It's office-party friendly and still clearly says "New Year".

8. Something red with frog buttons

The simplest outfit on this list: a red knit, blouse or jacket with pankou knot buttons. It works for every age, layers well in February weather and needs no styling.

9. Lucky accessories

If you'd rather keep your outfit simple, let accessories do the work:

• a jade bangle or pendant (jade is associated with protection and good fortune)
• a red string bracelet, especially in your benmingnian
• a hairpin or flower clip in red or gold
• a red pocket square or a Chinese knot charm on your bag

10. A lantern-night look for the Lantern Festival

The fifteenth day (February 20, 2027) ends the season with lanterns, riddles and sweet tangyuan dumplings. It's an evening event, so it's the perfect excuse for your most dramatic outfit: a flowing robe, a flower crown or a hair ornament, and a paper parasol for photos.

The portrait at the top of this guide is exactly this kind of look: an ivory embroidered robe, a pastel flower crown and a parasol on a lantern-lit bridge.

Can anyone wear traditional Chinese clothing?

Yes. Qipao, tang suits and hanfu are worn by people of every background, and the hanfu community generally welcomes interest in the clothes. A little respect goes a long way: learn what you're wearing (now you know the names), avoid costume-shop caricatures, and save ceremonial pieces like wedding robes for the right occasion.

Don't own the outfit? Try it on first

Traditional outfits aren't cheap, and it's hard to know which style suits you until you see it. Dynasty Portrait turns one selfie into a full-body portrait in a qipao, tang suit, Ming hanfu, Song beizi or a Xunpu flower crown, so you can compare looks before you buy, or simply make a New Year profile picture. Every portrait is AI-generated, and your selfie is deleted within 24 hours.

Quick answers

When is Chinese New Year 2027? Saturday, February 6, 2027. New Year's Eve, the night of the reunion dinner, is Friday, February 5.

What zodiac year is 2027? The Year of the Goat (also Sheep or Ram), paired with the fire element: the Fire Goat.

Do I have to wear red? No. Red is traditional, but any bright, happy colour works. Just avoid all-black or all-white outfits.

Can men wear hanfu or a qipao-style outfit? Men's traditional options include the tang suit, the changshan and magua, and Ming or Song robes.