Women wearing one-piece dresses were thought to be Prom Dresses advanced revolutionary spirit, like that of their Russian comrades. The dress was especially popular among educated women, such as teachers. Everyone wore loose pants and jackets, modified Zhongshanzhuang-style, in gray, army green and blue. During the "Blue Sweetheart Prom Dress revolution" (1966-76), China was closed off from foreign influences; anything fashionable or distinctive was criticized as decadent and individualistic.

"Nobody dared to wear suits or narrow trousers. People tried to wear clothes as simple and unnoticeable as possible," says Wu. The important classes were workers, peasants and soldiers. Blue Strapless Sweetheart Prom Gowns wore simple farm clothes, soldiers wore baggy green Mao-suit uniforms (sometimes belted) and workers wore Mao-suit work uniforms. Many civilians chose soldier-type clothes in green. Workers wore work-type suits all the time. Dress showed their political attitude.

hina began opening the door in the late 1970s, and most Chinese were taken aback at the outside world. Modern and fashionable lifestyles made Chinese think hard about their own "fashion palette." A Blue Strapless Tulle Cocktail Dress era of fashion arrived. A 1989 TV series "Miss Public Relationship" ("Gong Guan Xiao Jie") captured the public imagination with its stories of China's reform and opening-up policy.