The color white is favored by both men and women of the Bai ethnic group when it comes to clothing. The Bai ethnic dresses are mostly light in color, forming stark contrast with dark colors that are used as a complement. The dresses, with strongly contrasted yet perfectly matched colors, are adorned with elaborate cross-stitch embroidery. Most dresses are edged with lace. They may be intricately decorated, yet looking quite orderly.
The clothes for young women of the Bai ethnic group mainly include the head scarf, top garment, sleeveless short jacket, apron and pants. The top garment is usually white, yellow cream, lake blue or light green and the sleeveless short jacket worn over it is black or red, with three or five-ring silver ornaments attached to the button area at the right. An embroidered or dark-colored apron is tied to the waist and a pair of blue or white pants is the usual lower garment. In some cases, the upper and lower garments are of the same color; in others, a different color is applied to the top garment, the jacket, the apron and the pants respectively. The multiple colors go perfectly well with one another.
In addition, the Bai women wear exquisite head ornaments that contrast nicely with their dresses. The head ornaments worn by women in different areas have different features.
