Naxi unmarried girls like to tie long braids behind their waists, or wear headscarves and hats. Women also like to wear earrings, rings, silver or jade bracelets and gold and silver necklaces.
Most of the big-breasted women's coats of Naxi nationality in Lijiang are cloth robes, and the basic structure is big sleeves, collarless and sandwich, with short front and long back. When wearing it, the cuffs are rolled to the elbows, the waist is covered with pleats, and the back is covered with a layer of "sheepskin". Because the altitude, temperature, aquatic plants and forests in Lijiang are all suitable for the development of animal husbandry, cattle and sheep fur has become an important part of Naxi costumes.
There is a description in the ancient Dongba Sutra "Meeting the East God": "Heaven and earth move, two brothers and sisters are born and become a family, herding white sheep, making clothes and blankets with wool, and making hats and belts with wool ..." Up to now, the "sheepskin shawl" of Naxi women is still a major symbol of national costumes. Sheepskin is called "yoke" in Pinasi language. Black pure sheepskin is made of mirabilite and glutinous rice flour, and then made according to genre.
Sew a black velvet or black sheepskin neck, decorate it with seven round colorful velvet embroidered yokes Miu (sheepskin eyes), then order seven groups of fine white sheep thongs to make the yoke collapse (sheepskin whiskers) and a pair of white cloth yokes (sheepskin straps).
Embroidered with blue butterfly pattern, one end is fixed on the back of sheepskin, the sheepskin is draped on the back, the shoulder straps are crossed on the chest, and then the sheepskin is tied tightly around the back from the lower end, and the tail end naturally hangs down, similar to the "tail" and very similar to Dongba's "sheepskin". The belt of Naxi Mosuo women in Ninglang is made of many wide strips of cloth, which are wrapped around the waist layer by layer, and the width can reach more than 20 cm. Under the belt is a wide pleated dress.
The national costumes of Naxi nationality, represented by Dayan Ancient City in Lijiang County, are generally worn by unmarried women with long hair or long hair. Married women wear a bun on their heads and like to wear a blue hat. In terms of clothing, the long gown with wide waist and big sleeves, reaching to the knees at the front and the shin at the back, is short at the front and long at the back. When wearing it, the cuffs are rolled up to the elbows, and with a vest, the pants are put on. It is a pleated waist sewn with black and white blue cotton cloth. It is like a fan from waist to knee. It is enough to wear boat-shaped embroidered shoes.
Lace is embroidered on the collar, sleeves and lapels, which is simple and generous. Because Naxi nationality is deeply influenced by Han nationality, men's clothing is basically the same as that of Han nationality, wearing robes, jackets or double-breasted tops and trousers. Women's wear, except for the custom of wearing skirts in some places, has been changed to wearing pants, but the whole suit. It still has distinctive national characteristics.
The most distinctive feature of Naxi women's dress is the seven-star sheepskin shawl behind her, on which seven embroidered circular cloth circles with a diameter of about two inches are arranged side by side, and each cloth circle has a pair of hanging nails. There are many different versions about the origin of this kind of clothing. More commonly, it stands for Seven Stars, which means "Dai Yue wearing a star". It is said that the circle of cloth is embroidered with fine star maps with silk thread, and the hanging spikes represent the light of stars.
Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a hardworking, capable, intelligent and beautiful Naxi girl named Ying Gu who struggled with drought demons for nine days and died of exhaustion. In recognition of Yinggu's brave behavior, Baisha Sanduo made seven round stars from seven cold suns swallowed by Xue Jinglong and put them on Yinggu's coat. Later, Naxi girls imitated the English aunt and nailed the seven-star pattern on the shawl, symbolizing hard work and courage.
There is also a saying that the Naxi people have regarded frogs as a god of wisdom since ancient times, which can solve people's difficulties. Therefore, those circular patterns represent frog's eyes and are historical relics of frog totem worship.
There are other characteristics in the clothing of Mosuo people in Ninglang area. Mosuo women like to make thick wigs with yak tails or threads, wear twisted cloth heads, short shirts and very wide dresses. The waist is wrapped in a long and wide strip of cloth.
Naxi women like to wear bracelets, earrings and other accessories.