Chinese clothing, including ethnic minority garments, and modern adaptations of indigenous styles, is a vital aspect of Chinese culture and civilization. For thousands of years, Chinese clothing has evolved with dynastic traditions, foreign influences, and cultural exchanges, adapting to the needs of each era. Each dynasty maintained specific styles, colors, and forms that reflected social class distinctions and regional diversity. Beyond its practical functions—such as protection from weather and modesty—clothing also served as a cultural marker, distinguishing social roles, rank, and relationships. Ancient Chinese attire reflected the social and political structures of its time, while also showcasing textile, dyeing, and embroidery techniques. It stands as a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the Chinese people, as well as the rich intercultural exchanges that shaped its development across centuries.

Ancient Chinese literature traditionally credits the invention of clothing to the Yellow Emperor Huangdi and his wife Leizu. In primitive societies, clothing was used to symbolize authority and specific identities. For example, as stated in the Book of Changes, Emperor Yao and Shun hung his clothes and ruled the world. The style of their clothing must be different from that of ordinary people. In addition, during military activities or ceremonial rites, the costumes of the host and participants were also different from usual. These laid the foundation for the occurrence and development of the clothing system.

From the perspective of unearthed cultural relics, the origin of clothing history can be traced back to the late Paleolithic period. In ancient times, shoes were often made of animal skin, so the name of the shoe was often referred to as leather. The earliest shoe styles were very rudimentary. It has been speculated that ancient people cut animal skins into rough foot shapes and connected them with thin leather strips to form the most primitive shoes.

A bone needle and 141 drilled stone, bone, shell, and tooth decorations were found and dated 19,000 years old. It was confirmed that natural materials such as animal skins could be used to sew simple clothes at that time. Seven small stone beads and 125 perforated animal teeth and other decorations were seen in the mountaintop cave, with long-term wear and tear marks on them. Among them, 5 pieces were unearthed in a semi-circular arrangement, possibly as strings of decorations. Another 25 pieces were dyed with hematite powder. The bones interred in the lower chamber of the mountaintop cave were found with traces of hematite powder—likely used either to dye clothing or as part of a ceremonial rite. This suggests that the cave's inhabitants possessed a distinct aesthetic sensibility. In primitive societies, clothing evolved to serve three essential functions: preserving life, shielding the body from the cold, and expressing identity through adornment.

In the Neolithic period, people have been found to use spinning wheels to weave threads. The Yuyao Hemudu site also unearthed a "waist loom", with a cylindrical back loop that could form a natural weaving mouth, as well as a sheng (scroll). People then also traditionally wore linen clothing. With the invention of textile technology, clothing materials became artificially woven fabrics, and silk production also began in the Neolithic Age. The form of clothing has changed and its functions have also been improved. Cloak style clothing such as headscarves and drapes soon became typical attire, and became a method of differing people from different social class After the emergence of textiles, headscarves have developed into a standardized clothing style, widely used in a considerable period of time, in vast regions, and among many ethnic groups. They have basically replaced the clothing components of the Paleolithic era and become the coarse form of human clothing. In addition to general clothing, the Neolithic period also discovered crowns, boots, headgear, and accessories from some pottery relics.

In the Shang dynasty, the primary materials for clothing included leather, silk, ramie, and kudzu. The upper class favored naturally dyed silk and leather, while the lower class, due to limited access to silk, primarily used hemp, ramie, and kudzu fibers. As textile technology advanced, silk and ramie fabrics became increasingly significant. Artisans developed the skill to weave exceptionally fine silk, create geometric jacquard patterns, and produce ribbed yarn using warp looms. These fabrics were often richly dyed in deep, vibrant colors.

During the Western Zhou dynasty, the hierarchical system was gradually established, and the Zhou dynasty established official positions such as "Si Fu" and "Nei Si Fu", which were in charge of royal attire. According to literature records and analysis of unearthed cultural relics, the Chinese coronal and attire system was initially established during the Xia and Shang dynasties and had been fully perfected by the Zhou dynasty. It was incorporated into the rule of etiquette during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period. To express nobility and dignity, royal officials in different ceremonial occasions should have their crowns arranged in an orderly manner, and their clothing should also adopt different forms, colors, and patterns. From the human shaped cultural relics unearthed during the Zhou dynasty, it can be seen that although the decoration of clothing is complex and simple, the upper and lower garments are already distinct, laying the foundation for the basic form of Chinese clothing.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, women's clothing typically featured long, wide, and loose sleeves, often paired with high-heeled clogs. Noblewomen also adorned their arms with a decorative scarf known as the Jingguo.