This is a dress made to be worn by a young lady, possibly in her teens. This is suggested by the petite size of the dress, along with the motifs of flowers and butterflies (symbols of youthful romance).

This type of robe would have been a casual dress for the day. The robe also lacks any symbolism that usually accompanies robes with an imperial association (such as the symbol of 'rainbow waves' that sometimes adorn the bottom of imperial robes). Still, we may deduce that this had been worn by someone belonging to a relatively wealthy commoner family. It was possible that such dresses were bought 'off-the-peg' rather than been made to measure, as it was known to have happened in nineteenth century China.

The dress is made in the style of the qipao originated by the Manchu people (a one length dress with side fastenings from the neck to the arm, and down the sides). However by the nineteenth century, even ethnic Han Chinese women wore this style (as opposed to a more traditional jacket and skirt ensemble), and there was a discernable fusion of Manchu and Han designs in women's dress.