One-hundred qipao-loving Shanghai ladies will take their favorite dresses to Taiwan to promote the World Expo 2010 there.

Members of a local qipao club, dressed in qipao, walk on a street to show the traditional Chinese styles. They will take their favorite dresses to Taiwan to promote the World Expo 2010 there [Oriental Morning Post]

The women, all members of a local qipao club, will start a seven-day trip to Taiwan on April 18, the two-year anniversary of the club, the Oriental Morning Post reported.

They will arrive in Kaohsiung City and travel north to Alisan Mountain and Sun Moon Lake before reaching Taipei. Each will wear different styles of qipao through Taiwan.

"We will walk on Taiwan's streets in qipao to show the traditional Chinese styles as well as the modern Shanghai style, and we will promote Expo," said Wang Weiyu, the club founder.

In April last year, 40 club members visited Hong Kong and Macau. They attracted a good deal of public attention when they wore the classic Chinese dresses. Wang said this was part of China's rich clothing culture. She said her biggest hope was that qipao would be seen being worn in every lane in Shanghai during Expo.

Wang called her club "a party for women." Founded in 2007, the club has more than 270 members with an average age of 55. It has parties twice a week.

"Qipao is the classic dress for Chinese women. Wearing it makes us feel confident," Wang said.

(Shanghai Daily March 20, 2009)