 The attire of Song women was distinguished from men 's clothing by being fastened on the left , not on the right . Women wore long dresses or blouses that came down almost to the knee . They also wore skirts and jackets with short or long sleeves . When strolling about outside and along the road , women of wealthy means chose to wear square purple scarves around their shoulders . Ladies also wore hairpins and combs in their hair , while princesses , imperial concubines , and the wives of officials and wealthy merchants wore head ornaments of gold and silver that were shaped in the form of phoenixes and flowers . 
