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Recent surveys online say Chinese women dress better and look better than their male counterparts. Chinese men, they say, lack fashion sense. We asked a cross-section of men and women if they agreed, or begged to differ.

Recent surveys online say Chinese women dress better and look better than their male counterparts. Chinese men, they say, lack fashion sense. We asked a cross-section of men and women if they agreed, or begged to differ.

What the women say

"I agree. It's because men are not criticized based on their appearance. In second- and third-tier cities, like in my hometown, men are not ashamed to have a potbelly even in their 30s. In the summer, they will roll up their shirts to expose their paunches because no one has told them that it is disgusting. Perhaps, with the older generation, they were so poor when they were kids, that they may take pride in gaining weight now. However, this may just be the tip of the iceberg for gender issues in China. Often beauty is the only thing expected of a woman. I think it is a good thing that women are complaining about how their men look."

Kay Chen, 38, journalist, China.

"I agree. I think there is something wrong with how the men think. The boys I know think that only gays consider fashion necessary and they just don't want to look 'girly’."

Yu Xi, 24, student, China

"No. Not all Chinese men are like that. Young people are more fashion-conscious and social pressure to be fashionable applies. A portion of older men has no sense of style whatsoever, but some older people have their own opinion and may also be fashionable."

Lillian Liu Xia, 37, executive, China

"I agree. Because they believe they are the man, and they don't need to take care of their looks too much. Chinese woman should complain. From my point of view, men should dress for the occasion, to show respect for their partner as well as for the event."

Shania Shen, 26, marketing manager, China