Weddingbee boards

I got mine from Dragonseed in SF Chinatown (Clay and Kearny).  They had an okay selection but you could also pick your fabrics and have it custom made.  If you're in the south bay you can also try Orchid at the Great Mall in Milpitas.  I'm sure there are tons of others but those are the only two that I checked out.

I just got 2 Chinese dresses for my wedding.  I checked out Dragon Seed but they were just entirely too pushy.  Their selection was not great and they kept pulling dresses off the rack I DID NOT want to even try on.  I found a place on Stockton that is part of a mini mall that had a much bigger selection and can tailor it to you for $190!! The only set back is that it takes a while, as the dress needs to be sent back to HK to be made. It was going to take 2-3 months.  

I just rented a dress from Ling's in Oakland.  It wasn't a traditional dress, but a mix of modern and traditional  I loved it.  They are very helpful there and there are lots of material and designs to choose from.  They are much pricier bc they make the dresses there.  If you want piping it is also an additional cost.  A tailor made qipao will start at $280 up to $600 depending on the details.  

I purchased my 2nd dress at eaststore.com.  You can have it tailor made for an additional $25 or purchase one and have it tailored on your own.  You just provide measurements and they make it accordingly taking into account extra room for movement.  Their measurements are very accurate.  The customer service through the website was top notch! Check them out! I received my dress within a week.  If you are not sure about your measurements or don't feel comfortable buying an exact size, just buy a regular sized one (check the measurements as these dresses tend to run small!)  and have it tailored when you receive it.  

Good luck!