Evil connotation, disaster, and bad omens
In ancient China, what was considered an appropriate form of clothing was based on the seasons, occasions, and more importantly the wearer's identity, including social status.[1]: 52 The concept of fuyao has appeared since the second century BC in the Shangshu dazhuan《尚書大傳》and already had a negative connotation:[1]: 53–54
Those whose appearance is not respectful are insufficiently solemn, their arrogance is their culpability, frequent floods are their punishment, for in its extreme this is evil, and then fuyao occurs.
In ancient China, being dressed in fuyao clothing-style was understood as a form of social confusion in the way one dresses himself; for example, being dressed against what was prescribed by the rules and regulations and therefore having no consideration in the distinction between the higher and lower status; or wearing clothing-style which shows transgression in gender and/or sexuality norms.[1]: 52–54 This was also attested in the Zuo Zhuan《左傳》where it is stated that:[1]: 52
Clothing that is inappropriate to one's status will bring disaster to one's person.
Even in the Qing dynasty, fuyao fashion continued to be discussed and be condemned; it also appears in the poem, Qing shi duo《The Bell of Qing Poetry》, written in 1869 by Xia Zhisheng:[1]: 54
(Fuyao) is commonly considered 'evil.' It is caused by people's minds; the evil of clothing [is] the depravity of people's minds. It begins from the hats and shoes, the jackets and collars.
Political upheaval
Wearing fuyao fashion could also be perceived as being inauspicious as it was associated with political upheaval; this can be found in the Han Shu《漢書》, a source which was most cited in the Qing dynasty, which stated:[1]: 54
When customs are dissolute and disrespectful, then rituals change and political upheaval easily occurs, thus the wearing of strange and frivolous dress creates fuyao.
Garment of living people mixed with mourning attire
Fuyao could also refer to clothing of living people which had adopted mixed elements from the mourning attire even when there was the absence a close deceased relative.[1]: 55
Blurred distinction between Chinese and non-Chinese fashion
The concept of fuyao was also used to invoke garment and apparel which blurred the distinction between Hufu and Hanfu.[1]: 55 Xia Zhisheng of the Qing dynasty also explained that fuyao which was mixed non-Chinese fashion was associated with the foretelling of ominous events:[1]: 54
You are not a Uighur, so why is your cap so sharply pointed? You are not in battle, so why is your jacket so short? These things foretell ominous events.