The rural women living in the areas of Wuxian, such as Luzhi, Shengpu, Weiting, and Chenmu, east of Suzhou still preserve traditional folk costumes. Their traditional clothing is characterized by braided hair, tied headscarves, wearing patchwork shirts, patchwork pants, waist-belted skirts, rolled-up sleeves, and embroidered shoes, which have a distinct characteristic of the Jiangnan water town, hence the name "the ethnic minority of Suzhou".

Water town women place great importance on the combing and decoration of their braided hair. They display their skillfulness and elegance with their black hair, large hair buns, and numerous accessories, combined with elegant headscarves and clothes. The local characteristics of their clothing are very strong, and its tradition is stable, but there are obvious differences due to seasonal changes, age differences, and ceremonial needs. Generally speaking, the features of clothing in spring and autumn are particularly prominent. In spring and autumn, the upper garments mainly consist of patchwork shirts, with fabrics primarily based on printed cloth, home-spun cloth, and deep or light indigo cloth. The colors are vivid yet not gaudy, and they are usually made by combining several colored fabrics, with well-fitted cuts and fine stitching, showing strong decorative elements. These features are reflected through the decorative techniques of the clothing: such as patchwork, edging, buttons, belts, and embroidery. The pants are mostly made of blue ground white printed cloth or white ground blue printed cloth, with the crotch part stitched with indigo cloth of blue or black color. These clothes were initially joined due to the limitations of fabric width and the need for saving materials. Over time, this joining evolved from practical necessity to subjective expression, always emphasizing the formal beauty of neatness, balance, and symmetry. The waist skirt is also very distinctive, reaching the knees, with extremely thin pleats. Different kinds of ornamental patterns are present on both the pleat surface and the belt of the skirt. A small waistband is tied around the waist, which is an accessory connected to the skirt. A large pocket is sewn onto the waistband, and various patterned embroidery is done on the edges of the waistband and the belt, making it an important decorative element of the outfit. The design of the skirt is very practical; when worn during labor, it prevents the waist and back from getting cold, and when standing, it adds strength to the waist. The hem is large, allowing free movement, which is convenient for working in paddy fields and easy to use for covering up when needed outdoors, being both practical and beautiful. However, the shoes of the water town area also have a strong local feature. The shape of the shoes resembles a small boat, and they are not distinguished between left and right, hence called "boat-shaped embroidered shoes." The upper part of the shoe is made of two parts, and the upper surface is mainly decorated with embroidery, with bright colors and diverse patterns. The craftsmanship of these boat shoes is exquisite, durable, and practical, serving as traditional ceremonial shoes for water town women.

The clothing of water town women varies according to age. Young women prefer bright and colorful designs, making full use of the limited space on their clothes, and skillfully using color contrast, complementation, and interweaving techniques to achieve eye-catching, vibrant artistic effects. This appropriately highlights the body beauty and decorative beauty of the water town women, giving a sense of lightness and freedom.

Middle-aged and elderly women, on the other hand, prefer dark tones, with their clothing being solemn and stable, and the wearing requirements are spacious and loose, thus giving a feeling of simplicity and gravity.

The clothing of water town women has a long history, passed down from generation to generation, forming habits and traditions. It has strong inheritance. For many years, through the selection of the working people, a series of folk costumes with water town characteristics have been designed. These outfits suit the wear of water town women, especially suitable for the production labor in the water town, with high practical value and are deeply loved by people. These clothes have continuously changed and updated over time, forming an aesthetic concept with the traditional cultural characteristics of the water town area, and proving that human beings shape themselves and beautify themselves according to the laws of beauty. To this day, the Luzhi area still preserves the traditional folk clothing with the characteristics of the water town women.