TRADITIONAL DRESS OF VIETNAM

<span class='text_page_counter'>(1)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=1>

<b> TRADITIONAL DRESS OF VIETNAM </b>

<b>1./ AO DAI .</b>

The beauty of women dressed in “Ao Dai” always leaves a deep impression on foreign visitors to
Vietnam. Girl students dressed in white long robes take to streets on the way to schools or back
home, or gracefully sail on their bikes along streets. Female secretaries in delicate pastels greet
you at an office door and older ladies in deep shades of purple, green or blue cut a striking pose
at a restaurant dinner. The “Ao Dai” appears to flatter every figure.

Early versions of the “Ao Dai” date back to 1744 when Lord Vu Vuong of the Nguyen Dynasty
decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of trousers and a gown that buttoned
down the front. However, not until 1930 did “Ao Dai” appear partly similar to its look today.
Now, Men wore it less, generally only on ceremonial occasions such as weddings or funerals.
During the 1950s two tailors in Saigon started producing “Ao Dai” with raglan sleeves. This
creates a diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and this style is still preferred
today

“Ao Dai” is made individually to fit each customer's shape to create the most graceful look. Its
body-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. The pants should reach the soles
of the feet and flow along the floor. Splits in the gown extend well above waist height and make
it comfortable and easy to move in.

Comfortability is always taken into account for fashions and beauty. Tailoring must ensure the
wearer's freedom of movements. Despite it is a long robe, “Ao Dai” must be cool to wear.
Synthetic or silk fabrics are preferred as they do not crush and are quick drying, making the “Ao
Dai” a practical uniform for daily wear.

The color is indicative of the wearer's age and status. Young girls wear pure white, fully-lined
outfits symbolizing their purity. Older but unmarried girls move into soft pastel shades. Only
married women wear “Ao Dai” in strong, rich colors, usually over white or black pants.

However, “Ao Dai” is rarely seen in places where manual work is practiced. The nineties saw a
real resurgence of ao dai. It has become standard and common attire for girl students as well as
female staff at offices and hotels. Traditionally, “Ao Dai” has become the most preferred dress
on formal occasions.

Today, “Ao Dai” has been a bit modified. Its length is cut shorter usually just below the knee.
Variations in the neck, between boat and mandarin style, are common. And even adventurous
alterations such as a low scooped neckline, puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are
appearing as ladies experiment with fashion. Color patterns are no longer rigidly controlled and
accesses to new fabrics have generated some dazzling results. However, most visitors to Vietnam
have highly appreciated local tailors' skills when making ao dai. It is hard to think of a more
elegant, demure and charming outfit, that suits Vietnamese women of different ages, than ao dai.
<b>2./ AO YEM .</b>

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(2)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=2>

Images of graceful girls in national charming
long dress have been a symbol of Vietnam.
However, looking back the historic development
of national dress, Vietnam not only has “Ao Dai”
but also “Ao Yem” – the indispensable dress of
ancient girls.

“Ao Yem” appeared in Vietnamese life in a very
old day, yet, not until Ly dynasty was it basically
shaped. During those days, “Ao Yem” was called
“Yem”. A very simple garment consisting of a
square piece of cloth with one corner cut away to
fit under the woman’s throat. This scrap of fabric
is secured across the chest and stomach within
strings. Traditionally, this halter-top was worn
beneath a shirt, the flaps of which were often left

unbuttoned to reveal “the ao yem”. Urban women
favoured white, pink or red ones, while those in
the suburb preferredbrown or beige, suited for their rustic environment.

Through the stream of history, “Ao Yem” was changing incessantly with improving design.
However the revolutions of “Ao Yem” only happened at the beginning of the last century when
western trousers and skirts entered Vietnam. In 17th_{century, “Ao Yem” did not have any big}
change of model. Entering 20th_{century, “Ao Yem” was used widespread with plentiful designs}
and models.

There is one kind of “Ao Yem”, which was often worn by ancient ladies, being called “Yem deo
bua”. Its name derived from the fact that it has a small pocket of musk beside, which was an
advantageous weapon of ancient ladies. Furthermore, “Ao Yem” created many original love
stories. In the old days, when a girl dated with her boyfriend, she put a piece of betel inside her
“Ao Yem”; it was called “khau trau dai yem”. Perhaps there is no kind of betel more
supernatural than this one.

It is an age-old dress which is maintained until today. “Ao Yem” was used by all levels of
society from working class to upper one. It was also used widespread in traditional festivals,
therefore becoming the national traditional clothes of ancient ladies. While the wearers may age,
the ao yem retains its timeless charm.

Today, the “Ao yem” is appreciated for its cultural and artistic values. On festive occasions,
women throughout Vietnam are embracing the ao yem and other traditional clothes with renewed
enthusiasm.

<b>3./ Vietnam has always been praised for the spirits against aggressive war by foreigners. </b>
<i><b>However, the nation is also the diversified culture cradle, one of which is the traditional </b></i>
<i><b>custom beauty. </b></i>

In feudal Vietnam, clothing was one of the most important marks of social status with strict

<i>dress codes</i>. The traditional clothing varied from region to region and partly reflected the

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(3)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=3>

As far as you may know, there are 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, each of which has unique and
specific styles of clothing. Unlike the colorful dressing of ethnic people on the plateau, the
traditional costumes of plainsman tend to be very simple and modest with different dressing
styles in Northern and Southern Vietnam.

The main traditional materials come from natural fiber that appropriate for a tropical climate
such as hemp, silk or cotton. The diversity and abundance of Vietnamese ethnic clothing cannot
be completely dealt with in this article so we will only introduce the traditional clothing of
plainsman.

In Northern Vietnam, the peasants prefer an upper garment and baggy cotton trousers that rolled
up above the knees to keep from getting wet from the water and mud from the rice fields. Hence,
they had a limited choice of similarly plain and simple clothes for everyday use as well as being
limited in the colors they were allowed to use. Therefore, men wear brown clothing with a piece
of cloth wrapped around the head and their footwear consists of a pair of plain sandals. Whereas,
women were in light brown-colored short shirts with long black skirts, their headgear consists of
a black turban with a peak at the front. For a period, commoners were not allowed to wear
clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white exception of special occasions such as
festivals. For formal ceremonies, men would have two additional items, a long gown with slits
on both side and a turban, usually in black or brown made of cotton or silk.

Peasants across the country also gradually came to wear silk pajama-like costumes, known as ao
canh in the North and ao ba ba in the South. The ao ba ba simply consists of a pair of silk pants
and a long-sleeved, button-down silk shirt. The shirt will be somewhat long and split at the sides
of the waist, forming two flaps with two typically two pockets. That garment's simplicity and
versatility has contributed to its popularity, as it can be worn while laboring or lounging by an

overwhelming amount of the population, whether in rural or urban areas.

Ao tu than or "4-part dress" is one example of an ancient
dress widely worn by commoner women from as early as the
12th century on to the early 20th century, along with the ao
<i>yem bodice. As Vietnam expanded Southward and slightly</i>
different cultures began to emerge between the regions, ao tu
<i>than gradually became associated specifically with Northern</i>
women. It was developed through the introduction of the
Chinese Hanfu clothing and considered one of the oldest
enduring Vietnamese cultural relics. Looking the picture, you
will see that unlike most modern colorful ao tu than, ancient
Vietnamese preferred more muted colors.

The most popular and widely-recognized Vietnamese national
costume is the ao dai, which is worn nowadays mostly by
women on special occasions such as weddings and funerals.
In fact, there is a similarity between ao dai and the Chinese
Qipao which consisting of a long gown with a slit on both

sides, worn over silk pants. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear, and likely derived in
the 18th century. Nowadays, white ao dai commonly can be seen with high school girls in
Vietnam or some female office workers like receptionists, secretaries, tour guides…

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(4)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=4></div>

<!--links-->
<a href='o/story.php?title=Vietnam-Traditional-Clothes---Ao-Yem-the-dress-of-ancient-girls'>“Ao Yem”</a>
Món ngon ngày Tết – Special food in Tet of Vietnamese people

• 2
• 787
• 1