Ao dai - Vietnamese Traditional Dress

Introduction

Ao dai - Vietnamese Traditional Dress is a globally recognized traditional Vietnamese costume that holds the soul of the people, particularly women. It is not just a clothing type but also has significant cultural significance, making it a worthwhile learning experience for visitors to Vietnam. Paying a visit to Vietnam, it is worth wearing this elegant traditional dress, one way to emerge into Vietnamese culture. Let’s learn more about Ao Dai through this post! Let's explore Ao dai - Vietnamese Traditional Dress with The best Vietnam Tours Operator.

About Ao Dai - Vietnamese Traditional costume

The Ao Dai, Vietnam's national costume, is a long, tight-fitting silk tunic with bright colors and patterns, worn by aristocrats in the 18th century. Its modern appearance emerged in the 1920s at a Paris fashion show. The ao dai is associated with innocence, femininity, modesty, and refinement, and is one of the few Vietnamese words to have made it to English dictionaries. It is more commonly worn in southern Vietnam. As far as we know, each country has its costume that represents its cultural and spiritual identity. The same goes for Vietnam. The Vietnamese Women's dress is the country's national costume through many changes of the times. Even though countless types of costumes have been created, the traditional ao dai has never gone into the past. Above and beyond national pride, the meaning of conventional Vietnamese ao dai is also a testament to the country's longevity over time. Japanese kimonos, Indian sari, Scottish kilt, or Vietnamese ao dai... are traditional costumes that are always ranked as the most beautiful, impressive, and unique costumes.

The history of Ao Dai Vietnam

Ao Dao Linh

The history and appearance of the Ao Dai, a traditional Vietnamese shirt, is still unknown. Despite Chinese people's belief that it comes from the cheongsam, the ao dai has been around for thousands of years. The Giao Lanh ao dai, a primitive style of Vietnamese ao dai, emerged in 1444. The shirt is loose, slit on both sides, wide wrists, and heel-length, with four fabric panels, a colored belt, and a black skirt. King Nguyen Phuc Khoat ruled the southern region, while the north was governed by Lord Trinh in Hanoi. To distinguish between the two regions, King Nguyen Phuc Khoat required his assistants to wear long pants underneath a silk shirt, combining Han and Champa costumes.
Ao Tu Than Four-piece Ao Dai (17th century)
The Vietnamese Women's Museum houses a four-piece ao dai model, designed for women in productive labor. The Giao Lanh ao dai is a rustic and modest shirt, typically made in dark colors, symbolizing the four parents of a couple. Researchers and artifacts at the museum explain how this shirt was sewn separately for convenience.

Ao Tu Than Five-piece Ao Dai (during the reign of King Gia Long)
During King Gia Long's reign, the five-body shirt emerged, a symbol of aristocratic status in society. This shirt, with four flaps sewn into two, has a discreet lining on the front flap. The aristocratic Mandarin class often wore five-colored shirts to distinguish themselves from the working classes. The shirt has a wide shape, and collar, and was popular in the early twentieth century.

Lemur tunic

The Lemur ao dai, a modified version of Cat Tuong's five-piece ao dai, features two front and back flaps, a floor-length front flap, and a close-sewn shirt with straight sleeves and small hems. Named after Cat Tuong's French name, the shirt's buttons were opened to emphasize femininity. Popular until 1943, it was forgotten.

Le Pho ao dai

Le Pho, a Vietnamese artist, created a new combination of the four-body ao dai, a variation of the Lemur ao dai. She adapted the ao dai to fit Vietnamese women's bodies, increased shoulders and extended the hem to touch the ground. This made the ao dai more sexy, sophisticated, and attractive. After four years of popularity, Le Pho removed Western influences and replaced them with details from the four-piece ao dai, making the Vietnamese ao dai style highly renowned.

Raglan Ao Dai

The Raglan ao dai, also known as ao dai, was created in 1960 by Dung tailor in Dakao, Saigon. It features a close-fitting body-hugging design with diagonally connected arms, providing comfort and flexibility. The flaps are connected by buttons on the side, contributing to the style of Vietnamese ao dai. This type of ao dai is notable for its unique design.

Modern Ao Dai (1970 – present)

The fashion industry and globalization have led to the popularity of modern Ao Dai Vietnam, which retains its traditional beauty and original form. Made from various materials and paired with jeans or loose silk pants, it is worn on special occasions, traditional festivals, and weddings.

The significance of Vietnamese Ao Dai 

Vietnamese dresses, such as the Ao Dai, are not just traditional costumes but also a symbol of the country's identity and spirit. Throughout history, Vietnamese people have fought against foreign invasions to preserve cultural traditions, discipline, and family. The Ao Dai is a masterpiece of art, revealing hidden meanings about proper behavior and expressing the national identity and spirit of the country. Over a thousand years under Chinese domination and nearly a hundred years under French colonial rule, the Ao Dai exposed both Oriental and Western cultures. Despite challenges, it has become a symbol of women's pride and the "national soul" of Vietnamese women. The sensuous charm of the Ao Dai is not only a symbol of traditional costumes but also a cultural expression of perspectives and spiritual Vietnam. In essence, the Ao Dai represents the "national spirit" of women in Vietnam. Modern Vietnamese dresses are slim and close to the body, featuring two laps of dress from the neck to the ankles and wrapped around big legs with cuffs. To achieve a beautiful look, it is essential to know each person's body measurements and sew them manually in stores. The material used in these dresses is abundant and diverse, often decorated with lines or handmade patterns. In recent years, "Ao Dai" has incorporated ethnic culture with modern fashion elements, showcasing its uniqueness in performances at International Fashion Week, formal festivals, and beauty contests. Designers like Minh Hanh, Sy Hoang, Vo Viet Chung, and La Hang have contributed to the fame of Vietnam's dresses.