Vietnamese traditional dress-ÁO DÀI (the long dress)

Hi everybody!


Today is a special day for all Vietnamese women .It’s the 20th October. Vietnamese people tend to have the second day apart from those international days of celebrating .Like there are two children’s days in Vietnam, the first one is that international day of children, knows as the 1st June. As well as for women, apart from the 8th March there is also another day for women. It’s today-the 20th October(Vietnamese women's day). As a tradition, all female don’t have to do anything in this day, they can afford to do whatever they want .To beat their husband, boyfriend is also possible! They tend to get some presents and flowers from the other members of their family.


I want to tell you about the Vietnamese traditional dress called Ao Dai that is known as one of those mysterious things of Vietnam. This article was written by my friend Thanh Thuy, a cheerful girl with a sweet heart .Though I have never met her in person but I feel her very closely to me. Like my sister she always gives me a lot of advice. I want to thank her so much for the nice pictures and explanations of wearing Ao Dai.


1/foreword
Have you ever heard about Vietnamese traditional dress? It have been given a name which is so simple, unpretentious but elegant and luxurious – Ao Dai
Ao Dai can’t be translated to another language in the world as its special symbol that no country has Ao Dai like Viet Nam.


The Ao Dai is created like an art and fascination that never grows boring… It’s not only the inspiration for fashion but also for poetry, music, paintings and movies.
Ms. James Sterson, an American envoy said there wasn’t any country in the world that has a national costume which is beautiful, traditional and deep in cultural beauty such as Vietnam long dress.
The Ao Dai is not only a costume but also a glorious mark in the Vietnamese culture or a symbol of the national character and the Vietnamese spirit: “Under any circumstances, people develop human quintessence and get rid of bad things to further promote beauty and maintain independence “ The Ao Dai is proudly cosmetic symbol of the Vietnamese people

b) Some feature about traditional clothing of Vietnamese women .
In the long history of the country, the Vietnamese nation always had to fight against the invaders to be everlasting and protect traditional values on culture and family rules. Ao Dai is wonderful artistic work of the nation. Beside its elegance, the structure of Ao Dai also implies the teaching meaning of “ Proper behavior “ of our ancestors.

Ao Dai is also the result of the national character and Vietnamese spirits. Over one thousand years of domination by the Northern invanders, nearly hundred years of French colonialism, Ao Dai already communicated with 2 strong cultures of humans Eastern (China) and Western (France). Ao Dai has overcome every challenge to become the traditional clothes, a symbol of women, the pride of the Vietnamese nation. We should respect, protect and take a loving care of precious heritages of our ancestors and continue to develop good traditions of our ancestors.

Ao Dai – traditional clothing of Vietnamese women, which embreces the body, has high collar and knee-length panels. It is split in the hip, which is sexy and attractive, not scanty but still shows the line of the body of a young girl. “ Wherever there are Vietnamese Ao Dais”. It is not only the traditional costume but Ao Dai is also a cultural feature expressing the outlook on life and Vietnam spirits. In other words, it is the nation spirit of the Vietnamese women.
3) Ao Dai- a simple and elegant beauty in the daily life.

Unlike Japanese Kimonos, South Korean Hanboks or Sais, traditional costume of Indian women, people wearing Ao Dai don’t take much time for it but still look tidy, charming and elegant, therefore, Ao Dai has penetrated into the daily life of Vietnamese women naturally and easily.

Nothing looks more beautiful and peaceful than the image of every morning, each group of girls in write Ao Dai uniforms to enter the school gates very gracefully. On the long airway with the changes in the climate and weather, the image of young Vietnamese girls being charmed in their Ao Dai is the soul to ease the tiredness of the passengers in the flight. Nevertheless, nowadays, at the offices, it’s easy to see the image of being tidy in their Ao Dais but are active in solving working matters neatly and well. It’s true with an assessment of a south East Asian fashion expert: “Vietnamese Ao Dai creates the comfort for women and allows people wearing it to freely act and has more attraction “
Through ups and downs with many disguises, Ao Dai sometimes look so strange in its very big size(in the early 19th century), sometimes it has high collar and close-chest collar, sometimes has above knee-length panels, sometimes under ankle-length panels…..It is made of silk, raw silk, or tussore…… to sum up, an Ao Dai is always available in the wardrobe of young Vietnamese girls. Ao Dais and Vietnamese women, a gentle attachment as the silk cord but it’s quite tight and enduring. Young Vietnamese girls in their pure Ao Dais go to school and are stately in the uniforms in the eyes of foreign partners in the beauty contest.
When we add a brimmed craft around on the head like a crown with an overcoat, it will combine with each other to create a dress uniform “ queen” for the bride on the wedding day

When becoming a mother, taking daughters to get married and picking up daughter-in-law….velvet or silk Ao Dais makes mothers more luxurious and stately….

In parties, Vietnamese Ao Dai is always unique and splendid competed with foreign costume.

Therefore, Ao Dais are never back to date. Designer seem always to have aspirations to make Ao Dais more attractive. Whatever changes may have, Ao Dais still need to keep its natures. It is not scanty but the bending line in the body of young girls should be seen, which is quite simple and elegant.
Nowadays, Ao Dais appear every where in the world. Vietnamese oversea women show their love to the country through Ao Dais. A symbolic example is Miss Asia USA contest and Jennifer Pham who showed Vietnamese spirit and make so special impression when wearing Vietnamese traditional dress was winner

Many foreign visitors have good impression on Vietnamese Ao Dais, they feel being warmly welcome when the image of Ao Dais flowing in the wind in the airports. It’s pity for those who travel to Vietnam without bringing back an Ao Dai as a souvenir to show off with those who have never been to Vietnam. Ao Dai is deserved to be called “ the Vietnam charming feature”

c) Ao Dai is more and more famous in the world.
In June 2001, this is first time “ Ao Dai” has been introduced in tour city (France) with a large number of approximately 300 Vietnamese cultural lovers. Ao Dai is considered an intangible cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people, A Singapore girl, originally Chinese native said: “ many people tend to make beauty under the western style, however, as for me and some want to inherit East Asian beauty. Ao Dai help us come back to Asian values”. In Asia bloc in particular and in western bloc in generally, much attention has been paid to “ Ao Dai”




Take Susan, a British woman living in Australia for example. She worked in Vietnam and had three set of “ Ao Dai” to wear on great carnival. When she has returned her homeland, she wraps them up neatly and only wears them on special carnival. Asa means of introducing the country and the Vietnamese people, KBS- a famous south Korean television station – has ever made a 30 minutes film on Vietnamese Ao Dai broadcast in this country.



In the last few years, Ao Dai have been renovated in harmony with the national cultural characters and modern fashion styles, creating an unique beauty for the national Dress at weekly international fashion shows, Miss contests in the nation and the world and other great festival.

Thanks for all your contributions. This blog has now closed and can no longer accept new comments.