Theo diis aVietnamesenational costume, now most commonly worn by women. In its current form, it is a tight-fittingsilktunic worn overpantaloons. The word is pronounced[w zj]in the North and[w jj]in the South.oclassifies the item as a piece of clothing on the upper part of the body.[1]Dimeans "long".[2]The word "ao dai" was originally applied to the outfit worn at the court of theNguyn LordsatHuin the 18th century. This outfit evolved into theo ng thn, a five-paneledaristocraticgownworn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Inspired by Paris fashions, Nguyn Ct Tng and other artists associated withHanoi Universityredesigned theng thnas a modern dress in the 1920s and 1930s.[3]The updated look was promoted by the artists and magazines ofT Lc vn on(Self-Reliant Literary Group) as a national costume for the modern era. In the 1950s,Saigondesigners tightened the fit to produce the version worn by Vietnamese women today.[3]The dress was extremely popular inSouth Vietnamin the 1960s and early 1970s. OnTtand other occasions, Vietnamese men may wear ano gm(brocaderobe), a version of the ao dai made of thicker fabric.Academic commentary on the ao dai emphasizes the way the dress ties feminine beauty to Vietnamese nationalism, especially in the form of "Miss Ao Dai" pageants, popular both amongoverseas Vietnameseand in Vietnam itself.[4]"Ao dai" is one of the few Vietnamese words that appear in English-language dictionaries.[nb 1]Early Modern Vietnam[edit]For centuries, peasant women typically wore a halter top (ym) underneath a blouse or overcoat, alongside a skirt (vy).[5]Influenced by the fashions of China's imperial court, aristocrats favored less revealing clothes.[6]In 1744, LordNguyn Phc KhotofHudecreed that both men and women at his court wear trousers and a gown with buttons down the front.[3][nb 2]WriterL Qu ndescribed the newfangled outfit as ano di(long garment).[nb 3]The members of the southern court were thus distinguished from the courtiers of theTrnh Lordsin Hanoi, who wore cross-collared tunics and long skirts.[7]19th century[edit]Theo t thn, a traditional four-paneled gown, evolved into the five-paneledo ng thnin the early 19th century.[7]Ngis Sino-Vietnamese for "five." It refers not only to the number of panels, but also to the five elements inoriental cosmology. Theo ng thnhad a loose fit and sometimes had wide sleeves. Wearers could display their prosperity by putting on multiple layers of fabric, which at that time was costly. Despite Vietnam's tropical climate, northern aristocrats were known to wear three to five layers.Two women wear o ng thn, the form of the ao dai worn in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuriesTheo ng thnhad two flaps sewn together in the back, two flaps sewn together in the front, and a "baby flap" hidden underneath the main front flap. The gown appeared to have two-flaps with slits on both sides, features preserved in the later ao dai. Compared to a modern ao dai, the front and back flaps were much broader and the fit looser. It had a high collar and was buttoned in the same fashion as a modern ao dai. Women could wear the dress with the top few buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of theirymunderneath.20th century[edit]Modernization of style[edit]Hu's ng Khnh Girl's High School, which opened in 1917, was widely praised for the ao dai uniform worn by its students.[8]The first modernized ao dai appeared at a Paris fashion show in 1921. In 1930, Hanoi artist Ct Tng, also known as Le Mur, designed a dress inspired by theo ng thnand by Paris fashions. It reached to the floor and fit the curves of the body by using darts and a nipped-in waist.[9]When fabric became inexpensive, the rationale for multiple layers and thick flaps disappeared. Modern texile manufacture allows for wider panels, eliminating the need to sew narrow panels together. Theo di Le Mur, or "trendy" ao dai, created a sensation when model Nguyn Th Hu wore it for a feature published by the newspaperTodayin January 1935.[10]The style was promoted by the artists of T Lc vn on ("Self-Reliant Literary Group") as a national costume for the modern era.[11]The painter L Ph introduced several popular styles of ao dai beginning in 1934. Such Westernized garments temporarily disappeared during World War II (193945).In the 1950s, Saigon designers tightened the fit of the ao dai to create the version commonly seen today.[3]Trn Kim of Thit Lp Tailors and Dng of Dng Tailors created a dress withraglan sleevesand a diagonal seam that runs from the collar to the underarm.[3]The infamousMadame Nhu, first lady of South Vietnam, popularized a collarless version beginning in 1958. The ao dai was most popular from 1960 to 1975.[12]A brightly coloredo di hippywas introduced in 1968.[13]Theo di mini, a version designed for practical use and convenience, had slits that extended above the waist and panels that reached only to the knee.[9]Communist period[edit]The ao dai has always been more common in the South than in the North. The communists, who gained power in the North in 1954 and in the South in the 1975, had conflicted feelings about the ao dai. They praised it as a national costume and one was worn to theParis Peace Conference(196873) byVietcongnegotiatorNguyn Th Bnh.[14]Yet Westernized versions of the dress and those associated with "decadent" Saigon of the 1960s and early 1970s were condemned.[15]Economic crisis, famine, and war with Cambodia combined to make the 1980s a fashion low point.[7]The ao dai was rarely worn except at weddings and other formal occasions, with the older, looser-fitting style preferred.[15]Overseas Vietnamese, meanwhile, kept tradition alive with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants (Hoa Hu o Di), the most notable one held annually inLong Beach, California.[3]The ao dai experienced a revival beginning in late 1980s, when state enterprise and schools began adopting the dress as a uniform again.[3]In 1989, 16,000 Vietnamese attended a Miss Ao Dai Beauty Contest held in Saigon.[16]When the Miss International Pageant in Tokyo gave its "Best National Costume" award to an ao dai-clad Trng Qunh Mai in 1995,Thi Trang Tr(New Fashion Magazine) gushed that Vietnam's "national soul" was "once again honored."[17]An "ao dai craze" followed that lasted for several years and led to wider use of the dress as a school uniform.[18]Present day[edit]No longer deemed politically controversial, ao dai fashion design is supported by the Vietnamese government.[7]It is often calledo di Vit Namto link it to patriotic feelings. Designer Le Si Hoang is a celebrity in Vietnam and his shop in Saigon is the place to visit for those who admire the dress.[7]In Hanoi, tourists get fitted with ao dai on Luong Van Can Street.[19]The elegant city ofHuin the central region is known for its ao dai,nn l(leaf hats), and well-dressed women.The ao dai is now standard for weddings, for celebrating Tt and for other formal occasions. A plain white ao dai is a common high schoolschool uniformin the South. Companies often require their female staff to wear uniforms that include the ao dai, soflight attendants,receptionists, bank female staff, restaurant staff, and hotel workers in Vietnam may be seen wearing it.The most popular style of ao dai fits tightly around the wearer's uppertorso, emphasizing her bust and curves. Although the dress covers the entire body, it is thought to be provocative, especially when it is made of thin fabric. "The ao dai covers everything, but hides nothing", according to one saying.[14]The dress must be individually fitted and usually requires several weeks for a tailor to complete. An ao dai costs about $200 in the United States and about $40 in Vietnam.[20]"Symbolically, the ao dai invokes nostalgia and timelessness associated with a gendered image of the homeland for which many Vietnamese people throughout the diaspora yearn", wrote Nhi T. Lieu, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin.[4]The difficulties of working while wearing an ao dai link the dress to frailty and innocence, she wrote.[4]Vietnamese writers who favor the use of the ao dai as a school uniform cite the inconvenience of wearing it as an advantage, a way of teaching students feminine behavior such as modesty, caution, and a refined manner.[18]The ao dai is featured in an array of Vietnam-themed or related movies. InGood Morning, Vietnam(1987),Robin Williams's character is wowed by ao dai-clad women when he first arrives in Saigon. The 1992 filmsIndochineandThe Loverinspired several international fashion houses to design ao dai collections,[21]includingPrada's SS08 collection and aGeorgio Armanicollection. In theVietnamese filmThe White Silk Dress(2007), an ao dai is the sole legacy that the mother of a poverty-stricken family has to pass on to her daughters.[22]The Hanoi City Complex, a 65-story building now under construction, will have an ao dai-inspired design.[23]Vietnamese designers created ao dai for the contestants in theMiss Universebeauty contest, which was held July 2008 inNha Trang, Vietnam.[24]o b ba(or Vietnamesesilkpajamas) is a traditionalVietnamesecostume. It is most associated with southern Vietnam, especially in rural areas.Theo b basimply 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. In the front of the shirt at the very bottom are typically two pockets.Usage[edit]The garment's simplicity and versatility has contributed to its popularity, as it is used by an overwhelming amount of the population, whether in rural or urban areas. It can be worn while laboring or lounging.Modern versions allow countless different designs, colors, and embroidery, which have allowed the costume's transition into modern Vietnamese fashion as well.All of this makes it easy to explain the costume's natural presence in almost every aspect of Vietnamese life.Theo t thnor 4-part dress is one of several traditionalVietnamesecostumes. It is related to theo ng thnwhich translates as "5-part dress."[1]History[edit]\The o t thn is considered one of Vietnam's enduring relics, having been worn widely by women centuries before theo Di. As Vietnam expanded southward, o T Thn gradually became associated specifically with northern women.The Dress[edit]The o t thn was the dress of peasant women, which explains why it was often made with plain fabric in dark colors, except when it was to be worn at special occasions such as festivals or weddings. Regardless of its many different forms, the basic o t thn consists of: A flowing outer tunic, reaching almost to the floor. It is open at the front, like a jacket. At the waist the tunic splits into two flaps: a full flap in the back (made up of two flaps sewn together) and the two flaps in the front which are not sewn together but can be tied together or left dangling. A long skirt, worn under the tunic. Ym, an ancient bodice worn as an undergarment by women. It comes in many fabrics and colors, worn under the skirt and outer tunic. A silk sash which is tied at the waist as a belt.o T Thn in modern-day Vietnam (worn almost exclusively in northern-related festivals) tends to be extremely colorful, using differenthuesthroughout the dress, from the tunic to the bodice and the skirt.The o t thn and its place in modern-day Vietnam[edit]o T Thn is now obsolete in terms of its daily use in Vietnam. However, it can be seen often in traditional occasions such as festivals, especially in northern Vietnam.In southern Vietnam, the simpler silk pajamas costumeo B Bais preferred for day-to-day use.20th Century[edit]From the twentieth century onwardVietnamese peoplehave also worn clothing that is popular internationally. The o di was briefly banned after thefall of Saigonbut made a resurgence.[2]Now it is worn in white by high school girls in Vietnam. It is also worn by receptionists and secretaries.[citation needed]Styles differ in northern and southern Vietnam.[3]The current formal national dress is theo difor women, suits oro thefor men.Vietnamese Ymrefers to an ancientVietnamesebodiceused primarily as anundergarmentthat was once worn by Vietnamese women across all classes. There exists a modern variant called "o ym", but the historical garment was simply called "ym". It was most usually worn underneath a blouse or overcoat, for modesty's sake.It is a simple garment with many variations from its basic form, which is a simple, usually diamond or square-cut piece of cloth draped over a woman's chest with strings to tie at the neck and back.History[edit]Ym is similar to a garment calledd du(Chinese:) that existed in ancient China. The origin of the ym is still unknown to many historians and scholars.[1][2]Theymhas been worn by northern Vietnamese women traditionally. Unlike other Vietnamese clothing that helped to segregate the classes,ymwere worn as an undergarment by Vietnamese women of all walks of life, from peasant women toiling in the fields to imperial consorts.It is an integral part of theo t thncostume, which it is often worn underneath.Different types[edit]While it was worn across classes, the material and colors used to make ym varied widely based upon the person's rank and the occasion. Commoner women usually wore ym in simple blacks and whites for day to day use, whereas during special occasions they could opt for more festive, brighter colors such as red and pink. Indeed, much of Vietnamese poetry has been dedicated to the beauty of women in their "ym o", or vermilion bodices.While the bottom of the ym are v-shaped, there were different styles for the top of the garment which covered the neck, the most common two variations being the rounded neck or the v-shaped neck style.Some types of ym have a little pocket within, where women often used to store a littlemuskorperfume.In modern Vietnam[edit]AsWesternizationreached Vietnam, by the 20th century women increasingly abandoned the ym for theWestern bra.Fashion designers, in their constant quest to revitalize interest in traditional costumes as well as reinvent the latter have created many new collections of ym. The modernized form of the garment is slightly different and is called "o ym" rather than simply "ym", the latter referring to the historical garment. o ym has proven to be quite popular with young women, perhaps due to its similarity to the Westernhalter top.