Áo dài

thumb|A woman wearing modernized version of white

(; , , lit. “long tunic”) is a traditional Vietnamese outfit consisting of a long split tunic worn over silk trousers. It can serve as formalwear for both men and women.

There are inconsistencies in the term . The currently most common usage is for a Francized design by (whose shop was named "Le Mur"), which is expressly a women's close-fitting design whose shirt is two pieces of cloth sewn together and fastened with buttons. A more specific term for this design would be " Le Mur". Other writers, especially those who claim its "traditionality", use as a general category of garments for both men and women, and include older designs such as (five-piece shirt), (four-piece shirt), (loose shirt), (parallel-flap robe), (round-collar robe), (cross-collar robe), (straight-collar robe).

History

The predecessor of the was derived by the Nguyễn lords in during 18th century. This outfit was derived from the , a five-piece shirt commonly worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The was later made to be form-fitting which was influenced by the French, and other Hanoi artists redesigned the as a modern shirt in the 1940s and 1950s. The updated look was promoted by the artists and magazines of (Self-Reliant Literary Group) as a national costume for the modern era. In the 1950s, Saigon designers tightened the fit to produce the version worn by Vietnamese women. When the Ming dynasty occupied Đại Việt during the Fourth Era of Northern Domination in 1407, it forced the women to wear Chinese-style pants. The following Lê dynasty also criticized women for violating Neo-Confucian dress norms, but only enforced the dress code haphazardly, so skirts and halter tops remained the norm. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Vietnam was divided into northern and southern realms, with the Nguyễn lords ruling the south. To distinguish the southern people from the northerners, in 1744, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát of Huế decreed that both men and women at his court wear trousers and a gown with buttons down the front.

19th century

The áo ngũ thân (five-piece shirt) had 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 áo dài. Compared to a modern áo dài, the front and back flaps were much broader and the fit looser and much shorter. It had a high collar and was buttoned in the same fashion as a modern áo dài. Women could wear the shirt with the top few buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of their yếm underneath.

20th century

thumb|In the 1930s, áo dài was considered a progressive innovation compared to the traditional [[áo ngũ thân]]

Modernization of style

thumb|The "four great beauties of Hanoi" in Le Mur style áo dài, 1938

Huế's Đồng Khánh Girls' High School, which opened in 1917, was widely praised for the áo dài uniform worn by its students. The first modernized áo dài appeared at a Paris fashion show in 1921. In 1930, Hanoi artist Cát Tường, also known as Le Mur, designed a shirt inspired by the áo ngũ thân and by Paris fashions. It reached to the floor and fit the curves of the body by using darts and a nipped-in waist. When fabric became inexpensive, the rationale for multiple layers and thick flaps disappeared. Modern textile manufacture allows for wider panels, eliminating the need to sew narrow panels together. The áo dài Le Mur, or "trendy" ao dai, created a sensation when model Nguyễn Thị Hậu wore it for a feature published by the newspaper Today in January 1935. The style was promoted by the artists of Tự Lực văn đoàn ("Self-Reliant Literary Group") as a national costume for the modern era. The painter Lê Phô introduced several popular styles of ao dai beginning in 1934. Such Westernized garments temporarily disappeared during World War II (1939–45).

In the 1950s, Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) designers tightened the fit of the áo dài to create the version commonly seen today. A brightly colored áo dài hippy was introduced in 1968. The áo dài mini, a version designed for practical use and convenience, had slits that extended above the waist and panels that reached only to the knee.

Under communism

The áo dài 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 1975, had conflicted feelings about the áo dài. They praised it as a national costume and one was worn to the Paris Peace Conference (1969–73) by Viet Cong negotiator Nguyễn Thị Bình. The áo dài was rarely worn except at weddings and other formal occasions, with the older, looser-fitting style preferred. Overseas Vietnamese, meanwhile, kept tradition alive with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants (Hoa Hậu Áo Dài), the most notable one held annually in Long Beach, California. When the Miss International Pageant in Tokyo gave its "Best National Costume" award to an áo dài-clad Trương Quỳnh Mai in 1995, Thời Trang Trẻ (New Fashion Magazine) claimed that Vietnam's "national soul" was "once again honored". An "áo dài craze" followed that lasted for several years and led to wider use of the áo dài as a school uniform.

Present day

thumb|A boy wearing áo dài

No longer deemed politically controversial, áo dài fashion design is supported by the Vietnamese government. The elegant city of Huế in the central region is known for its áo dài and nón lá ().

The áo dài is now a standard for weddings, for celebrating Tết and for other formal occasions. It is the required uniform for female teachers (mostly from high school to below) and female students in common high schools in the South; there is no requirement for color or pattern for teachers while students use plain white or with some small patterns like flowers for use as school uniforms. Companies often require their female staff to wear uniforms that include the áo dài, so flight attendants, receptionists, bank female staff, restaurant staff, and hotel workers in Vietnam may be seen wearing it.

The most popular style of áo dài fits tightly around the wearer's upper shirt, emphasizing her bust and curves. Although the shirt covers the entire body, it is thought to be provocative, especially when made of thin fabric. "The áo dài covers everything, but hides nothing", according to one saying. The shirt must be individually fitted and usually requires several weeks for a tailor to complete. Áo dài costs about $200 in the United States and about $40 in Vietnam.

"Symbolically, the áo dài 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. The difficulties of working while wearing áo dài link the garment to frailty and innocence, she wrote. Vietnamese writers who favor the use of the áo dài 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.

The áo dài is featured in an array of Asian-themed or related movies. In Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Robin Williams's character is wowed by áo dài-clad women when he first arrives in Ho Chi Minh City. The 1992 films Indochine and The Lover inspired several international fashion houses to design áo dài collections, including Prada's SS08 collection and a Giorgio Armani collection. In the Vietnamese film The White Silk Dress (2007), an áo dài is the sole legacy that the mother of a poverty-stricken family has to pass on to her daughters. The Hanoi City Complex, a 65-story building now under construction, will have an áo dài-inspired design. Vietnamese designers created áo dài for the contestants in the Miss Universe beauty contest, which was held July 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam. The most prominent annual Ao Dai Festival outside of Vietnam is held each year in San Jose, California, a city that is home to a large Vietnamese American community. This event features an international array of designer áo dài under the direction of festival founder, Jenny Do.

In recent years, a shorter, more modern version of the áo dài, known as the áo dài cách tân, is often worn by the younger generation. This modern áo dài has a shorter front and back flap, hitting just below the knees.

Criticism

Áo dài is the traditional attire of Vietnam, considered a symbol of the graceful and elegant beauty of Vietnamese women. However, besides the praises, it is met with criticism from some. One of the most common criticisms of is excessive modernisation. In recent years, the modernised type has become very popular, with a variety of styles, materials, and colors. However, some people believe that excessive modernisation has eroded the "traditional beauty" of . They believe that should keep its traditional style, material, and color, in order to enhance the gentle and elegant beauty of Vietnamese women. Another criticism of is the wearing of in a way that is seen as offensive. In recent years, there have been many cases of celebrities being criticized for wearing "offensive" . They were accused of using to show off their bodies, causing offense to the viewer. In addition, is also criticized as being incompatible with modern life. is a traditional costume designed to be worn on formal occasions and festivals. However, in modern life, many people believe that is not suitable for everyday activities, such as going to school, going to work, going out, etc.

Similar garments

The áo dài is also similar in appearance to the cheongsam, both consisting of a long robe with side splits on both sides of the robe, with one of the main differences typically being the height of the side split.

Áo dais is similar in appearance to the shalwar kameez and kurta of as India and Pakistan as they are both forms of clothing consisting of a long split tunic worn over trousers. The main difference is that the áo dài usually has a row of buttons that cross from the neck down to the hips while the rest of the garments have a row of buttons in the front.

Gallery

File:Cinq sœurs à Hanoï, 1950s.jpg|Five Hanoi sisters wearing Áo dài, 1950s

File:Áo dài & khăn đóng2.jpg|Saigon old man wearing traditional Áo dài and Khăn vấn, Tết 1963

File:Student ice.jpg|A female student wearing Áo dài

File:Hai thiếu nữ mặc áo dài.jpg|Two woman wearing pink Áo dài

File:Aodai in Purple.JPG|The female students wearing purple Áo dài

File:KOCIS Korea Hanbok-AoDai FashionShow 03 (9766157012).jpg|A woman wearing cyan Áo dài

File:Áo Dài 2014.jpg|A woman wearing violet Áo dài and Nón lá

File:Lady in white ao dai, Hanoi (18538703922).jpg|A young girl wearing white Áo dài and holding Nón lá

File:Áo dài (31387189530).jpg|A woman wearing red Áo dài

File:Áo dài (33645199761).jpg|Two women wearing blue Áo dài

File:Áo dài - 49541606632.jpg|A girl wearing white Áo dài

File:PHA 9815.jpg|A woman wearing yellow Áo dài

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Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

History of the Vietnamese Long Dress
The Evolution of the Ao Dai Through Many Eras, Gia Long Alumni Association of Seattle, 2000
Vietnam: Mini-Skirts & Ao-Dais. A video that shows what the women of Saigon wore in 1968