Vietnamese traditional long dress (Áo dài)

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• published: 15 Dec 2010
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Music : Diễm Xưa (Piano & Guitar version) Composer : Trịnh Công Sơn The traditional dress for women in Vietnam is the costume that is called "Ao Dai" (pronounced "ow' yai" or "ow' zai") literally meaning "Long Dress". 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. Nowadays, Ao Dai is a two-piece garment made of fabric, full-length dress worn over loose silk trousers reaching all the way to the ground. The dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down. The dress length seems to be gradually shortening and today is 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. Women wear Ao Dai of various colors, often with intricate patterns and designs, in formal or work settings. Schoolgirls wear pure white, fully lined outfits symbolizing their purity. Original design of Ao dai Ao dai is literally the women's national dress of Vietnam. It is a contoured, full-length dress worn over black or white loose-fitting trousers. The dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down. There are many stylish variations in color and collar design. Originally, the ao dai was loosely tailored with four panels, two of which were tied in back. In 1932, a nationalistic literacy group called the Tu Luc Van Doan designed what is essentially now the ao dai. A similar costume is worn by the men and is also called an ao dai. However, the man's dress is shorter (knee length) and more loose-fitting. The color of the brocade and the embroidered dragon were worn only by the Emperor. Purple was the color reserved for high ranking mandarins while the blue was worn by those mandarins of lower rank. The dresses for mourning have frayed fringes a line up the back and may be either white or black, although white is the standard color for mourning. Ao dai as a national symbol of Vietnam To the Vietnamese people, ao dai has always been synonymous with grace, and beauty. Throughout the many trials and tribulation of Vietnam's history, the ao dai remained unchanged in its symbolism and the image it conjures in the hearts of all Vietnamese. Today, due to its timelessness, the ao dai remained the national dress for both Vietnamese men and women. The ao dai and what it represents transcends all ages and it reaches the lives of people from all walks of life. To the Vietnamese people, rich or poor, the ao dai is still the dress of choice on social occasion and enjoys a preference on special occasions as well. Ao dai, an endless stream of emotion Since the dawn of Vietnamese literature and music, poets and musicians alike have expound the beauty of the ao dai and the grace and beauty it brings to people who wears it. Nowhere in modern literature does an article of clothing have the power to conjure drama, romance and fate like the ao dai in Vietnamese literature. Symbolically, one can argue that Vietnam is ao dai and ao dai is Vietnam. Although the trends in fashion brought to the traditional ao dai many changes in terms of materials and western influences, the ao dai remains a timeless article of clothing that has the strength to unify people. Ao Dai, from an international point of view It is an elegant, demure, and yet sexy outfit that suits people of all ages. Anthony Grey described the Ao Dai in his novel Saigon as "demure and provocative... women seemed not to walk but to float gently beneath the tamarinds on the evening breeze.". The Ao Dai covers everything but its thin fabric hides almost nothing! That's true, Ao Dai is so charming and so sexy.