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Áo dài (English:/ˈaʊˈzaɪ/;Vietnamese:[ʔaːw˧˦zaːj˨˩](North),[ʔaːw˦˥jaːj˨˩](South))[1][2] is a modernized Vietnamesenational garment consisting of a long splittunic worn over silk trousers. It can serve asformalwear for both men and women.Áo translates as shirt[3] anddài means "long".[4] The term can also be used to describe any clothing attire that consists of a long tunic, such asnhật bình.
There are inconsistencies in usage of the termáo dài. The currently most common usage is for aFrancized design byNguyễn Cát Tường (whose shop was named "Le Mur"), which is expressly a women's close-fitting design[5] whose shirt is two pieces of cloth sewn together and fastened withbuttons. A more specific term for this design would be "áo dài Le Mur".[6][7] Other writers, especially those who claim its "traditionality", useáo dài as a general category of garments for both men and women, and include older designs such asáo ngũ thân (five-piece shirt),áo tứ thân (four-piece shirt),áo tấc (loose shirt),áo đối khâm (parallel-flap robe),áo viên lĩnh (round-collar robe),áo giao lĩnh (cross-collar robe),áo trực lĩnh (straight-collar robe).[8]
The predecessor of theáo dài was derived by theNguyễn lords inPhú Xuân during 18th century.[9] This outfit was derived from theáo ngũ thân, a five-piece shirt commonly worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Theáo dài was later made to be form-fitting which was influenced by the French,Nguyễn Cát Tường and otherHanoi artists redesigned theáo dài as a modern shirt in the 1920s and 1930s.[10] The updated look was promoted by the artists and magazines ofTự Lực văn đoàn (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 byVietnamese women.[10] Theáo dài for women was extremely popular inSouth Vietnam in the 1960s and early 1970s. OnTết and other occasions, Vietnamese men may wear anáo gấm (brocade long shirt), a version of theáo dài made of very thick fabric and with sewed symbols.
Theáo dài has traditionally been marketed with a feminine appeal, with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants being popular in Vietnam and withoverseas Vietnamese.[11] However, the men version ofáo dài or modifiedáo dài are also worn during weddings or formal occasions. Theáo dài is one of the few Vietnamese words that appear in English-language dictionaries.[a] Theáo dài can be paired with thenón lá or thekhăn vấn.
For centuries, peasant women typically wore a halter top (yếm) underneath a blouse or overcoat, alongside a skirt (váy).[12] Aristocrats, on the other hand, favored a cross-collar robe calledáo giao lĩnh.[13][14][15] The followingLê dynasty also criticized women for violating Neo-Confucian dress norms, but only enforced thedress 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 theNguyễn lords ruling the south.[16] To distinguish the southern people from the northerners, in 1744, LordNguyễn Phúc Khoát ofHuế decreed that both men and women at his court wear trousers and a gown with buttons down the front.[10][b] The members of the southern court were thus distinguished from the courtiers of theTrịnh Lords in Hanoi, who woreáo giao lĩnh with long skirts.[14]
According to Lê Quý Đôn's record in the book "Phủ Biên Tạp Lục" (recording most of the important information about the economy and society of Đàng Trong for nearly 200 years), the áo dài (or rather, the forerunner of the áo dài) created by Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát based on Chinese Ming Dynasty costumes, by how to learn the method of making costumes in the book "Sāncái Túhuì" as the standard.[17]
Theáo 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 theiryếm underneath.
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Huế's Đồng Khánh Girls' High School, which opened in 1917, was widely praised for the áo dài uniform worn by its students.[18] 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 theáo 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.[19] 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. Theáo dài Le Mur, or "trendy" ao dai, created a sensation when model Nguyễn Thị Hậu wore it for a feature published by the newspaperToday in January 1935.[20] The style was promoted by the artists ofTự 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.[10] Trần Kim of Thiết Lập Tailors and Dũng of Dũng Tailors created a shirt withraglan sleeves and a diagonal seam that runs from the collar to the underarm.[10]Madame Nhu, first lady of South Vietnam, popularized aboat neck version beginning in 1958. The áo dài was most popular from 1960 to 1975.[21] A brightly coloredáo dài hippy was introduced in 1968. Theáo 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.[19]
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 theParis Peace Conference (1969–73) byViet Cong negotiatorNguyễn Thị Bình.[22] Yet Westernized versions of the shirt and those associated with "decadent" Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) of the 1960s and early 1970s were condemned.[23] Economic crisis, famine, and war with Cambodia combined to make the 1980s a fashion low point.[24] The áo dài was rarely worn except at weddings and other formal occasions, with the older, looser-fitting style preferred.[23] Overseas Vietnamese, meanwhile, kept tradition alive with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants (Hoa Hậu Áo Dài), the most notable one held annually inLong Beach, California.[10]
The áo dài experienced a revival beginning in late 1980s, when state enterprise and schools began adopting the áo dài as a uniform again.[10] In 1989, 16,000 Vietnamese attended a Miss Ao Dai Beauty Contest held in Ho Chi Minh City.[25] 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".[26] An "áo dài craze" followed that lasted for several years and led to wider use of the áo dài as a school uniform.[27]
No longer deemed politically controversial, áo dài fashion design is supported by the Vietnamese government.[24] It is often calledáo dài Việt Nam to link it to patriotic feelings. Designer Le Si Hoang is a celebrity in Vietnam and his shop in Ho Chi Minh City is the place to visit for those who admire the áo dài.[24] InHanoi, tourists get fitted with áo dài on Luong Van Can Street.[28] The elegant city ofHuế in the central region is known for its áo dài andnón lá (lit. 'leaf hat').
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 asschool uniforms. Companies often require their female staff to wear uniforms that include the áo dài, soflight attendants,receptionists, bank female staff, restaurant staff, and hotel workers inVietnam 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.[22] The shirt must be individually fitted and usually requires several weeks for a tailor to complete. Áo dài costs about $200 in theUnited States and about $40 in Vietnam.[29]
"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 theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[11] The difficulties of working while wearing áo dài link the garment to frailty and innocence, she wrote.[11] 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.[27]
The áo dài is featured in an array of Asian-themed or related movies. InGood Morning, Vietnam (1987),Robin Williams's character is wowed by áo dài-clad women when he first arrives inHo Chi Minh City. The 1992 filmsIndochine andThe Lover inspired several international fashion houses to design áo dài collections,[30] includingPrada's SS08 collection and aGiorgio Armani collection. In theVietnamese filmThe 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.[31] The Hanoi City Complex, a 65-story building now under construction, will have an áo dài-inspired design.[32] Vietnamese designers created áo dài for the contestants in theMiss Universe beauty contest, which was held July 2008 inNha Trang, Vietnam.[33] The most prominent annual Ao Dai Festival outside of Vietnam is held each year inSan 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 theáo 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.
Áo dài is the traditional attire of Vietnam, considered a symbol of the graceful and elegant beauty of Vietnamese women.[34] However, besides the praises,áo dài it is met with criticism from some.[35][36] One of the most common criticisms ofáo dài is excessive modernisation.[37][38] 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" ofáo dài.[39][40] They believe thatáo dài should keep its traditional style, material, and color, in order to enhance the gentle and elegant beauty ofVietnamese women.[41][42] Another criticism ofáo dài is the wearing ofáo dài in a way that is seen as offensive.[43][44][45] In recent years, there have been many cases of celebrities being criticized for wearing "offensive"áo dài.[46][47][48] They were accused of usingáo dài to show off their bodies, causing offense to the viewer.[49][50] In addition,áo dài is also criticized as being incompatible with modern life.[51][52]Áo dài is a traditional costume designed to be worn on formal occasions and festivals. However, in modern life, many people believe thatáo dài is not suitable for everyday activities, such as going to school, going to work, going out, etc.[53][54]
The áo dài is also similar in appearance to thecheongsam, 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.[13]
Áo dài is similar in appearance to theshalwar kameez andkurta of asIndia andPakistan 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.[55]
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