Áo dài
The Áo dài ( German long top ) is the national costume in Vietnam . In the north of the country it is pronounced 'Ao Sai' and in the south, from Hu , 'Ao Yai'. It consists of a knee-length or ankle-length silk dress, slit up over the hips on both sides, under which long, mostly wide-cut, white silk trousers are worn.
The Áo dài is considered to be the traditional female garment in Vietnam. In the middle and south of the country it is also seen as a school uniform, in the north it is worn more on festive occasions. It can also be worn by men, but this only happens today at certain ceremonial celebrations in order to emphasize the preservation of the national tradition. This can be seen particularly in the province of Bắc Ninh . The male version of the Buddhist monks and for civil porters is made of cotton and is called Áo the , the historical silk variant for aristocratic circles Áo gấm .
history
The preform of the Áo dài was called Áo tứ thân and has been described since the beginning of the 12th century. When the temperature was hot, women only wore one Áo tứ thân , when it was cool, three dresses were worn on top of each other. This combination was called Áo mớ ba ( three-way dress ). In winter 6 or 7 of these thin dresses were worn on top of each other - Áo mớ bảy . The combination of translucent colors in these arrangements testified to the taste and style of the wearer.
Early versions of the Áo dài , Áo Ngũ Thân called, date back to the early 18th century and were on the traditional Chinese woman's garment Cheongsam ajar. The current form of the Áo dài , however, was designed in the 1930s by the Vietnamese designer Cát Tường and was first called Áo tân thời ( modern dress ). In the mid-1980s, after years of being forgotten , the Áo dài achieved another breakthrough in the fashion world in Vietnam when it surprisingly appeared in a beauty contest in 1982 with a candidate - who also won by a few votes.
variants
The Áo bà ba or silk pajamas is a traditional female clothing and is mostly worn in southern Vietnam, especially in rural areas. It consists of wide-cut silk trousers and a long-sleeved, buttoned silk blouse or tunic without a collar. This is cut a little longer and usually has short slits on the sides, and often has two pockets at the lower front. The variant from the north is the Áo cánh , which is slightly shorter and less waisted and also worn with short sleeves in summer , which used to be combined with a skirt. A shape suitable for daily work is the Chiếc áo (shirt) made of coarser fabrics.
Another piece of clothing typical of the country is the Áo Y früherm , formerly just called Yếm , a backless top held by a neck band , which women of all classes usually wore as an undergarment . It is inspired by the Chinese Dù Dōu (肚兜) and there were numerous variations of the basic form.
Materials and colors
Generally pastel colors are preferred, at most with an inconspicuous pattern. Currently, in addition to the primary material silk, velvet and other materials are also often processed. The fabrics can be colored, painted or embroidered. The trousers are usually made of shiny deburred silk and are cut about waist-high (height of the slits). White is the preferred color, but popular combinations are often bought , especially for colored Áo dài (red / gold, blue / black, same color - different brightness).
The Áo dài in white is the school uniform in many high schools , but is often only worn two or three days a week, as well as on special occasions. Often a sign of the school with the name of the wearer and her grade is attached at chest level. On the other days, the school uniform consists of dark blue, long trousers and a white blouse, which also carries such a sign. In addition to the white or pastel-colored dresses worn by the students, stronger colors are often found on people in representative positions or on special occasions. Dark colors are more commonly worn by older women. Red Áo dài with rich gold decorations and the traditional ring-shaped headdress are often worn at weddings .
Prices
The price for an Áo dài is between 20 and several hundred euros, depending on the material and extent of the decorations. Although it is possible to buy an Áo dài off the rack, it is preferred to have a tailor made it to fit. Both the dress and the pants are designed in such a way that they can later be adjusted by a few centimeters in almost all places, making the investment in this figure-hugging garment more permanent.
Worth mentioning
At the closing photo for the 18th APEC summit on November 19, 2006 in Hanoi, the participating heads of state traditionally wore the typical national garb, in this case the Áo dài.
The war drama Áo lụa Hà Đông (about “The White Silk Dress ”), published in Vietnam in 2007, addresses the cultural significance of the Áo dài as a symbol of the spirit and attitude of Vietnamese women.
Schoolgirls in the Áo dài in HMC
Students from Hanoi University of Technology
Áo dài women in Hanoi
Embroidered Áo dài
Heads of government in Áo dài, November 2006 in Hanoi
