Áo dài – Covers Everything, but Hides Nothing

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Áo dài is a Vietnamese national costume that is worn by women. It is a two-piece traditional garment: a long-sleeved tight-fitting silk tunic, with slits along each side, worn over wide-legged pants.

The word is pronounced [ǎːwzâːj]. It literally means long padded coat and it is one of the very few Vietnamese words that occur in the English dictionaries. It was first used for naming the outfit worn at the court of the Nguyễn Lords at Huế in the 18th century. In early 1930s, a group of Vietnamese artists revived the former five-paneled aristocratic gown as a modern outfit, which was most popular from 1960 to 1975.

Besides its aesthetic function, this elegant yet demure piece of garment is also an indicator of social rank – áo dài is usually worn by women that have a higher social status on various occasions: at work, at school, or in other formal circumstances, especially on weddings and Tet. The color indicates the wearer's age and status. While young girls wear pure white, and older but single girls move into soft pastel shades, only married women wear it in strong, rich colors, usually over white or black pants.

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The áo dài can be worn with a nón lá (pointed leaf hat). On weddings and other formal occasions, a circular headgear called a khăn đóng is worn. The plain white áo dài is a common high-school uniform in the whole country, whereas in any other circumstances it is more popular in the South.

However, this traditional costume has evolved over time and kept with the latest trends in fashion: the high neck turned into a mandarin style, boat-neck collar or even deep plunge V-necks, the white tunic is now multicolored and shorter, and so on. Even if it fits the curves of the body, it’s still a conservative outfit.

Wearing a dress like that is not easy, despite the two slits on the sides. It is said that áo dài symbolizes frailty and innocence, while wearing it is a way of learning about modesty, caution, and refined manners. Can you imagine how hard it is for a woman to remain elegant and graceful while sailing on their bikes dressed like that? But it seems this special kind of dress flatters every figure. I will surely have one made for myself.

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Áo dài is readily available everywhere or you can have one made by any of the skillful tailors in Saigon. The second option is the safest bet, as the dress must be individually fitted. Miss Áo dài is a very popular brand in Vietnam. The average price for a custom made dress is $40.