Ao Dai is the traditional costume of Vietnamese people which is really well-known around the world. In Vietnam, Ao Dai is not only a kind of clothes, but it also holds the soul of Vietnamese people, especially Vietnamese women. Because of its importance and huge meaning in Vietnamese culture, it is worthy to learn about Ao Dai Vietnam if you plan to come to this country.

This article will give you everything you need to know about Ao Dai Vietnam from history and cultural meaning to tips when buying or wearing Ao Dai Vietnam. Let’s get started.

I. The history of Ao Dai Vietnam

Ao Dai Vietnam had created hundreds of years ago. At first, it is just worn by a group of Vietnamese people but then, it is more and more popular and become the national costume of Vietnam. Also, through time, the shape and design of Ao Dai Vietnam have changed a lot. Now, let’s see the highlight history of Ao Dai Vietnam for both women and men.

1. History of Ao Dai Vietnam for women

a. The primitive version – Ao Giao Lanh (around the 17th century)

Ao Giao Lanh is considered the earliest version of Ao Dai Vietnam which is recorded. This was a four-piece dress, wearing with a long black skirt and a colored fabric belt to tie around the waist.

b. Ao Tu Than (18th century – early 20th century)

Because of the convenience for farming and trading, Vietnamese people turned “Ao Giao Lanh” into a neat four-piece dress with two front flaps which is can be tied together. Ao Tu Than was mixed with a long skirt, a “Yem” – an ancient bodice like an undergarment of women and silk belt tied at the waist. This was the daily clothes for working class so Ao Tu Than was made from dark fabric to avoid getting dirty.

Meanwhile, urban women in Vietnam worn Ao Ngu Than (a five-piece dress) to distinguish themselves from the lower class. Ao Ngu Than looked like Ao Tu Than but two front flaps and two back flaps were sewn together, the fifth flap was hidden underneath the front flap. With this design, Ao Ngu Than became more charming and swanky. Therefore, this kind of Ao Dai was absolutely popular with the rich until the 20th century.  

c. Ao Dai Lemur (1939 – 1943)

Ao dai Lemur | Source: Ao dai Hanh

In 1939, a big breakthrough of Ao Dai from Ao Tu Than was made by Cat Tuong Artist. While, in the past, Ao Tu Than was like the traditional loose and baggy dress, Cat Tuong Artist changed the significantly its style to hug the curve of the body and added many western details such as puff sleeves, heart-shaped neck, and ribbons. Also, this new style of Ao Dai was worn with the white pants, a purse, an umbrella, and high heels. Is was named Ao Dai Lemur because Lemur is the French name of its designer – Cat Tuong Artist. However, Ao Dai Lemur is considered indecent and against traditional values, so only some modern women dared to wear it. Gradually, Ao Dai Lemur was forgotten.

d. Ao Dai Mrs. Nhu (the early 1960s)

In 1958, Mrs. Nhu (known as Mrs. Tran Le Xuan) who was the wife of Ngo Dinh Nhu – Chief Political Adviser of Ngo Dinh Diem, President of South Vietnam’s First Republic designed a new version of Ao Dai. It was an open-necked dress decorated with elegant patterns on the fabric. Ao Dai Mrs. Nhu was very popular because it was more charming and extremely suitable with the hot weather of Southern Vietnam. However, it was strongly criticized as it was against the traditions and customs of Vietnamese people at that time.

e. Tight Waisted Ao Dai (1960 – 1970)

In this period, Ao Dai became more fashionable. Therefore, Tight Waisted Ao Dai was widely popular among open-mind women in the urban areas as it could tone up their body curves. Also, for practical use and convenience, a mini version of Tight Wasted Ao Dai was designed with panels that reached only to the knee. This mini version was used mostly by female students.

f. Modern Ao Dai (1970 – present)

Modern Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Robert Metz on Unsplash

With the development of the fashion industry and the effect of the globalization, nowadays, the modern Ao Dai Vietnam becomes more fashionable and more popular, but it still retains its traditional beauty and original form. Modern Ao Dai can be made from a diversity of materials and mixed with jeans or loose silk pants. Today, Ao Dai Vietnam is worn on special occasions, the traditional festivals, and the wedding.

2. History of Ao Dai Vietnam for men

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Kevin Bluer on Unsplash

In the past, Ao Dai was used to be the daily costume for Vietnamese men. It had a more simple design with a two-piece dress mixing with the loose pant. However, from 18th to 19th century, when the western clothes were imported in Vietnam, they have gradually replaced Ao Dai and have become the most popular costume for men in Vietnam because of its masculinity and practicality. Over time, the design of Ao Dai for men has not undergone much change. Today, it is just used in the traditional ceremonies or Tet holiday and worn most by Vietnamese men of the older generation.  

II. The meaningful role of Ao Dai Vietnam in the culture

1. Wearing Ao Dai Vietnam on the special occasions

a. Wearing Ao Dai Vietnam in Tet holiday

Tet holiday is the most important and biggest celebration of the year in Vietnam. Therefore, despite the convenience of Western-style outfits for daily chores, Vietnamese people believe that wearing Ao Dai Vietnam can create the festival’s formal atmosphere, show the respect of the older generations in the family and maintain the Vietnamese tradition. These are the reason why in Tet holiday, it is easy to see people wearing Ao Dai on the street.

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Tuấn Trương on Unsplash

Today, to adapt to the diverse demand of Vietnamese people and the energetic festival’s activities in Tet holiday, many kinds of stylized and fashionable Ao Dai Vietnam have appeared. Ao Dai worn in Tet holiday is simplified by cutting off the length of the front and back layers and also, is sewn by the cool and comfortable materials like silk, linen, etc. Red, yellow and the bright color are the favorite colors that many people choose for Ao Dai in Tet holiday because they are believed to bring the luck and good start in the new year.

In Tet holiday, not only women, all the members in the family including men and children also wear Ao Dai to carry out the New Year’s ceremony, take the family photos and visit the pagodas to pray for a happy year. In some small villages in the north of Vietnam, the local people wear the ancient types of Ao Dai – Ao Tu Than to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

b. Wearing Ao Dai Vietnam in wedding and engagement parties

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Tron Le on Unsplash

Wearing Ao Dai Vietnam in wedding and engagement parties used to be the ancient tradition of Vietnam. However, with the globalization, the western wedding dress has imported to Vietnam and replaced the traditional Ao Dai in weddings because of its novel and modern beauty for a long time. Today, thanks to the development of the fashion industry and the creativity of Ao Dai designer, Ao Dai Vietnam for both brides and grooms becomes more and more charming and fashionable. As a result, many couples, these days, has combined Ao Dai with the Western dress at their weddings in which Ao Dai is for the traditional ceremony and the Western dress is for the party.

Apart from the bride and groom, the wedding ceremony, the parents of the couples, the close relatives, bridesmaids, and groomsmaids also wear Ao Dai. Ao Dai for the bride and groom are usually red to present for happiness and luck. Ao Dai for bridesmaids and groomsmaids are also a bright color like yellow, blue, pink, etc to create an exciting space for the wedding. Like in the Western countries, the price of wedding Ao Dai is quite expensive so the couples usually rent Ao Dai for their wedding and engagement party.    

c. Wearing Ao Dai Vietnam on other special occasions

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Hisu lee on Unsplash

In the traditional festivals in Vietnam, especially the royal rites, the old men often wear Ao Dai to carry out the ceremonies. Moreover, in the important meetings with foreign partners, the Vietnamese women wear Ao Dai Vietnam to show their respect. In addition, the national costume – Ao Dai Vietnam is worn by both Vietnamese men and women in the international beauty contest to represent their patriotism and promote the Vietnamese culture for international audiences.

2. Wearing Ao Dai Vietnam as a uniform of high-school students

Ao dai as a uniform | Source: Ao dai Hanh

In Vietnam, female students in high school have to wear Ao Dai as a great way to maintain the Vietnamese tradition. Most high schools in Vietnam have the rule for female students to wear Ao Dai on Monday. Therefore, every Monday, you can see a lot of female students wearing Ao Dai in the street, which create pure and elegant beauty for female students. In Vietnam, students usually wear white Ao Dai mixing with silk pant to help them feel comfortable and cool at school.

III. Where to sew, rent and buy Ao Dai Vietnam

1. Where to sew Ao Dai Vietnam

If you have already fallen in love with Ao Dai Vietnam, do not hesitate to sew one for yourself. Because Ao Dai Vietnam has a unique feature that Ao Dai can tone up the female body curves, it is better if you choose a famous tailor shop to sew an Ao Dai which is perfect with your size. The price to sew an Ao Dai Vietnam is from US$ 50 – US$ 150 depending on the material you choose. Here are some recommendations for the prestigious tailor shops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City:

a. Where to sew Ao Dai Vietnam in Hanoi

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by chicuongzai (Pixabay License)

Ao Dai Phan Hai
Address: No. 43, Le Van Huu Street, Ngo Thi Nham Ward, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 024 943 8900
Website: http://www.aodaiphanhai.com/

Thuy Linh Tailor Shop
Address: No. 149, Ton Duc Thang Street, Hang Bot Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 121 638 0331
Website: http://www.xuongmaythuylinh.vn/

Ao Dai Chi
Address: No. 91, Ton Duc Thang Street, Hang Bot Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 974 049 886

Ao Dai Minh Duc
Address: No. 41, Dang Tien Trung Street, Trung Liet Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 912 395 531

Ao Dai Thanh Mai
Address: No. 435, Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Co Nhue Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 906 284 933

b. Where to sew Ao Dai Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Tron Le on Unsplash

Ao Dai Hanh
Address: 

• Branch 1: No. 6/3, Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Branch 2: No. 178/4, Phan Dang Luu Street, Ward 3, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Branch 3: No. 102, Le Thi Hong Street, Ward 17, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City.

Tel: (+84) 982 936 339
Website: https://aodaihanh.com/

Ao Dai Minh Thu
Address: No. 29, De Tham Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 918 463 817
Website: http://aodaiminhthu.com/

Ao Dai Cam Tu
Address: No. 382/16, Dien Bien Phu Street, Ward 11, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 903 968 698
Website: http://aodaicamtu.com/  

Ao Dai My Hanh
Address: No. 660, Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Ward 25, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 907 951 011
Website: https://aodaimyhanh.com/  

2. Where to rent Ao Dai Vietnam

Of courses, sewing an Ao Dai for yourself will be more sophistic and fits perfectly with your body. However, it can take you about a week to complete an Ao Dai so if you do not have enough time in Vietnam to wait, you can rent one at Ao Dai rental shops below. Also, the rental price of the Ao Dai is much cheaper from US$ 2 to US$ 10.

a. Where to rent Ao Dai Vietnam in Hanoi

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Trung Thanh on Unsplash

Ao Dai Phuong Hoang
Address:

• Branch 1: No. 123/127 Xuan Thuy Street, Dich Vong Hau Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi
• Branch 2: No. 111B, Thai Thinh Street, Thai Thinh Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Tel: (+84) 983 501 082
Website: http://aodaiphuonghoang.com/  

Ao Dai Khanh Ngoc
Address:

• Branch 1: No. 80, Kham Thien Street, Kham Thien Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi
• Branch 2: No. 94, Thinh Quang Street, Thinh Quang Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Tel: (+84) 989 091 921
Website: http://www.aodaihanoi.vn/

b. Where to rent Ao Dai Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash

Ao Dai Bung Qua – Sansan Bridal
Address: No. 179, Nguyen Xi Street, Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 124 646 4444
Website: https://sansan.vn/  

Ao Cuoi Xinh Xinh
Address: No. 5, Ho Van Hue Street, Ward 9, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 908 414 981
Website: https://aocuoixinhxinh.com/

3. Where to buy Ao Dai Vietnam

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Hisu lee on Unsplash

When coming to Vietnam, you can buy Ao Dai Vietnam as the unique souvenirs for your friends and family members. The price of an Ao Dai may fluctuate from US$ 25 – US$ 100. Here are some places where you can buy Ao Dai:

a. Where to buy Ao Dai Vietnam in Hanoi

Little Ao Dai
Address: No. 9/72, Hoang Cau Street, Cho Dua Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 946 755 111

Oz design house
Address: No. 34G, Ly Nam De Street, Cua Dong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 246 270 0046

Ly Nguyen
Address: No. 42, Nguyen Cong Hoan Street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
Tel: (+84) 246 295 7722

b. Where to buy Ao Dai Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City

Oversize Shop
Address: No. 465, Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 128 546 0817

The Kat House
Address: No. 14, Nguyen Huu Cau Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (+84) 926 272 717

IV. Tips to choose and wear Ao Dai Vietnam

1. Tips to choose a suitable Ao Dai Vietnam

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Vit An on Unsplash

To choose a suitable Ao Dai Vietnam, you should consider several elements below:

• Material: Choosing an appropriate material for your Ao Dai is one of the important steps. Because Ao Dai Vietnam is often designed to tone up your body curves, you should choose comfortable materials like silk and linen. Also, you should avoid choosing too thin materials like chiffon or big lace cause they can expose too much your skin.
• Color and patterns: According to your body shape, you can choose the suitable color and patterns for your Ao Dai. For round or kind of chubby body, dark color and small patterns can help you seem to be more thin and small. For thin girls, bright color and big or horizontal patterns will be great choices to make you become full.
• Designs of Ao Dai: Depending on your purposes, you can choose the suitable design of your Ao Dai. If you wear Ao Dai to take photos or outdoor activities, a stylized Ao Dai will be a great choice because of its convenience and fashionable designs. However, if you wear Ao Dai to an important meeting or a traditional festival, a traditional Ao Dai will be a better choice to show your respect.

2. Tips to wear Ao Dai Vietnam

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash

• Choose suitable lingerie: When wearing Ao Dai Vietnam, you should choose the underwear that fits color with your Ao Dai’s color. Vietnamese women usually wear underwear having a bright color with Ao Dai. Also, you should choose the special bra that is designed to wear with Ao Dai to shape your upper body.
• Mix Ao Dai Vietnam with appropriate accessories: Today, you can wear Ao Dai flexibly but there are some rules you have to follow. In the formal meetings and traditional festival, you should mix Ao dai with high heels, silk scarves, and jewelry to fit with the formal atmosphere. However, in other cases, you can feel free to mix Ao Dai with other kinds of accessories you like.
• Behavior when wearing Ao Dai: Cause Ao Dai Vietnam is an elegant costume, you should take more consideration on your posture, gesture and how to stand, walk, etc which can affect the beauty of Ao Dai.

V. What to do with Ao Dai Vietnam

1. Take photos to capture the beautiful moment with Ao Dai Vietnam

Ao Dai | Source: Photo by Huyen Nguyen on Unsplash

Taking photos with Ao Dai is a great idea when you coming to Vietnam. When wearing Ao Dai, its unique beauty can make you become a real Vietnamese woman and understand more about Vietnamese culture. Foreign tourists usually rent Ao Dai and take photos in historical sites to show totally the traditional and ancient charms of Ao Dai Vietnam. When taking photos with Ao Dai, you should pose elegant postures.  

2. Watch the beauty of Ao Dai in Vietnam Fashion Shows

Today, Ao Dai is not only the traditional costume of Vietnam but also becomes the inspiration for many fashion designers including local and international designers. Therefore, in Vietnam, there are many Ao Dai Fashion Shows hold each year. If you are a big fan of Ao Dai Vietnam, you definitely come to these shows to enjoy the diversity of style and fashionable design of Ao Dai Vietnam.  

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