Áo dài

{{Short description|Traditional Vietnamese clothing}} {{Good article}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Italic title|reason=:Category:Vietnamese words and phrases}} {{Contains special characters|Nom}} thumb|A woman wearing modernized version of white {{lang|vi|Áo dài|italic=no}} '''{{lang|vi|Áo dài}}''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|ˈ|aʊ|ˈ|z|aɪ}}; {{IPA|vi|ʔaːw˧˦ zaːj˨˩|lang}} {{small|(''North'')}}, {{IPA|vi|ʔaːw˦˥ jaːj˨˩|}} {{small|(''South'')}}, lit. “long tunic”)<ref>{{Cite web |title=ao dai |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ao-dai |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Dictionary.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-13 |title=AO DAI definition in American English {{!}} Collins English Dictionary |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/ao-dai |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=www.collinsdictionary.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="AmerHerit">{{Cite web | date=2013-09-16 | title=Definition of '''ao dai''' in English | url=http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ao-dai | access-date=2023-02-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916142709/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ao-dai | archive-date=September 16, 2013 }}<br />''{{lang|vi|Áo}}'' is derived from a Middle Chinese word ({{lang-zh|c=襖|labels=no}}) meaning "padded coat". {{cite web | url = https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%A5%96 | website= Han Dian | title= 襖 | access-date= 20 May 2023 }}</ref><ref name="Tuttle">Phan Van Giuong, ''Tuttle Compact Vietnamese Dictionary: Vietnamese–English English–Vietnamese'' (2008), p. 76. "'''dài''' ''adj.'' long, lengthy."</ref> is a traditional Vietnamese outfit consisting of a long split tunic worn over silk trousers. It can serve as formalwear for both men and women.

There are inconsistencies in the term {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}}. The currently most common usage is for a Francized design by {{lang|vi|Nguyễn Cát Tường|italic=no}} (whose shop was named "Le Mur"), which is expressly a women's close-fitting design<ref>{{cite web | author=Trần Hậu Yên Thế |date=26 December 2023 | title=Họa sĩ Cát Tường và trang phục áo dài Lemur | trans-title=Artist Cát Tường and the Lemur áo dài outfit. | url=https://nguoihanoi.vn/hoa-si-cat-tuong-va-trang-phuc-ao-dai-lemur-81165.html | website=Tạp chí Người Hà Nội Online}}</ref> whose shirt is two pieces of cloth sewn together and fastened with buttons. A more specific term for this design would be "{{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} Le Mur".<ref>{{cite web | date=20 July 2021 | title=Câu chuyện kỳ thú về mối lương duyên của họa sĩ Cát Tường - người sáng tạo ra áo dài Việt Nam hôm nay | trans-title=The fascinating story of the destined connection of artist Cát Tường – the creator of today's Vietnamese áo dài. | url=https://www.chungta.com/nd/tu-lieu-tra-cuu/chuyen-ky-thu-ve-moi-luong-duyen-cua-hoa-si-cat-tuong.html | website=Chúng ta}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | date=9 February 2022 | title=Chuyện về danh họa Nguyễn Cát Tường, người thiết kế nên chiếc áo dài đầu tiên của Việt Nam | trans-title=The story of renowned painter Nguyễn Cát Tường, who designed Vietnam's first áo dài. | url=https://saigoneer.com/vn/vietnam-culture/17186-chuy | website=Sàigòneer}}</ref> Other writers, especially those who claim its "traditionality", use {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} as a general category of garments for both men and women, and include older designs such as {{lang|vi|áo ngũ thân|italic=no}} (five-piece shirt), {{lang|vi|áo tứ thân|italic=no}} (four-piece shirt), {{lang|vi|áo tấc|italic=no}} (loose shirt), {{lang|vi|áo đối khâm|italic=no}} (parallel-flap robe), {{lang|vi|áo viên lĩnh|italic=no}} (round-collar robe), {{lang|vi|áo giao lĩnh|italic=no}} (cross-collar robe), {{lang|vi|áo trực lĩnh|italic=no}} (straight-collar robe).<ref name="DVCP">{{cite web | date=23 June 2016 | title=Sự khác biệt về cách may giữa Áo Cổ Đứng Xưa và Áo Dài Tân Thời | trans-title=The difference in tailoring between the traditional standing-collar áo and the modern áo dài. | url=https://daivietcophong.wordpress.com/tag/ngu-than/}}</ref>

==History== The predecessor of the {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} was derived by the Nguyễn lords in {{lang|vi|Phú Xuân|italic=no}} during 18th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Things to Know about Ao Dai: The Vietnam Traditional Costume |url=https://www.asiakingtravel.com/blog/ao-dai-vietnam-traditional-costume.html |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=www.asiakingtravel.com}}</ref> This outfit was derived from the '''{{lang|vi|áo ngũ thân|italic=no}}''', a five-piece shirt commonly worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} was later made to be form-fitting which was influenced by the French, {{lang|vi|Nguyễn Cát Tường|italic=no}} and other Hanoi artists redesigned the {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} as a modern shirt in the 1940s and 1950s.<ref name="Ellis">{{cite web | last=Ellis | first=Claire | title=Ao Dai: The National Costume | newspaper=Things Asian | year=1996 | url=http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/1083 | access-date=August 2, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705105011/http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/1083 | archive-date=July 5, 2008 }}</ref> The updated look was promoted by the artists and magazines of {{lang|vi|Tự Lực văn đoàn|italic=no}} (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 by Vietnamese women.<ref name="Ellis" /> The {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} for women was extremely popular in South Vietnam in the 1960s and early 1970s. On {{lang|vi|Tết|italic=no}} and other occasions, Vietnamese men may wear an {{lang|vi|áo gấm|italic=no}} (brocade long shirt), a version of the {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} made of very thick fabric and with sewed symbols. <gallery> File:Ao ngu than on postcard dated 1904.JPG|Two women wear '''áo ngũ thân''', the predecessor of the áo dài initially worn in the 18th century. File:Cố bộ trưởng Nguyễn Văn Huyên và vợ.jpg|Vietnamese official (right) in '''áo ngũ thân''' with Khăn vấn while his wife worn '''áo Nhật Bình'''. File:Thai-giam.jpg| Vietnamese Nguyễn dynasty's eunuchs in áo ngũ thân. </gallery> The {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} has traditionally been marketed with a feminine appeal, with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants being popular in Vietnam and with overseas Vietnamese.{{sfnp|Lieu|2000|p=127–151}} However, the men version of {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} or modified {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} are also worn during weddings or formal occasions. The {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} is one of the few Vietnamese words that appear in English-language dictionaries.{{efn|"Ao dai" appears in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the ''American Heritage Dictionary'' (2004), and the ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' (2006). Other Vietnamese words that appear include "Tet", "Vietminh", "Vietcong", and "pho" (rice noodles).[http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070919-1502-britain-newwords.html]}} The {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} can be paired with the {{lang|vi|nón lá|italic=no}} or the {{lang|vi|khăn vấn|italic=no}}.

== Parts of shirt == thumb|Diagram showing the parts of shirt *''Tà sau'': back flap *''Nút bấm thân áo'': hooks used as fasteners and holes *''Ống tay'': sleeve *''Đường bên'': inside seam *''Nút móc kết thúc'': main hook and hole * ''Tà trước'': front flap * ''Khuy cổ'': collar button * ''Cổ áo'': collar * ''Đường may'': seam * ''Kích (eo)'': waist

== Origin == <gallery class="center" widths="180" heights="180" caption="Vietnamese garments throughout the centuries"> File:Trần Nhân Tông TLĐSXSCĐ.png|Trần dynasty robes as depicted in a section of a 14th-century scroll. File:Trần Anh Tông TLĐSXSĐ.jpg|Trần Anh Tông wearing a "áo viên lĩnh" and outside a "áo giao lĩnh" in the calligraphy painting ''Trúc Lâm đại sĩ xuất sơn đồ'' (The painting of Trúc Lâm the Great Master), 14th century. File:Người Giao Chỉ - Tam tài đồ hội.png|A Vietnamese man on the left is wearing áo viên lĩnh (the predecessor of ''áo dài'') in Sancai Tuhui, early 17th century during the Lê dynasty. File:Giảng học đồ.png|"Giảng học đồ" (Teaching), 18th century, Hanoi museum of National History. Scholars and students wear ''áo giao lĩnh'' (cross-collar robe) - unlike the buttoned áo dài.

File:Nón lá & Áo dài.png|A woman wearing a nón lá with áo dài, as worn in the 20th and 21st centuries.

</gallery>

=== Switch to trousers === [[File:Lord Nguyen Phuc Thuan.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Portrait of Tôn Thất Hiệp (1653–1675). He wears a cross-collar robe (''áo giao lĩnh'') which was commonly worn by all social castes of Vietnam before the 19th century]]

For centuries, peasant women typically wore a halter top ({{lang|vi|yếm}}) underneath a blouse or overcoat, alongside a skirt (''váy'').{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=89}} Aristocrats, on the other hand, favored a cross-collar robe called ''áo giao lĩnh''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="THUYVU">{{cite web | last=Vu | first=Thuy | year=2014 | title=Đi tìm ngàn năm áo mũ | trans-title=Searching for a thousand years of attire and headwear. | url=http://tuoitre.vn/tin/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/phong-su-ky-su/20141007/di-tim-ngan-nam-ao-mu/654967.html | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617124135/http://tuoitre.vn/tin/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/phong-su-ky-su/20141007/di-tim-ngan-nam-ao-mu/654967.html | archive-date=June 17, 2015 | access-date=June 16, 2015 | df=mdy-all | newspaper=Tuoi Tre}}</ref><ref name="TVAN">{{cite web | author = T.Van | title = Ancient costumes of Vietnamese people | newspaper = Vietnamnet | year = 2013 | url = http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/vietnam-in-photos/78314/ancient-costumes-of-vietnam.html | access-date = June 16, 2015 | archive-date = June 17, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150617082002/http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/vietnam-in-photos/78314/ancient-costumes-of-vietnam.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> When the Ming dynasty occupied Đại Việt during the Fourth Era of Northern Domination in 1407, it forced the women to wear Chinese-style pants. The following Lê dynasty also criticized women for violating Neo-Confucian dress norms, but only enforced the dress 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 the Nguyễn lords ruling the south.<ref>{{Cite book | last=Leshkowich | first=Ann Marie | year=2005 | title=Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion | p=61}}</ref> To distinguish the southern people from the northerners, in 1744, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát of Huế decreed that both men and women at his court wear trousers and a gown with buttons down the front.<ref name="Ellis" />{{efn|A court historian described the costume in Huế as follows: "Outside court, men and women wear gowns with straight collars and short sleeves. The sleeves are large or small depending on the wearer. There are seams on both sides running down from the sleeve, so the gown is not open anywhere. Men may wear a round collar and a short sleeve for more convenience." ("Thường phục thì đàn ông, đàn bà dùng áo cổ đứng ngắn tay, cửa ống tay rộng hoặc hẹp tùy tiện. Áo thì hai bên nách trở xuống phải khâu kín liền, không được xẻ mở. Duy đàn ông không muốn mặc áo cổ tròn ống tay hẹp cho tiện khi làm việc thì được phép…") (from ''Đại Nam Thực Lục'' [''Records of Đại Nam''])}} The members of the southern court were thus distinguished from the courtiers of the Trịnh Lords in Hanoi, who wore ''áo giao lĩnh'' with long skirts.<ref name="THUYVU" />

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) was created by Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát based on Chinese Ming dynasty costumes, using the method of making costumes in the book "Sāncái Túhuì" as the standard.<ref name="trang-phuc-thuong-phuc-o-dang">{{Cite web | date=2020-10-08 | title=Trang phục (thường phục) ở Đàng Trong thời Võ Vương Nguyễn Phúc Khoát – những nét đặc trưng. | trans-title=Everyday attire in Đàng Trong during the reign of Võ Vương Nguyễn Phúc Khoát – distinctive features. | url=https://vovinhquang.wordpress.com/2020/10/09/trang-phuc-thuong-phuc-o-dang-trong-thoi-vo-vuong-nguyen-phuc-khoat-nhung-net-dac-trung/ | access-date=2023-02-12 | website=Bình Nguyên - Võ Vinh Quang | language=vi}}</ref>

=== 19th century === The ''áo 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 their ''yếm'' underneath.

=== 20th century === [[File:Women engage in the talk of the times about progress (Commentary on the Đổi Mới of the 1920's and 1930's).jpg|thumb|In the 1930s, áo dài was considered a progressive innovation compared to the traditional áo ngũ thân]]

==== Modernization of style ==== thumb|The "four great beauties of Hanoi" in Le Mur style áo dài, 1938 Huế's Đồng Khánh Girls' High School, which opened in 1917, was widely praised for the áo dài uniform worn by its students.<ref name="kauffner">{{Cite magazine | last=Kauffner |first=Peter | date=September–October 2010 | title=Áo dài |magazine=Asia Insights Destination Asia | url=http://www.visions-of-indochina.com/latestnews/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ao-dai-article.pdf | access-date=February 12, 2023 |via=Visions of Indochina.com | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522194437/http://www.visions-of-indochina.com/latestnews/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ao-dai-article.pdf | archive-date=May 22, 2013 }}</ref> 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 the ''áo 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.{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=91}} 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. The ''áo dài Le Mur'', or "trendy" ao dai, created a sensation when model Nguyễn Thị Hậu wore it for a feature published by the newspaper ''Today'' in January 1935.<ref name="ninh">{{Cite web |title=Fashion |url=http://www.ninhthuanpt.com.vn/English/Fashion1/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623224038/http://www.ninhthuanpt.com.vn/English/Fashion1/index.htm |archive-date=2008-06-23 |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=www.ninhthuanpt.com.vn}}</ref> The style was promoted by the artists of Tự 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.<ref name="Ellis"/> Trần Kim of Thiết Lập Tailors and Dũng of Dũng Tailors created a shirt with raglan sleeves and a diagonal seam that runs from the collar to the underarm.<ref name="Ellis"/> Madame Nhu, first lady of South Vietnam, popularized a boat neck version beginning in 1958. The áo dài was most popular from 1960 to 1975.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1997-09-17 |title=Ao Dai Enjoys A Renaissance Among Women : In Vietnam, A Return to Femininity (Published 1997) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/17/news/ao-dai-enjoys-a-renaissance-among-women-in-vietnam-a-return-to.html |access-date=2025-10-14 |language=en}}</ref> A brightly colored ''áo dài hippy'' was introduced in 1968. The ''áo 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.{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=91}}

==== Under communism ==== 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 the Paris Peace Conference (1969–73) by Viet Cong negotiator Nguyễn Thị Bình.<ref name="Overland" /> Yet Westernized versions of the shirt and those associated with "decadent" Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) of the 1960s and early 1970s were condemned.{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=92}} Economic crisis, famine, and war with Cambodia combined to make the 1980s a fashion low point.<ref name="Valverde">{{cite web | last = Valverde | first = Caroline Kieu | title = The History and Revival of the Vietnamese ''Ao Dai'' | newspaper = NHA magazine | year = 2006 | url = http://www.nhamagazine.com/back_issue/issue_0506/ac_p1.shtml | access-date = August 2, 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080704053408/http://www.nhamagazine.com/back_issue/issue_0506/ac_p1.shtml | archive-date = July 4, 2008 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> The áo dài was rarely worn except at weddings and other formal occasions, with the older, looser-fitting style preferred.{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=92}} Overseas Vietnamese, meanwhile, kept tradition alive with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants (''Hoa Hậu Áo Dài''), the most notable one held annually in Long Beach, California.<ref name="Ellis"/>

The áo dài experienced a revival beginning in late 1980s, when state enterprise and schools began adopting the áo dài as a uniform again.<ref name="Ellis"/> In 1989, 16,000 Vietnamese attended a Miss Ao Dai Beauty Contest held in Ho Chi Minh City.<ref>{{Cite web | last1 = Vu | first1 = Lan | title = Ao Dai Viet Nam | newspaper = Viettouch | year = 2002 | url = http://www.viettouch.com/aodai/aodai-changes.htm | access-date=July 3, 2008}}</ref> 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".{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=79}} An "áo dài craze" followed that lasted for several years and led to wider use of the áo dài as a school uniform.{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=97}}

== Present day == thumb|A boy wearing áo dài No longer deemed politically controversial, áo dài fashion design is supported by the Vietnamese government.<ref name="Valverde"/> It is often called ''áo 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.<ref name="Valverde"/> In Hanoi, tourists get fitted with áo dài on Luong Van Can Street.<ref>{{cite news | title=Traditional ''ao dai'' grace foreign bodies | url=http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-12/18/Stories/33.htm | work=VNS | date=December 20, 2004 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041224075607/http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-12/18/Stories/33.htm | archive-date=December 24, 2004 | access-date=August 24, 2016}}</ref> The elegant city of Huế in the central region is known for its áo dài and ''nón 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 as school uniforms. Companies often require their female staff to wear uniforms that include the áo dài, so flight attendants, receptionists, bank female staff, restaurant staff, and hotel workers in Vietnam 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.<ref name="Overland">{{cite web | url = http://www.overlandclub.jp/en/info/vn_aodai.html | title = Vietnamese AoDai | work=Overlandclub | access-date = July 2, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080319082307/http://www.overlandclub.jp/en/info/vn_aodai.html | archive-date = March 19, 2008}}</ref> The shirt must be individually fitted and usually requires several weeks for a tailor to complete. Áo dài costs about $200 in the United States and about $40 in Vietnam.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NHA Magazine: Feature: Ao Dai |url=http://www.nhamagazine.com/012008/feature/aodai.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408004749/http://www.nhamagazine.com/012008/feature/aodai.shtml |archive-date=2008-04-08 |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=www.nhamagazine.com}}</ref>

"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 the University of Texas at Austin.{{sfnp|Lieu|2000|p=127–151}} The difficulties of working while wearing áo dài link the garment to frailty and innocence, she wrote.{{sfnp|Lieu|2000|p=127–151}} 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.{{sfnp|Niessen|Leshkowich|Jones|2003|p=97}}

The áo dài is featured in an array of Asian-themed or related movies. In ''Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987), Robin Williams's character is wowed by áo dài-clad women when he first arrives in Ho Chi Minh City. The 1992 films ''Indochine'' and ''The Lover'' inspired several international fashion houses to design áo dài collections,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ao Dai - Vietnamese Plus Size Fashion Statement |url=http://articles.getacoder.com/Ao_Dai_-_Vietnamese_Plus_Size_Fashion_Statement_808529x1200042917.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216234340/http://articles.getacoder.com/Ao_Dai_-_Vietnamese_Plus_Size_Fashion_Statement_808529x1200042917.htm |archive-date=2009-02-16 |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=articles.getacoder.com}}</ref> including Prada's SS08 collection and a Giorgio Armani collection. In the Vietnamese film ''The 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.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vietq.wordpress.com/2006/10/16/vietnam-send-ao-lua-ha-dong-to-pusan-film-festl/ | title = Vietnam send Ao Lua Ha Dong to Pusan Film Festival | work = VietNamNet Bridge | year = 2006 | access-date = July 13, 2008}}</ref> The Hanoi City Complex, a 65-story building now under construction, will have an áo dài-inspired design.<ref>{{cite news | author=Tuấn Cường | title="Nóc nhà" Hà Nội sẽ cao 65 tầng | trans-title=The "rooftop" of Hanoi will be 65 stories high. | url=http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=192066&ChannelID=3 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328173624/http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=192066&ChannelID=3 | archive-date=March 28, 2007 | access-date=April 26, 2009 | newspaper=Tuoi Tre | language=vi}}</ref> Vietnamese designers created áo dài for the contestants in the Miss Universe beauty contest, which was held July 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Miss Universe contestants try on ao dai | newspaper=Vietnam.net Bridge | year=2008 | url=http://english.vietnamnet.vn/lifestyle/2008/06/789353 | access-date=August 2, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701025340/http://www.english.vietnamnet.vn/lifestyle/2008/06/789353/ | archive-date=July 1, 2008 | url-status=dead | df=mdy }}</ref> The most prominent annual Ao Dai Festival outside of Vietnam is held each year in San 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 the ''áo 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.

== Criticism == Áo dài is the traditional attire of Vietnam, considered a symbol of the graceful and elegant beauty of Vietnamese women.<ref>{{Cite book | last=Hùng | first=Việt | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YyfVXwAACAAJ | title=Áo dài Việt Nam: truyền thống, đời thường, cách điệu | date=2010 | publisher=Mỹ Thụât | language=vi}}</ref> However, besides the praises, {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} it is met with criticism from some.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-18 |title=Áo dài, đừng để cách tân trở thành "thảm họa" |trans-title=Áo dài, don't let modernization become a "disaster" |url=https://www.sggp.org.vn/share146046.html |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=BÁO SÀI GÒN GIẢI PHÓNG |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Áo dài cách tân: Sáng tạo nhưng phải có chừng mực |trans-title=Modernized Áo dài: Creative but must be done with moderation |url=https://nbtv.vn/news/19/5492/ao-dai-cach-tan-sang-tao-nhung-phai-co-chung-muc |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=nbtv.vn |language=vi}}</ref> One of the most common criticisms of {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} is excessive modernisation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-08-13 |title=Những mẫu áo dài cách tân quá đà của sao Việt khiến dư luận giận dữ |trans-title=Overly modernized Áo dài designs by Vietnamese celebrities have angered the public |url=https://laodong.vn/archived/nhung-mau-ao-dai-cach-tan-qua-da-cua-sao-viet-khien-du-luan-gian-du-714824.ldo |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=laodong.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-23 |title='Cách tân kiểu gì cũng được nhưng khi đó đừng gọi là áo dài' |url=https://tuoitre.vn/cach-tan-kieu-gi-cung-duoc-nhung-khi-do-dung-goi-la-ao-dai-20230422221442866.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=TUOI TRE ONLINE |language=vi}}</ref> 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" of {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-02-11 |title=Giữ gìn nét đẹp truyền thống của áo dài |trans-title=Preserving the traditional beauty of the Áo dài |url=https://nhandan.vn/post-285154.html |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Báo Nhân Dân điện tử |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | date=2021-03-07 | title=Áo dài cách tân - hòa mình với cuộc sống hiện đại | url=https://baophapluat.vn/post-384253.html | access-date=2024-01-15 | website=Báo Pháp luật Việt Nam điện tử | language=vi}}</ref> They believe that {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} should keep its traditional style, material, and color, in order to enhance the gentle and elegant beauty of Vietnamese women.<ref>{{Cite web | date=2023-10-24 | title=Tôn vinh vẻ đẹp của áo dài Việt Nam tại Hà Nam | url=https://baohanam.com.vn/van-hoa/ton-vinh-ve-dep-cua-ao-dai-viet-nam-tai-ha-nam-105559.html | access-date=2024-01-15 | website=Báo Hà Nam điện tử | language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | last= | date=2021-02-13 | title=Zach Bryan Store | url=https://zachbryanllc.com/ | access-date=2024-01-15 | website=zachbryanllc.com | language=en}}</ref> Another criticism of {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} is the wearing of {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} in a way that is seen as offensive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hoa hậu Thái Lan mặc áo dài lộ nội y ren phản cảm |url=https://thanhnien.vn/thoi-trang-tre/hoa-hau-thai-lan-mac-ao-dai-lo-noi-y-ren-phan-cam-185230425113406014.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=thanhnien.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-24 |title=Áo dài xuyên thấu: Cách tân, hợp thời, hay phản cảm? |trans-title=Sheer Áo dài: Modernized, fashionable, or offensive? |url=https://congly.vn/ao-dai-xuyen-thau-cach-tan-hop-thoi-hay-phan-cam-370407.html |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=congly.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-08 |title=Diễn áo dài, áo yếm phản cảm: Đề xuất phạt 85 triệu đồng |url=https://tuoitre.vn/dien-ao-dai-ao-yem-phan-cam-de-xuat-phat-85-trieu-dong-20230608144841765.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=TUOI TRE ONLINE |language=vi}}</ref> In recent years, there have been many cases of celebrities being criticized for wearing "offensive" {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trang |first=Thùy |date=2022-08-23 |title=Siêu mẫu Hà Anh lại bị chỉ trích sau sự cố mặc áo dài phản cảm |url=https://nld.com.vn/van-nghe/sieu-mau-ha-anh-lai-bi-chi-trich-sau-su-co-mac-ao-dai-phan-cam-20220823105834252.htm |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Báo Người Lao Động Online |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Phong |first=Báo điện tử Tiền |date=2023-03-25 |title=Kendrick Lamar Merch |url=https://kendricklamarllc.com/ |access-date=2025-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=T.Trang |date=2022-08-22 |title=Hà Anh mặc áo dài phản cảm, BTC Hoa hậu bị phạt 70 triệu đồng |url=https://nld.com.vn/van-nghe/ha-anh-mac-ao-dai-phan-cam-btc-hoa-hau-hoan-vu-viet-nam-bi-phat-2022082218133189.htm |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Báo Người Lao Động Online |language=vi}}</ref> They were accused of using {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} to show off their bodies, causing offense to the viewer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-15 |title=Áo dài vốn đã quyến rũ, đừng cố cách điệu để khoe thân |trans-title=The Áo dài is already alluring, don't try to style it to show off your body |url=https://afamily.vn/ao-dai-von-da-quyen-ru-dung-co-cach-dieu-de-khoe-than-20160315095657575.chn |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=afamily.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-04 |title=Angela Phương Trinh và loạt sao từng bị chỉ trích dùng áo yếm khoe thân |trans-title=Angela Phương Trinh and a series of celebrities who were criticized for using yếm (bodice) to show off their bodies |url=https://laodong.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/angela-phuong-trinh-va-loat-sao-tung-bi-chi-trich-dung-ao-yem-khoe-than-1200339.ldo |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=laodong.vn |language=vi}}</ref> In addition, {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} is also criticized as being incompatible with modern life.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-13 |title=Truyền thống bền vững nhưng không biết cách bảo tồn nó sẽ rơi về phía mong manh |url=https://tuoitre.vn/truyen-thong-ben-vung-nhung-khong-biet-cach-bao-ton-no-se-roi-ve-phia-mong-manh-20200913091110262.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=TUOI TRE ONLINE |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | last=Trí | first=Dân | date=2013-11-14 | title=Áo dài- từ "biểu tượng văn hóa" đến… "thảm họa văn hóa" (II) | url=https://dantri.com.vn/van-hoa/ao-dai-tu-bieu-tuong-van-hoa-den-tham-hoa-van-hoa-ii-1384817612.htm | access-date=2024-01-15 | website=Báo điện tử Dân Trí | language=vi}}</ref> {{lang|vi|Áo dài|italic=no}} is a traditional costume designed to be worn on formal occasions and festivals. However, in modern life, many people believe that {{lang|vi|áo dài|italic=no}} is not suitable for everyday activities, such as going to school, going to work, going out, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-25 |title=Mặc áo dài hàng ngày: Nên hay không? |url=https://danviet.vn/mac-ao-dai-hang-ngay-nen-hay-khong-7777663148-d423649.html |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=danviet.vn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-04 |title=Áo dài Việt trong đời sống hàng ngày |url=https://baophapluat.vn/ao-dai-viet-trong-doi-song-hang-ngay-post468401.html |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Báo Pháp Luật Việt Nam |language=vi}}</ref>

== Similar garments == The áo dài is also similar in appearance to the cheongsam, 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Vietnam Traditional Clothes: Ao Dai |url=https://www.vietnamonline.com/culture/ao-dai.html |access-date=2021-06-30 |website=www.vietnamonline.com}}</ref>

Áo dais is similar in appearance to the shalwar kameez and kurta of as India and Pakistan 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quan điểm của Nguồn gốc áo dài Việt Nam. |url=https://vjol.info.vn/index.php/ncpt-hue/article/view/54470/45091 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250915195155/https://vjol.info.vn/index.php/ncpt-hue/article/view/54470/45091 |archive-date=2025-09-15 |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=vjol.info.vn |language=vi-VN}}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery> File:Cinq sœurs à Hanoï, 1950s.jpg|Five Hanoi sisters wearing Áo dài, 1950s File:Áo dài & khăn đóng2.jpg|Saigon old man wearing traditional Áo dài and Khăn vấn, Tết 1963 File:Student ice.jpg|A female student wearing Áo dài File:Hai thiếu nữ mặc áo dài.jpg|Two woman wearing pink Áo dài File:Aodai in Purple.JPG|The female students wearing purple Áo dài File:KOCIS Korea Hanbok-AoDai FashionShow 03 (9766157012).jpg|A woman wearing cyan Áo dài File:Áo Dài 2014.jpg|A woman wearing violet Áo dài and Nón lá File:Lady in white ao dai, Hanoi (18538703922).jpg|A young girl wearing white Áo dài and holding Nón lá File:Áo dài (31387189530).jpg|A woman wearing red Áo dài File:Áo dài (33645199761).jpg|Two women wearing blue Áo dài File:Áo dài - 49541606632.jpg|A girl wearing white Áo dài File:PHA 9815.jpg|A woman wearing yellow Áo dài </gallery>

== See also == {{Portal|Vietnam|Society|Fashion}} * Áo giao lĩnh * Ruqun * Cheongsam * Kurti top * Shalwar kameez * Việt phục

== Notes == {{Notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography === {{refbegin}} * {{Cite book|last=Leshkowich|first=Ann Marie|year=2005|title=Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion}} * {{Cite book | surname=Li | given=Tana | title=Nguyễn Cochichina: Southern Vietnam in the Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries | publisher=Southeast Asia Program Publications | year=1998 | isbn=9780877277224}} * {{Cite journal | last=Lieu | first=Nhi T. | title=Remembering 'the Nation' through pageantry: femininity and the politics of Vietnamese womanhood in the 'Hoa Hau Ao Dai' contest | journal=Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies | volume=21 | issue=1–2 | pages=127–151 | publisher=University of Nebraska Press | jstor=3347038 | doi=10.2307/3347038 | date=2000 }} * {{cite book | editor1-first=S. A. | editor1-last=Niessen | editor2-first=Ann Marie | editor2-last=Leshkowich | editor3-first=Carla | editor3-last=Jones | title=Re-Orienting Fashion: The Globalization of Asian Dress | publisher=Berg | year=2003 | isbn=978-1-85973-539-8 | page=89}} {{refend}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book | author=Trần Quang Đức | title=Ngàn Năm Áo Mũ. Lịch sử trang phục Việt Nam 1009–1945 | trans-title= A Thousand Years of Caps and Robes. A history of Vietnamese costumes 1009–1945 | publisher=Nhã Nam | year=2013 | isbn= | oclc=862888254 }}

== External links == {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130322182508/http://wrile.com/long-dress-ao-dai-vietnam History of the Vietnamese Long Dress] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110622101508/http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/helpinglink/StudentWeb/webproject/html/fashion.htm The Evolution of the Ao Dai Through Many Eras], Gia Long Alumni Association of Seattle, 2000 * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej7WATu_klE Vietnam: Mini-Skirts & Ao-Dais]. A video that shows what the women of Saigon wore in 1968

{{Folk costume}} {{Nguyễn dynasty topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ao Dai}} Category:Folk costumes Category:History of Asian clothing Category:Tops (clothing) Category:Vietnamese clothing