Attire
The national traditional dress in Vietnam is the ao dai, a silk tunic with pants worn by women and men. Ao dài are worn for special occasions including Tet, the new year celebration. Since the twentieth century, Vietnamese people have also worn contemporary clothing that is popular in many places in the world.
The ao dai features a long silk tunic with slits on the sides that is worn over pants and often includes a matching fabric headpiece.
In the south, women also wear ao ba ba, a more simple blouse with a scoop neck and buttons in the center, often worn with a conical hat.
In the northern part of the country, the traditional dress is called ao tu than, which means 'dress of four parts.' It is made with four panels of fabric, a long sash in the front, and is worn with a large, flat, round hat.
In Vietnam, there are 54 ethnic groups and each have their unique and specific styles of clothing. The Hmong, a minority group in Northern Vietnam, craft and wear traditional clothing involving brightly woven textiles.
Shoppers look through full clothing racks for the most contemporary fashions on sale.
Families walk around to view dynamic Tet celebration displays on Nguyen Hue Boulevard.
A mobile clothing vendor transports and sells her wares by her bicycle.
The conical hat of Vietnam first appeared around the 13th century, during the Tran Dynasty.
In the Voyage to Vietnam exhibition, children and adults can try on the traditional outfit of Vietnam, the ao dai. Find the living room of the house and take a photo of yourself in the special clothing!
