{"id":9891,"date":"2021-12-14T19:20:18","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T11:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=9891"},"modified":"2022-02-04T14:48:08","modified_gmt":"2022-02-04T06:48:08","slug":"ethnic-vietnamese-womens-clothing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/ethnic-vietnamese-womens-clothing\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Ethnic Vietnamese Women\u2019s Clothing That Prove We Have More Than Just Ao Dai To Show The World"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vietnamese ethnic clothing as beautiful as ao dai<\/em><\/h2>\n
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When it comes to traditional Vietnamese women\u2019s clothing, most people instantly think of <\/span>ao dai<\/span><\/a><\/em> \u2013 and rightfully so. The attire has become all but synonymous with the elegant beauty of Vietnamese women.<\/span><\/p>\n

But let\u2019s not forget that Vietnamese people comprise 54 different ethnicities, and <\/span>ao dai<\/span><\/em> is representative of just one \u2013 the Kinh people. The other 53, while having significantly smaller populations \u2013 also have their own cultures, languages, and yes, clothing that contribute to the diversity of Vietnam.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s take a look at <\/span>8 beautiful ethnic Vietnamese women’s clothing<\/b> that deserve no less recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. H\u2019m\u00f4ng ethnic attire \u2013 with vibrant multilayered skirts<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> D\u00e2n Vi\u1ec7t<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Residing mostly in northern mountainous provinces such as H\u00e0 Giang, \u0110i\u1ec7n Bi\u00ean, or S\u01a1n La, the <\/span>H\u2019m\u00f4ng ethnic community <\/b>makes up a large percentage of Vietnam\u2019s ethnic minority population.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their traditional women\u2019s attire is characterized by its vibrant colors \u2013 mainly red. The highlight is a multilayered skirt that goes past the knees. On the other hand, while the shirt is mostly in plain black or red, it is often covered by an apron-like piece of cloth and adorned by a belt, both of which bear colorful patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> D\u00e2n Vi\u1ec7t<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Another important part of H\u2019m\u00f4ng traditional women\u2019s attire is the headscarf. In many cases, it comes with many tassels hanging down the wearer\u2019s forehead. H\u2019m\u00f4ng women also like to wear prominent accessories such as big earrings and necklaces.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a02. Th\u00e1i ethnic attire \u2013 elegant clothing with a signature headscarf<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> @phuongthao2211<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In contrast to the fabulous style of H\u2019m\u00f4ng women, women of the <\/span>Th\u00e1i ethnicity<\/b> \u2013 who reside in some northwestern provinces of Vietnam \u2013 prefer simpler clothing that puts a strong emphasis on elegance. Their traditional women\u2019s attire features a simple button-down short shirt and a tight-fit black skirt that goes all the way to the ankle.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> VOV World<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

But the most defining element of Th\u00e1i women\u2019s attire is \u201cPi\u00eau\u201d \u2013 a long scarf with vibrant square patterns on both ends. The scarf is folded and worn on the head, with the patterns covering the entire scalp.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> @chustrung<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Traditionally, Th\u00e1i women have been taught to embroider <\/span>pi\u00eau<\/span><\/em> at a young age. Sometimes, the ability to create a beautiful <\/span>pi\u00eau<\/em> <\/span>can be used as a standard to judge how desirable a young woman is as a bride.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. Ba Na ethnicity attire \u2013 simple designs that emphasize symmetry<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> Minhtuanjr\/Wikimedia Commons<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The<\/span> Ba Na people<\/b> live mainly in southwestern provinces such as Gia Lai, Kon Tum, or Ph\u00fa Y\u00ean. As such, the way they dress differs greatly from those in the north.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their clothing, for both men and women, uses black as the main color, with strips of colorful patterns as highlights. These often come in red \u2013 representing life and vigor, and yellow \u2013 signifying harmony with nature. For women, the skirt is often not sewn or cut. Rather, it\u2019s an entire sheet of cloth to be worn around the waist.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit: <\/span>Taynguyenjk\/Wikimedia Commons<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The patterns themselves highly focus on symmetric shapes. They are meant to represent opposing elements in nature such as the sun and moon, and the earth and sky.<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. M\u01b0\u1eddng ethnicity attire – with colorful shirts and waist patterns<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> Vov<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

At first glance, traditional women\u2019s attire of the <\/span>M\u01b0\u1eddng ethnic community <\/b>looks similar to their Th\u00e1i neighbors, with an ankle-length skirt and a button-down blouse. However, while Th\u00e1i people wear plain skirts, M\u01b0\u1eddng women embroider theirs with colorful patterns around the waist. The blouses, which are simple in color, are also often worn over colorful shirts underneath.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for headgear, in place of the extravagant <\/span>pi\u00eau<\/span><\/em>, M\u01b0\u1eddng women opt for a modest white headband to hold their hair. In their culture, white is the color of purity, and so it is worn on the head \u2013 the most important part of the human body \u2013 as a sign of reverence.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec ethnicity attire – two distinct styles<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec Hoa people like to adorn their garments with vibrant colors<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span><\/i> dangcongsan.vn<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Living close to the border with China, the H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec ethnicity comprises two main branches: the H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec \u0110en people and the H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec Hoa people. Each has their own distinct clothing style, especially for women.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec \u0110en and H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec Hoa women traditionally wear black shirts \u2013 either waist-length or going all the way past their knees \u2013 over trousers, with embroidered patterns adorning the sleeves and the torso. However, their choices of pattern colors differ greatly. H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec \u0110en people like to use more subdued tones such as blue or purple, whereas H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec Hoa people opt for much brighter shades such as red or yellow.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec \u0110en women prefer more subdued shades instead<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span><\/i> Vietnamnet<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

And as with many other communities\u2019 ethnic attire, the headgear is indispensable. H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec Hoa women are rarely seen without their intricately woven hats with many tassels. By contrast, H\u00e0 Nh\u00ec \u0110en women\u2019s headgear is much more unassuming, featuring only a folded piece of cloth. However, it is often worn over a wig that\u2019s a thick braid woven from wool.<\/span><\/p>\n

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6. Khmer ethnicity attire – staying close to their Cambodian roots<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> Vov<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

With a population of over a million, living mainly in southern provinces such as Tr\u00e0 Vinh and S\u00f3c Tr\u0103ng, the <\/span>Khmer people <\/b>have long been one of Vietnam\u2019s many ethnic groups. However, they are an ancient people that has a presence in several Southeast Asian countries. As such, Vietnamese Khmer people maintain a distinct culture, and by extension, clothing that wouldn\u2019t be out of place in a Cambodian festival.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> S\u1ee9c Kh\u1ecfe & \u0110\u1eddi S\u1ed1ng<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Yellow is a prominent color in Khmer women\u2019s attire. For casual everyday businesses, they often wear shirts accompanied by a <\/span>x\u0103m p\u1ed1t<\/span><\/em>. <\/span><\/i>Technically, a <\/span>x\u0103m p\u1ed1t <\/span><\/em>is a dress made from one whole sheet of cloth, but it can be wrapped around the legs and tied at the waist to resemble baggy pants. If extra formality is needed, Khmer women add in a <\/span>sbay<\/span><\/em> \u2013 a silk scarf worn from the left shoulder to the right hip.<\/span><\/p>\n

During festivals or important occasions, Khmer women wear more complex attire adorned by beads and accessories such as golden bracelets, necklaces, and crown-like hats.<\/span><\/p>\n

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7. Northern Kinh people\u2019s t\u1ee9 th\u00e2n<\/em> attire – associated with folk performances<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span> @vietphuc_collection<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

People of the <\/span>Kinh ethnicity <\/b>make up the vast majority of the Vietnamese population, and of course, their traditional <\/span>\u00e1o d\u00e0i<\/span><\/em> is all but too well-known. That said, <\/span>\u00e1o t\u1ee9 th\u00e2n<\/span><\/em> is another type of traditional Kinh women\u2019s clothing that deserves a shout-out. Centuries before <\/span>\u00e1o d\u00e0i<\/span><\/em> came along, <\/span>\u00e1o t\u1ee9 th\u00e2n <\/span><\/em>was already favored by common folks in northern Vietnamese provinces.<\/span><\/p>\n

It comprises a long shirt divided into two flaps at the front and another two at the back. It is this characteristic that gives the attire the name <\/span>t\u1ee9 th\u00e2n <\/span><\/em>\u2013 meaning \u201cfour body parts\u201d. The shirt is worn over wide-leg pants and a type of apron-like bodice called <\/span>y\u1ebfm<\/span><\/em>, and then tied with a colorful belt. Usually, it is also accompanied by a round, flat hat called <\/span>n\u00f3n quai thao<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>The attire is associated with quan h\u1ecd singing<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit:<\/span> @hoanghungx<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Today, <\/span>\u00e1o t\u1ee9 th\u00e2n<\/span><\/em> is only seen in performances and festivals. It is often associated with B\u1eafc Ninh Province\u2019s signature <\/span>quan h\u1ecd <\/span><\/em>singing \u2013 a form of traditional folk singing where men and women exchange verses as if in a conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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8. Southern Kinh people\u2019s b\u00e0 ba<\/em> attire – traditional country attire<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span><\/i> @nangthobestrong<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

While northern Kinh women have <\/span>\u00e1o t\u1ee9 th\u00e2n<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>those from the <\/span>south<\/b><\/a> instead are known for another signature attire called <\/span>\u00e1o b\u00e0 ba<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In contrast to the likes of <\/span>\u00e1o d\u00e0i<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>which emphasizes elegance and sophistication, <\/span>\u00e1o b\u00e0 ba <\/span><\/em>is synonymous with rustic country life. The attire includes a silk long-sleeved button-down shirt and trousers. Usually, the shirt is split at the hips and has two pockets at the front. The design is aimed to be practical and comfortable. It allows for greater freedom of movement, which women in the past needed to go about their daily work.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit:<\/span><\/i> @kameharris<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Today, <\/span>\u00e1o b\u00e0 ba <\/span><\/i>isn\u2019t as popular as it once was, but it is still romanticized in many songs and literary works. The garments are associated with the gentle, endearing beauty of a young country girl.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Beautiful ethnic clothing of Vietnamese women<\/span><\/h3>\n
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The <\/span>\u00e1o d\u00e0i <\/span><\/em>has made an appearance on many international stages and established itself as the signature attire of Vietnamese women. But aside from it, other Vietnamese ethnic women’s clothing is no less important. Each reflects generations\u2019 worth of its respective region\u2019s culture and ways of life, passed down from one generation to the next.<\/span><\/p>\n

These ethnic garments are a significant part of Vietnam\u2019s diverse culture, but unfortunately, many are falling into obscurity, unknown to most modern city folks. So, share this article with your friends, to give these garments the appreciation they deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more stories, check out:<\/span><\/p>\n