The Vietnamese Ao Dai

The Ao Dai is the most recognizable traditional dress seen in Vietnam, and
though western style clothes are popular, this beautifully styled outfit is still
actively worn throughout the country during Tet, at work, to weddings, and
other national celebrations.

The word Ao Dai means ‘Long Dress,’ and is a two piece garment. The bottom part consists of loose
pants that reach the ankles. The top is a tight fitting tunic with long sleeves and a high collar with two
panels that float loosely down the front and back.

The Ao Dai is famously known to ‘cover everything, but hide

nothing,’ and it perfectly accentuates the long, lithe body possessed by Vietnamese women. When
choosing to wear the Ao Dai it pays to have a similarly shaped figure.

Historically the Ao Dai is believed to come from China, when the newly crowned king Nguyen Phuc Khoat
decreed in 1744 that the Ming Chinese style of dress would be adopted by all his subjects. Since then, both
men and women have worn different variations of the Ao Dai. It has never been an official ceremonial dress,
and has always been used an everyday outfit.

Now, with western fashions popular in Vietnam, the once ‘everyday’ Ao Dai are now only worn at special
occasions and by office staff in companies that require it. It has experienced a revival in recent years, and its
extremely common now to see women navigating traffic on bicycles and motorbikes, expertly lifting the long
panels away from greasy spokes and gears.

Men no longer wear the garment as much as women do, confining it to traditional weddings the normal
photo shoots popular with Vietnamese all over the country.

The variations in colors of this unique national costume is amazing: high school girls wear white ones,
female cabin crew on Vietnam Airlines wear red ones, and bank employees wear ones matching their
company’s logo. It’s also common for older women to wear Ao Dai to be made of a velvety material and
accented with a rope of pearls.

The style of today’s Ao Dai remains close to the antique originals, and hasn’t changed very much in the last
100 years; however in the last thirty years changes have been made to the pleating and the lengths of the
collar.

Many Vietnamese designers are now reinterpreting the Ao Dai, experimenting with new materials,
decorations, and adornments. Many of their studios can be found in Saigon and Hanoi, with prices ranging
up to several hundred dollars for one of their creations.

For foreign women traveling in Vietnam, Ao Dai makes excellent handmade souvenirs. Shopping for
material in Saigon’s Ben Thanh market is a good excursion and you will make friends along the way by
asking for suggestions and tailors to recommend. Numerous tailors can be found in Saigon, Hoi An and
Hanoi that specialize in making excellent Ao Dais. Most of them can make the outfit in 24 hours or less.
What better way is there to remember your fantastic trip to Vietnam? You’ll be reminded of the beautiful
country every time you put your Ao Dai on.
/////////////////////////////////

The AÓ-DAÌ
A page about the traditional vietnamese dress
On this page I will tell you a bit more about one of my favorit fashion things, the
Ao-Dai.

What is an Aó-Daì?
The Ao-Dai is the traditional dress of
the vietnames people. It is in general
the same for both genders but in
modern days more often worn by
woman. Sometimes, designs are
painted or embroidered in front and
back of the dress.
AO DAI leterally mean "long dress",
the national dress of Vietnam. It is a
contoured, full-length dress worn over
black or white loose-fitting trousers.
The dress splits into a front and back
panel from the waist down. There are
many stylish variations in color and
collar design. Originally, the ao dai
was loosely tailored with four panels,
two of which were tied in back. In
1932, a nationalistic literacy group
called the Tu Luc Van Doan designed
what is essentially now the ao dai. A
similar costume is worn the men and
is also called an ao dai. However, the
mans'dress front and back panel isa
bit shorter in length and more loose-
fitting. The color of the brocade and
the embroidered dragon were worn
only by the Emperor. Purple was the
color reserved for high ranking
mandarins while the blue was worn
by those mandarins of lower rank.
The dresses for mourning have
frayed fringes a line up the back and
may be either white or black,
although white is the standard color for mourning.
Pronounced 'ao yai' in the south, but 'ao zai' in the north, the color is indicative of
the wearer's age and status. Young girls wear pure white, fully lined outfits
symbolizing their purity. As they grow older but are still unmarried they move into
soft pastel shades. Only married women wear gowns in strong, rich colors,
usually over white or black pants. The ao dai has always been more prevalent in
the south than the north, but austerity drives after 1975 meant it was rarely
anywhere seen for a number of years as it was considered an excess not
appropriate for hard work. The nineties have seen a resurgence in the ao dai's
popularity. "It has become standard attire for many office workers and hotel staff
as well as now being the preferred dress for more formal occasions," says
Huong, a secretary for a foreign company. "I feel proud of my heritage when I
wear it."

General colors used:

In General lighter or more pastel colors are worn by younger people the darker
and brighter collors are worn by the older people.
Young girls wear pure white, fully lined outfits symbolizing their purity. As they
grow older but are still unmarried they move into soft pastel shades. Only married
wear gowns in strong, rich colors. The Ao-Dai is usually worn over white or black
long and wide swinging pants.

white = students uniform

violett = if the wearer is in love
red = marrige gown
darkblue = mostly worn by man

A short history of the Aó-Daì:

The historical periode:
The exact beginning of the developmant of the Ao-Dai is not very clear. Possible
it develoupd from a gown worn in the chinese Yeun dynasty that resamles some
basic similarity to the Ao-Dai. Also it has some similarity to the so coled
Cheogsam an the Quipu.
The following picturs show some relations of historical costumes from south
china witch are posible prdecessors of the Ao-Dai.

Early versions of the Ao-Dai date back to 1744 when Lord Vu Vuong of the
Nguyen Dynasty decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of
trousers and a gown that buttoned down the front. It was not until 1930 that the
ao dai as we know it really appeared.

France colony periode:

This time period had a great influence in the look of the Ao-Dai. The importing of
the european underwear to be exactly the bra forced the develoupmant of the
Ao-Dai to a more clother body showing form. Before it was a bit more lose cut.
Vietnamese fashion designer and writer Cat Tuong, or as the French knew him,
Monsieur Le Mur, lengthened the top so it reached the floor, fitted the bodice to
the curves of the body and moved the buttons from the more front position to
closer along the shoulder and side seam. But it took another twenty years before
the next major design change was incorporated and the modern ao dai emerged.
During the 1950s two tailors in Saigon, Tran Kim of Thiet Lap Tailors and Dung
of Dung Tailors, started producing the gowns with raglan sleeves. This creates a
diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and today, this style is still
preferred.

Modern Day:
In our modern time many things influenced the look of the Ao-Dai in many ways.
The look of the shlevs fary from nothing to long. The use of modern or exotic
fabrics.
Several years ago Max, the lead collections designer at Ralph Lauren did an
"Indochine" group. Several of his Southeast Asian inspired dresses wer shown at
the Met's "Orientalism" Show. The Vietnamese inspired gown was one of the
most memorable in the exhibit.
Its popularity may be its undoing as the garment is now being mass produced to
make it more available and cheaper. The gown length appears to be gradually
shortening and today is usually just below the knee. Variations in the neck,
between boat and mandarin style, are common and even adventurous alterations
such as a low scooped neckline, puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are
appearing as ladies experiment with fashion. Colors are no longer as rigidly
controlled as it was in the past. Men wore it less, generally mostly on ceremonial
occasions such as at weddings or funerals.

How to cut and sew an Aó-Daì:

To make your own Ao-Dai the right way, I will put small pics i have collected later
on this page. On it you can see how to cut a sewing-pattern.

Ao-Dai is custom made only. That's why it looks so nice: it fits the person wearing
it exactly. If you can somehow get measurements of you, you can send these
with someone to order a custom Aó-Daì when going to Vietnam. It takes about 1
week to make and costs about 50$ . You should supply the silk fabric also. but
also new kinds fabrics has some dazzling results.
Most visitors to Vietnam agree that the tailors already have the perfect cut. It is
hard to think of a more elegant, demure and yet sexy outfit, that suits Vietnamese
people of all ages, than the Ao Dai.

The minimum measurements needed

( keep the tape loose) are like following:

 neck circumference ( vòng cô? )

 shoulder width ( ngang vai )
 arm hole size ( vóng cành tay )
 length of arm ( daì cành tay)
 wrist circumference ( vòng cô? tay )
 chest circumference ( vòng ngu+.c )
 length from low of neck to largest part of chest ( daì tù+ cô? ddê'n ngu+.c )
 length from back of neck to waist ( daì lu+ng )
 waist circumference ( vòng eo)
 hip circumference. ( vòng mông)
 length from waist to desired hem line ( daì tà aó )
All measurements must be in centimeters ( phân tây), not inches.
Good luck!
////////////////////////////////////

View Photos (2)

• Image © 2000 Claire Ellis
A lasting impression for any visitor to Vietnam is the beauty of the women dressed in
their ao dais. Girls dressed in white pick their way through muddy streets going home
from school or sail by in a graceful chatter on their bikes. Secretaries in delicate pastels
greet you at an office door and older ladies in deep shades of purple, green or blue cut a
striking pose eating dinner at a restaurant. The ao dai appears to flatter every figure. Its
body-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. Splits in the gown extend
well above waist height and make it comfortable and easy to move in. Although virtually
the whole body is swathed in soft flowing fabric, these splits give the odd glimpse of a
bare midriff, making the outfit very sensual. Rapidly becoming the national costume for
ladies, its development is actually very short compared to the country's history.

Pronounced 'ao yai' in the south, but 'ao zai' in the north, the color is indicative of the
wearer's age and status. Young girls wear pure white, fully lined outfits symbolizing their
purity. As they grow older but are still unmarried they move into soft pastel shades. Only
married women wear gowns in strong, rich colors, usually over white or black pants. The
ao dai has always been more prevalent in the south than the north, but austerity drives
after 1975 meant it was rarely anywhere seen for a number of years as it was considered
an excess not appropriate for hard work. The nineties have seen a resurgence in the ao
dai's popularity. "It has become standard attire for many office workers and hotel staff as
well as now being the preferred dress for more formal occasions," says Huong, a
secretary for a foreign company. "I feel proud of my heritage when I wear it." For
visitors, the pink and blue of the Vietnam Airlines uniform creates a lasting memory as
they travel.

Early versions of the ao dai date back to 1744 when Lord Vu Vuong of the Nguyen
Dynasty decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of trousers and a gown
that buttoned down the front. It was not until 1930 that the ao dai as we know it really
appeared. Vietnamese fashion designer and writer Cat Tuong, or as the French knew him,
Monsieur Le Mur, lengthened the top so it reached the floor, fitted the bodice to the
curves of the body and moved the buttons from the front to an opening along the
shoulder and side seam. Men wore it less, generally only on ceremonial occasions such as
at weddings or funerals. But it took another twenty years before the next major design
change was incorporated and the modern ao dai emerged. During the 1950s two tailors
in Saigon, Tran Kim of Thiet Lap Tailors and Dung of Dung Tailors, started producing the
gowns with raglan sleeves. This creates a diagonal seam running from the collar to the
underarm and today, this style is still preferred.

Its popularity is also spreading well beyond Vietnam's borders. For years Vietnamese
immigrants preferred to adopt Western dress and blend with their new community but
now the ao dai is seeing a revival amongst overseas Vietnamese. At least here in the
United States this may be partly due to the arrival of Tram Kim, known as Mr. Ao dai. He
shifted to California in 1982 and opened a new branch of Thiet Lap Tailors in Garden
Grove, Orange County, leaving his Saigon store to his son. There are even annual Miss
Ao dai pageants held and the prestigious Long Beach show attracts entrants from across
the country. The clothing has also inspired French designers including top names such as
Christian Lacroix and Claude Montana, and variations of the tight sleeves, fitted bodice,
high collar and flowing trousers have been seen on the catwalks of Europe.

Every ao dai is custom made, accounting for the fit that creates such a flattering look.
Stores specialize in their production and a team of cutters, sewers and fitters ensure that
the final product will highlight the figure of the wearer. Thuy, a fitter in Ho Chi Minh City,
says, "To create the perfect fit, customers take their undergarments and shoes with them
for the fittings." The pants should reach the soles of the feet and flow along the floor.

Comfort has not been forgotten at the expense of fashion and beauty. The cut allows the
wearer freedom of movement and despite covering the whole body, it is cool to wear.
Synthetic fabrics are preferred as they do not crush and are quick drying, making the ao
dai a practical uniform for daily wear.

Its popularity may be its undoing as the garment is now being mass produced to make it
more available and cheaper. The gown length appears to be gradually shortening and
today is usually just below the knee. Variations in the neck, between boat and mandarin
style, are common and even adventurous alterations such as a low scooped neckline,
puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are appearing as ladies experiment with
fashion. Colors are no longer as rigidly controlled and access to new fabrics has created
some dazzling results. But most visitors to Vietnam agree that the tailors already have
the perfect cut. It is hard to think of a more elegant, demure and yet sexy outfit, that
suits Vietnamese women of all ages, than the ao dai.

/////////////////////

Aodai
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

A woman wears an ao dai before the Saigon Central Post Office. For a time condemned
as decadent by the country's rulers, the dress experienced a revival in the 1990s and is
once again considered a national costume.

The ao dai (Vietnamese: áo dài) is a Vietnamese national costume, now most commonly
for women. In its current form, it is a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over pantaloons. The
word is pronounced [ǎːwzâːj], approximately ow-zye, in the North, and with a y sound
for the d in the South. Áo is derived from a Middle Chinese word meaning "padded coat"
(襖).[1] Dài means "long".[1]
The word "ao dai" was originally applied to the outfit worn at the court of the Nguyễn
Lords at Huế in the 18th century. This outfit evolved into the áo ngũ thân, a five-paneled
aristocratic gown worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Inspired by Paris fashions,
Nguyễn Cát Tường and other artists associated with Hanoi University redesigned the ngũ
thân as a modern dress in the 1920s and 1930s.[2] The updated look was promoted by the
artists and magazines of Tự Lực văn đoàn ("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 today.[2] The dress was extremely popular in
South Vietnam in the 1960s and early 1970s. On Tết and other occasions, Vietnamese
men may wear an áo gấm "(brocade robe)", a version of the ao dai made of thicker fabric.

Academic commentary on the ao dai emphasizes the way the dress ties feminine beauty
to Vietnamese nationalism, especially in the form of "Miss Ao Dai" pageants, popular
both among overseas Vietnamese and in Vietnam itself.[3] "Ao dai" is one of the few
Vietnamese words that appear in English-language dictionaries.[nb 1]
Contents
[hide]

• 1 Parts of dress
• 2 History
o 2.1 18th century
o 2.2 19th century
o 2.3 20th century
 2.3.1 Modernization of style
 2.3.2 The communist period
• 3 Present day
• 4 Gallery
• 5 See also
• 6 Notes
o 6.1 Footnotes
o 6.2 Citations

• 7 External links

[edit] Parts of dress

Diagram that shows the parts of an ao dai.

Nút bấm thân áo: hooks (used as fasteners) and holes
ống tay: sleeve
Đường ben: inside seam
Nút móc kết thúc: main hook and hole
Tà sau: back flap
Khuy cổ: collar button
Cổ áo: collar
Đường may: seam
ống tay: sleeve
Kích (eo): waist
Tà trước: front flap
The ao dai can be worn with a nón lá (pointed leaf hat), a style associated with Huế. On
weddings and other formal occasions, a circular headgear called a khăn đóng is worn.

[edit] History

The áo tứ thân as worn in the North, 1800s

[edit] 18th century

Peasant women typically wore a halter top (Vietnamese: áo yếm) underneath a blouse or
overcoat, that was paired with a skirt (váy).[4] Influenced by the fashions of China's
imperial court, aristocrats favored less revealing clothes.[5] 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.[2][nb 2] Writer Lê Quý Đôn described the newfangled outfit as
an áo dài (long coat).[nb 3] The members of the southern court were thus distinguished
from the courtiers of the Trịnh Lords in Hanoi, who wore a split-sided jacket and a long
skirt.[6]

[edit] 19th century

The áo tứ thân, a traditional four-paneled gown, evolved into the five-paneled áo ngũ
thân in the early 19th century.[6] Ngũ is Sino-Vietnamese for "five." It refers not only to
the number of panels, but also to the five elements in oriental cosmology. The áo ngũ
thân had a loose fit and sometimes had wide sleeves. Wearers could display their
prosperity by putting on multiple layers of fabric, which at that time was costly. Despite
Vietnam's tropical climate, northern aristocrats were known to wear three to five layers.
Two women wear áo ngũ thân, the form of the ao dai worn in the nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries

The áo ngũ thân 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 ao dai. Compared
to a modern ao dai, the front and back flaps were much broader and the fit looser. It had a
high collar and was buttoned in the same fashion as a modern ao dai. Women could wear
the dress with the top few buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of their yếm underneath.

[edit] 20th century

[edit] Modernization of style

In 1930, Hanoi artist Cát Tường, also known as Le Mur, designed a dress 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.[7] When fabric became inexpensive, the rationale
multiple layers and thick flaps disappeared. Modern texile manufacture allowed 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.[8] The style was promoted by the
artists of Tự Lực văn đoàn ("Self-Reliant Literary Group") as a national costume for the
modern era.[9] 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).
This woman wears a white ao dai in front of Hồ Gươm Lake in Hanoi.

In the 1950s, Saigon designers tightened the fit of the ao dai to create the version
commonly seen today.[2] Trần Kim of Thiết Lập Tailors and Dũng of Dũng Tailors
created a dress with raglan sleeves and a diagonal seam that runs from the collar to the
underarm.[2] The infamous Madame Nhu, first lady of South Vietnam, popularized a
collarless version beginning in 1958. The ao dai was most popular from 1960 to 1975.[10]
A brightly colored áo dài hippy was introduced in 1968.[11] 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.[7]

[edit] The communist period

The ao dai 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 the 1975, had
conflicted feelings about the ao dai. They praised it as a national costume and one was
worn to the Paris Peace Conference (1968–73) by Vietcong negotiator Nguyễn Thị Bình.
[12]
Yet Westernized versions of the dress and those associated with "decadent" Saigon of
the 1960s and early 1970s were condemned.[13] Economic crisis, famine, and war with
Cambodia combined to make the 1980s a fashion low point.[6] The ao dai was rarely worn
except at weddings and other formal occasions, with the older, looser-fitting style
preferred.[13] 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.[2]

The ao dai experienced a revival beginning in late 1980s, when state enterprise and
schools began adopting the dress as a uniform again.[2] In 1989, 16,000 Vietnamese
attended a Miss Ao Dai Beauty Contest held in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).[14]
When the Miss International Pageant in Tokyo gave its "Best National Costume" award
to an ao dai-clad Trường Quỳnh Mai in 1995, Thời Trang Trẻ (New Fashion Magazine)
gushed that Vietnam's "national soul" was "once again honored."[15] An "ao dai craze"
followed that lasted for several years and led to wider use of the dress as a school
uniform.[16]

[edit] Present day

No longer controversial politically, ao dai fashion design is supported by the Vietnamese

government.[6] It often called the áo dài Việt Nam to link it to patriotic feeling. 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 dress.[6] In Hanoi, tourists get fitted for ao dai on Luong
Van Can Street.[17] The elegant city of Huế in the central region is known for its ao dai,
nón lá (leaf hats), and well-dressed women.

The ao dai is now standard for weddings, for celebrating Tết and for other formal
occasions. A plain white ao dai is a common high school school uniform in the South.
Companies often require their female staff to wear uniforms that include the ao dai, so
flight attendants, receptionists, restaurant staff, and hotel workers in Vietnam may be
seen wearing it.

A schoolgirl in a white ao dai and a nón lá (leaf hat). This ensemble is associated with the
central city of Huế

The most popular style of ao dai fits tightly around the wearer's upper torso, emphasizing
her bust and curves. Although the dress covers the entire body, it is thought to be
provocative, especially when it is made of thin fabric. "The ao dai covers everything, but
hides nothing", according to one saying.[12] The dress must be individually fitted and
usually requires several weeks for a tailor to complete. An ao dai costs about $200 in the
United States and about $40 in Vietnam.[18]

"Symbolically, the ao dai 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.[3]
The difficulties of working while wearing an ao dai link the dress to frailty and
innocence, she wrote.[3] Vietnamese writers who favor the use of the ao dai 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.[16]
The ao dai is featured in an array of Vietnam-themed or related movies. In Good
Morning Vietnam (1987), Robin Williams's character is wowed by ao dai-clad women
when he first arrives in Saigon. The 1992 films Indochine and The Lover inspired several
international fashion houses to design ao dai collections,[19] including Prada's SS08
collection and a Georgio Armani collection. In the Vietnamese film The White Silk Dress
(2007), an ao dai is the sole legacy that the mother of a poverty-stricken family has to
pass on to her daughters.[20] The Hanoi City Complex, a 65-story building now under
construction, will have an ao dai-inspired design.[21] Vietnamese designers created ao dai
for the contestants in the Miss Universe beauty contest, which was held July 2008 in Nha
Trang, Vietnam.[22]

[edit] Gallery

A Nguyen Dynasty princess in ao Dancing high school Our Lady,

dai students Phát Diệm Cathedral

Contemporary ao dai Wikipe-tan wearing ao

Graduation
designs dai
/////////////////////////////////////////
2008/12/06 16:04 by:girl Áo dài Original Large | Medium | Small
Khi nói đến khía cạnh thẩm mỹ, văn hóa và trang phục truyền thống của người Việt,
người ta thường nghĩ ngay đến tà áo dài và chiếc nón lá, thật vậy, trải qua từng thời kỳ,
từng giai đoạn cùng với những diễn biến của quá trình phát triển lịch sử, tà áo dài Việt
Nam tồn tại cùng với thời gian, được xem là trang phục truyền thống mang tính lịch sử
lâu đời của người Việt.

Áo dài Việt Nam - những chặng đường lịch sử.

Ngược dòng thời gian tìm về cội nguồn, hình ảnh chiếc áo dài Việt với hai tà áo thướt
tha trong gió đã được tìm thấy qua các hình khắc trên mặt trống đồng và hiện vật Đông
Sơn cách ngày nay hằng nghìn năm (2879.BC-258.BC):
 Trang phục Việt cổ thể hiện trên kiếm đồng Đông Sơn.
.

Truyền thuyết kể lại rằng khi cưỡi voi xông trận, Hai Bà Trưng (40-43.AD) đã mặc áo dài
hai tà giáp vàng, che lọng vàng. Do tôn kính hai bà, phụ nữ Việt xưa tránh mặc áo hai tà
mà thay bằng áo tứ thân.
Theo thời gian, trong khoảng từ thế kỷ 17 đến thế kỷ 19, để có dáng dấp trang trọng và
mang vẻ quyền quý hơn, phụ nữ nơi thành thị đã biến tấu kiểu áo ngũ thân từ chiếc áo
dài tứ thân nhằm thể hiện sự giàu sang cũng như địa vị xã hội của người phụ nữ. Giống
như một quy luật, trang phục cũng đi liền với diễn biến của lịch sử, chiếc áo dài ngũ
thân vẫn không thể là điểm dừng của trang phục truyền thống Việt Nam.

Áo dài tứ thân.
.

Trong sách "Relation de la Nouvelle Mission des Péres de la Compagnie de Jesus au

Royaume de la Cochinchine", xuất bản tại Lille năm 1631, giáo sĩ Borri đã tả rõ về cách
ăn mặc của người Việt ở đầu thế kỷ 17: "Người ta mặc năm sáu cái áo dài, áo nọ phủ
lên áo kia, mỗi cái một màu... Phần dưới thắt lưng của mấy lớp áo ngoài được cắt thành
những dải dài. Khi đi lại, các dải này quyện vào nhau trông đẹp mắt…”

Có lẽ giáo sĩ Borri đã hiểu lầm về số lớp áo được người Việt xưa mặc mỗi khi ra ngoài.
Thật ra mấy lớp áo bên ngoài bị cắt thành các dải dài bên dưới thắt lưng mà giáo sĩ
Borri nhắc đến chỉ là cái xiêm cánh sen, hoặc có nơi gọi là quầy bơi chèo, mà người
xưa mặc trước ngực hay dưới thắt lưng bên ngoài áo dài. Xiêm này có ba hoặc bốn lớp
dải lụa may chồng lên nhau. Lớp dải trong cùng dài nhất, rồi các lớp bên ngoài ngắn
dần. Bức tượng Ngọc Nữ tạc từ thế kỷ 17 ở chùa Dâu, Bắc Ninh, là minh chứng rõ nhất
cho cả áo dài, các giải cánh sen, lẫn cách vấn khăn mà giáo sĩ Borri đã mục diện từ bốn
thế kỷ trước đây.
Tượng Ngọc Nữ (thế kỷ 17)
Năm 1819, cách ăn mặc của người dân vẫn giống như giáo sĩ Borri đã thấy ở Thuận
Quảng từ hơn hai thế kỷ trước đó với quần lụa đen và áo may sát người dài đến mắt cá
chân.

Cho đến đầu thế kỷ 20, phần đông áo dài phụ nữ thành thị đều may theo thể năm thân,
hay năm tà. Mỗi thân áo trước và sau đều có hai tà, khâu lại với nhau dọc theo sống áo.
Thêm vào đó là tà thứ năm ở bên phải, trong thân trước. Tay áo may nối phía dưới
khuỷu tay vì các loại vải ngày xưa chỉ dệt được rộng nhất là 40cm. Cổ, tay và thân trên
áo thường ôm sát người, rồi tà áo may rộng ra từ sườn đến gấu và không chít eo. Gấu
áo may võng, vạt rất rộng, trung bình là 80cm. Cổ áo chỉ cao khoảng 2 - 3cm.
Riêng ở miền Bắc khoảng năm 1910 - 1920, phụ nữ thích may thêm một cái khuyết phụ
độ 3cm bên phải cổ áo, và cài khuy cổ lệch ra đấy. Cổ áo như thế sẽ hở ra cho quyến rũ
hơn và cũng để diện chuỗi hột trang sức nhiều vòng.
Phần nhiều áo dài ngày xưa đều may kép, tức là may có lớp lót. Lớp áo trong cùng
thấm mồ hôi, vì thế được may đơn bằng vải mầu trắng để không sợ bị thôi mầu, dễ giặt.
Một áo kép mặc kèm với một áo lót đơn ở trong đã thành một bộ áo mớ ba. Quần may
rộng vừa phải, với đũng thấp. Thuở đó, phần đông phụ nữ từ Nam ra Bắc đều mặc
quần đen với áo dài, trong khi phụ nữ Huế lại chuộng quần trắng. Đặc biệt là giới
thượng lưu ở Huế hay mặc loại quần chít ba, nghĩa là dọc hai bên mép ngoài quần
được may với ba lần gấp, để khi đi lại quần sẽ xòe rộng thêm.

Trong các thập niên 1930 và 1940, cách may áo dài vẫn không thay đổi nhiều, gấu áo
dài thường được may trên mắt cá khoảng 20cm, thường được mặc với quần trắng hoặc
đen.

Những cách tân đầu tiên

Một vài nhà tạo mẫu áo dài bắt đầu xuất hiện trong giai đoạn này, nhưng gần như họ chỉ
bỏ được phần nối giữa sống áo, vì vải phương Tây dệt được khổ rộng hơn. Tay áo vẫn
may nối. Nổi nhất lúc ấy là nhà may Cát Tường ở phố Hàng Da, Hà Nội. Năm 1939 nhà
tạo mẫu này tung ra một kiểu áo dài được ông Âu hóa. Áo Le Mur vẫn giữ nguyên phần
áo dài may không nối sống bên dưới. Nhưng cổ áo khoét hình trái tim. Có khi áo được
gắn thêm cổ bẻ và một cái nơ ở trước cổ. Vai áo may bồng, tay nối ở vai. Khuy áo may
dọc trên vai và sườn bên phải. Nhưng kiểu áo này chỉ tồn tại đến khoảng năm 1943.
Thiếu nữ Hà Nội xưa với áo dài Lemur
.
Đến khoảng năm 1950, sườn áo dài bắt đầu được may có eo. Các thợ may lúc đó đã
khôn khéo cắt áo lượn theo thân người. Thân áo sau rộng hơn thân áo trước, để áo ôm
theo thân dáng mà không cần chít eo. Vạt áo cắt hẹp hơn. Thân áo trong được cắt ngắn
dần từ giai đoạn này. Cổ áo bắt đầu cao lên, trong khi gấu được hạ thấp xuống.
Áo dài được thay đổi nhiều nhất trong thập kỷ 60, áo dài bắt đầu được may chít eo, eo
áo cắt cao lên. Gấu áo lúc này cắt thẳng ngang và may dài gần đến mắt cá chân. Nhiều
người sau đó còn may áo dài với cổ khoét tròn. Đến gần cuối thập kỷ 60, áo dài mini trở
thành thời thượng. Vạt áo may hẹp và ngắn, có khi đến đầu gối, áo may rộng hơn,
không chít eo nữa, nhưng vẫn giữ đường lượn theo thân thể. Cổ áo thấp xuống còn
3cm. Tay áo cũng được may rộng ra. Đặc biệt trong khoảng thời gian này, vai áo dài bắt
đầu được cắt lối raglan để ngực và tay áo ôm hơn, nhăn ít, mà lại đỡ tốn vải. Tay áo
được nối với thân từ chéo vai. Quần may rất dài với gấu rộng đến 60cm và nhiều khi
được lót hai ba lớp. Đến những năm 90, áo dài đã trở lại, cầu kỳ hơn, thanh nhã hơn và
bắt đầu được bạn bè Quốc Tế nghĩ tới như là một biểu tượng của người phụ nữ Việt
Nam.

(Doremon360 tổng hợp từ bài viết của tác giả Thùy Mai và Dung Nguyen design, bổ sung thêm
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Phục lục : Một vài hình ảnh áo dài Việt Nam xưa và nay: