In Vietnam the people commonly use the dresses made up of cotton and silk. Like many parts of the world in the urban areas, the trend is to wear the western clothing but in the remote and rural parts the traditional dresses are worn.

A Vietnamese couple in the traditional dress. Image courtesy : Quynh

Mostly, people wear sandals made of old tire rubber. They love to wear lightweight dresses, especially the women use loose-fitting trousers with blouses. The blouses are traditionally embroidered with glittering colors. They also use “non la” which is a typical conical Asian hat to protect them from the bright sunshine.

A graceful formal Ao Dai dress. Photo : Doremon360 (flickr)

“Ao Dai” which must be pronounced as “Ao zai” or “Ao yai” is the national costume for the Vietnamese women. The Vietnamese specially promote the traditional “Ao Dai” dress. “Ao Dai” is tightly fitted dress which is worn in the way that the bust and the curves are made prominent. Normally, this dress covers the entire body of the wearer but the physique becomes proactive in a passionate way.

Women in the traditional attire ( Vietnam ) Photo : Nervous Photostream ( flickr )

The “ao dai”, the traditional dress of Vietnam is also a formal dress these days which is used by the women in the formal functions and wedding occasions. A plain white ao dai is a common high school school uniform in the whole country. 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.

Girls in traditional Ao Dai on bicycle