Ao Dai: Vietnam's Traditional Dress, Its History and Where to Buy One

The ao dai is Vietnam's national dress: a long, fitted tunic with high collar and side slits, worn over loose trousers. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog explains what it is, its history, when people wear it today, where to buy or have one made, and other traditional costumes you may see.

As the best-known Vietnamese traditional dress, it appears at Tet, weddings, schools and formal events, and many visitors have one tailored as a souvenir. If you are planning that trip, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online before you book.

What is an ao dai

It is a two-part outfit: a long tunic that falls to the ankles, split at the sides from the waist, and wide trousers underneath. The name roughly means "long shirt."

Women's versions are fitted and often made of silk in bright colors or white; men's versions are looser and shorter. The high collar and long panels are associated with modesty and grace.

Ao dai history

Its history goes back to the 18th century, when Nguyen lords in the south introduced a gown with trousers that set the base for later styles. The modern, close-fitting form appeared in the 1930s in Hanoi, when designers reshaped the tunic into the silhouette known today, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Styles changed again in the following decades, with new necklines, sleeves and fabrics, from new sleeve cuts in mid-century styles to printed silks and modern shapes today. Designers still compete to reinvent it each year. Today, the dress is a symbol of Vietnamese identity at home and in overseas communities.

When people wear it today

The dress is worn on formal and festive occasions rather than every day. You will see it most at Tet, weddings and school events.

White tunics are the uniform of many high school girls, especially in the south and Hue. Hotel and airline staff, including flight attendants, often wear it uniforms. At weddings, brides and family members wear it for the engagement ceremony; our guide to Vietnamese customs covers wedding traditions.

Where to buy an ao dai

The best places to buy one are tailors in Hoi An, Hue and the old centers of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Ready-made versions are sold in markets, but a tailored one fits far better.

Order early in your stay so there is time for a fitting; our guide to Hoi An tailors explains how. Our Hue travel guide and what to buy in Vietnam cover other shopping. Two more costumes are worth knowing about.

Other traditional costumes

The dress is not the only traditional dress in Vietnam. Two others are common sights.

Ethnic minority costumes

Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups have their own clothing, from the indigo and embroidery of the Hmong to the red headscarves of the Red Dao. You will see them in markets in the northern mountains; our guide to ethnic minorities in Vietnam explains the main groups.

The four-panel dress

The ao tu than, a four-panel dress tied at the waist and often worn with a turban, is the older dress of northern village women. It appears at festivals, in Quan Ho folk singing in Bac Ninh, and in cultural performances.

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