Vietnam women’s fashion thru' the years

This video depicts the most popular fashion trends among young women in north Vietnam since early 20th century. Here’s our pick of favoured daily costumes and traditional long dresses (áo dài in Vietnamese).

 1920s: Áo mớ ba. Considered an early version of the traditional long dress (today’s áo dài), it includes a brassiere, a blouse, an outer long blouse and a long robe. The costume is made from cotton fabrics, while the accompanying belt is of silk or linen. Back then, women always tied their hair with something like a long turban and wore a flat hat made from palm or bamboo leaves. They wore slippers. And of course, black teeth, which were considered beautiful then.

 1930s: Áo dài Le Mur. When Vietnam became a French colony, western influences began seeping in, and people started modernising the áo dài. In the early 30s, painter Cát Tường (1912-1946), also known as Le Mur, redesigned the áo dài and made it a closer fit, added larger collars, puffy shoulders and wavy sleeves, creating a fusion dress. The long dress was made using  fabrics such as silk and voile, and was worn with white silk trousers.

 1940s: Velvet áo dài: They became popular among Hanoian women in the 1940s. Designed with two panels in the front and at the back, it had a high neck and straight sleeves. It was worn with white silk trousers. Since then, the áo dài has not undergone a major transformation, and what is worn today remains close to this style.

 1960s & 1970s: Women got into the habit of wearing simple blouses with influences from Hong Kong, mainland China, Germany and Russia. The blouses were usually worn with black satin trousers.

1990s: The era saw strong integration with styles from other countries, and Vietnamese women started flaunting different styles for daily wear and for parties and occasions.

Casual style: High-rise jeans with a white T-shirt and denim jacket became the costume de rigueur for young women, promoting a sporty, active style. (European style)

Formal wear (party wear): The velvet black dress and hard mesh to create curves were a huge trend. (European style)

2010s: Fashion veered towards a variety of modern fabrics, simple elegant colours and styles.

Casual style: A crepe blouse and woollen skirt with ruffles. (Latin style)

Formal wear: A black dress made of organza with ruffles to create softer curves. (Latin style)

Modern Áo dài: It has a simple cut, two panels, and straight sleeves.