Ao Dai

In Attire
Relationship: Child of im/migrant

The object I want to share is a type of Vietnamese traditional costume called Ao Dai. In this picture, there is a yellow Ao Dai gown with simple blue flowery designs. This is one of many dresses from my mother’s collection.  Women commonly wear Ao Dai when they attend formal events and parties. This type of dress is typically made out of a silky fabric and is worn over matching silky pants.  My mother owns multiple Ao Dai, each with different designs and colors. There are some that are very simple, like the one pictured, and also some that are very sparkly and shiny. She wears these dresses every Sunday morning when she go sings for the choir during the Vietnamese mass at our local church. If you were to attend a Vietnamese-American wedding today, there is a bigger chance that the older women are wearing Ao Dai rather than the younger crowd.  The history of this Vietnamese traditional gown has continued to change over the years, but it is still a very popular tradition. 

Place(s): Vietnam

– Tricia

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant