Ao dai is a traditional Vietnamese costume, which literally means “long dress.” Although the modern ao dai comes in many different versions, the typical female ao dai is a tight-fitting long dress donned together with long pants.
Nowadays, one can probably see most ao dai on the streets of Vietnam when Tet, the Lunar New Year, comes, which is a perfect opportunity for local women to put on the country’s traditional gown and celebrate a fresh start. Also, it has become trendy for women to wear their best outfit and organize a photoshoot around this time of the year in order to keep memorable memories in pictures and start the new year in joy and happiness.
Through this photo essay taken at Thien Hau—an old temple in Cholon, in HCMC’s District 5—the author wants to bring readers closer to the Vietnamese tradition revisited with today’s trends and to give you a taste of ao dai’s timeless beauty and charm.
By Adrien Jean
