Áo dài and nón lá

The áo dài is a long tunic split at the sides and worn over trousers. Its modern, close-fitting form took shape in the 1930s; today it is school uniform in many high schools, formal wear at weddings and Tết, and work clothing for airline and hotel staff.

The nón lá, the conical leaf hat, is older and more practical: palm leaves stitched over bamboo rings, light enough to wear all day in the fields and wide enough to keep off both sun and rain.

Together they have become a kind of visual shorthand for Vietnam. These portraits show how photographers play with them: white silk against dark wood, the hat's shadow across a face, a red dress among spring branches. The last frame is a reminder that people in the countryside are just as photogenic without the costume.

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Photos: tieubaotruong, amvphoto, mrha, luissteven, nohtnongdan on Pixabay, used under the Pixabay Content License. These are not my photographs.