Ao Ba Ba – The Pride Of Southern Women In Vietnam

While the women in the North have “ao tu than” and kerchief and Hue’s ladies have violet “ao dai”, the Southern women also have “ao ba ba”, conical hat and checkered scarf. This three accessories have come together to symbolize the beauty of the noble soul as well as the beauty and gentleness of South Vietnamese women.

“Ao ba ba” is a collarless shirt. The back of the shirt is made of a piece of fabric, the front of it consists of two pieces; in the middle of it, there are two rows of buttons that run down from the top. The shirt is split on the two sides. The length of the shirt is over the buttocks, and almost close to the body to emphasize the beautiful curves of the body of women.

The buttons of “ao ba ba” are varied and changed in each period of time. In the past, traditional buttons used were click buttons. But now, the buttons have been created to add more style to accentuate the accent of the shirt.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta used to wear black “ao ba ba” to go to rice paddies because they were both clean and easy to wash. They were made of fabrics that dry quickly. Besides, “ao ba ba” is split on two sides to make the wearers feel comfortable; in front of the shirt, there are two extra bags that are quite convenient for holding the necessary items. Thanks to its usability and comfort, “ao ba ba” is worn by both men and women in the Mekong Delta when they go to work, go shopping or go out.

Over the years, “ao ba ba” has been refurbished to suit the physical movement of the wearer as well as the change of fashion thinking, so there is a modern “ao ba ba”. The traditional “ao ba ba” is made to be more fashionable, national but beautiful and modern. The modern “ao ba ba” is not as straight and wide as it used to be, but it embraces the body. In addition, new styles are being created, which are absorbed in foreign costumes.

An accessory going with “ao ba ba” is a checkered scarf. The checkered scarf is usually black and white or brown and white. These two colors cross each other, forming small squares, stretching over the scarf. Because of the horizontal and vertical lines, we call it the checkered scarf. The checkered scarf is about 1.2m long, about 40-50 cm wide, not sophisticated, colorful but idyllic and simple.

Through the ups and downs of the country, “ao ba ba” still exists and captures the affection of all classes in society. “Ao ba ba”, conical hat and checkered scarf make up the very distinctive beauty of the South.