Returned to her homeland to research Vietnamese women's traditional outfits over the centuries, from the first outfits on record to those appeared in the 1970s, Kim-Lieu has reconstructed the outfits and presented them as part of her most recent fashion show.
Ao Giao Lanh – Vietnamese women wore long-skirted outfit as early as the mid-17th century. However, it was Lord Nguyen-Phuc Khoat who decreed the very first and complete development of costumes for the woman. The oldest outfit is known through pictures preserved at the School of Extreme Orient as the Giao-Lãnh dress. The outfit included a long cotton dress in only dark brown or black, worn outside of a beige cotton blouse, and on top of an ankle-long black skirt. The outfit was completed with a round-shaped conic hat (nón quai thao).
Ao Tu Than (4-paneled) – Toward the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, Vietnamese women wore the Tứ-Thân, a plain cotton tunic in dark colors. Open at the front the dress had two-flap split at the waist. The two flaps in the back were sewn together. The dress was worn outside of an undergarment (yem). The four flaps represent the woman's parents and in-laws (tứ thân phụ mẫu). A long dark color skirt was worn under the dress and a belt is tied outside the dress at the waist.
Ao Ngu than (5-paneled) – In the early 19th century the Tứ-Thân evolved into the Ngũ-Thân. The "five" includes the four panels of the Tứ-Thân, a little panel was added underneath the front flaps. These flaps represent the five traditional human virtues, such as compassion, loyalty, respect, intellect, trustworthiness (nhân, nghĩa, lễ, trí, tín). Brocade is usually used for the gown with broader flaps and sleeves. Loosely fit and high collared, the gown is buttoned in the same fashion as the modern "ao dai".
Ao "Le Mur" – During the "cultural" revolution of the 1930s came the "Le Mur" gown by the painter Cát-Tường which became widespread in large cities, particularly Hanoi. European design and cut were applied, with pleated sleeves attached at the shoulders of the gown in the same fashion as those of a shirt (vai bồng).
"Ao The" – In the 1940s city women wore modern "ao dai" made by special light weight materials with velvet designs with colored linings. This outfit is referred to as "minh kho hoa uot".
"Ao Dentelle" – At the same period of time came the modern "ao dai" made by black laces with bright colored lining.
Ao "long-and-tightly fit" – During the 1950s-60s Vietnamese women began to wear ankle-length "ao dai" that tightly fit around their body showing its magnificent beauty.
The "collar-less gown" – Toward the beginning of the 1960s modern Vietnamese women began to wear "color-less gowns" showing the beauty of their white and long neck. The gown is also referred to as "Madam Nhu's ao dai".
Ao "mini" - During the same period of time came the knee-length "mini" gown made with extremely light silk worn outside of black trousers.
